Temporary Shepherds

Effective interim ministry depends on strong partnership between the interim minster and congregation. Lay leaders of congregations preparing for such a transition will value the expert guidance provided by over a dozen experienced interim pastors. What is interim ministry all about? What needs to happen during the interim? What should leaders and members expect from the interim pastor and themselves during this transition? What other resources are available for congregations?

Effective interim ministry depends on strong partnership between the interim minster and congregation. Lay leaders of congregations preparing for such a transition will value the expert guidance provided by over a dozen experienced interim pastors. What is interim ministry all about? What needs to happen during the interim? What should leaders and members expect from the interim pastor and themselves during this transition? What other resources are available for congregations?

Tender shepherding is the ultimate expectation of the Lord from shepherds who take care of His lambs and sheep. He is looking for tender shepherds everywhere including personal homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and in the church. Will you answer the call? Believers in Christ Jesus are making disciples as a sure proof of their love for Him but tender shepherding which is the ordained means appears to be somewhat in crisis. It is in this regard that “A Tender Shepherd” is a voice in time to ignite the tender shepherding spirit that inhabits believers. Tenderness is a significant power chip of the Treasure that resides in believers of Jesus Christ without a doubt. It is the undeniable power that is relevant for the world today. As this power becomes increasingly recognizable and used daily by believers in Christ Jesus for tender shepherding, transformation of lives will begin to be more visible and apparent in homes, families, workplaces, neighborhoods, and indeed in all spheres of human life. The world cannot deny their thirst for transformed lives in every sphere of life and hence the demand for tender shepherds. This is the kind of shepherding that pleases the Lord and proven to be effective for His purposes in reconciling the world to Himself. In this book you will find: • Heaven’s perspective on shepherding • The shepherding blue- print of Jesus Christ and illustrations; those that marked His discipleship and became His brand; discipleship by tenderness and love • The central purpose of shepherding for the fulfillment of the Great Commission • examples for the church from the Apostles who had first-hand and best taste of Jesus’ discipleship. • A hypothetical classification of churches based on shepherd types and suggestions for introspection and • Shepherding in other spheres of life The author considers tender shepherding one of the surest means of responding to Jesus’ command of making disciples of all nations as the day of reckoning draws near. When He will say to each tender shepherd: COME YOU BLESSED OF MY FATHER, INHERIT THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

Transition is the word we use to describe the time following significant change. In congregations, that change might be the departure of the pastor, a catastrophe such as Hurricane Katrina or 9/11, or simply the changes caused by growth. Transition calls for clergy with special training to respond to the needs generated by the special time. “Task, training, and time limit” are the hallmarks of transitional ministry. Trained intentional interim clergy must have the skill and experience to lead congregations during transition. However, transitional or interim ministry has a bad reputation in some places. As one diocesan leader said, “We have never had a church in this diocese that was so bad off that an interim was needed.” Indeed, there are some “sick” churches, but most congregations have some good things happening and some things that need attention. Intentional interim ministry can be medicine for the sick, but in most cases it is better compared to vitamins that are taken to promote health. This book seeks to clear up misconceptions about transitional ministry and present an accurate and up-to-date picture of transitional ministry and to describe the various settings in which this specialized ministry can be helpful. Chapter authors, all expert in transitional ministry in mainline Protestant denominations, include: Robert Friedrich, John Keydel, George Martin, Loren Mead, Barry Miller, Nancy Miller, Ineke Mitchell, Ken Ornell, Molly Dale Smith, and Rob Voyle.

The old-time shepherd – lamb in one hand, crook in the other – is an emblem of sturdiness, dependability and independence. He was one of the most important men on the farm, responsible for the care and well-being of the flock, with which he might need to spend days and nights out in open pastures. How did he manage his charges and his own life? What skills and equipment did he use? How did sheep farming change in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and what effect did those changes have on the shepherd's work? These are some of the questions considered by this fully illustrated exploration of shepherding life.