By Bill Kemp (Discipleship Resources, 2004)

The Church Transition Workbook by Bill Kemp describes a step-by-step process that will enable the church to get moving again after traumatic conflict or being "run over by change." It keeps laity and clergy on the same page as pastoral relationships are being redefined. Churches considering relocation or a radical shift in ministry will also find that the transition process complements their long-range visioning. Included in the book are stories, practical tools, and exercises that will help the church see its current reality and the possibilities for ministry.

This workbook will help churches that are going through a crisis, precipitated by:

• the loss of a pastor under difficult circumstances, such as clergy misconduct or death;
• the moving or retirement of a long-term pastor or of a pastor who micro-managed the church or failed to empower the laity;
• the sudden loss of church membership or a church split;
• a long-term pattern of declining resources;
• a change in community circumstances or the church's neighborhood.

Audience: pastors, laity, district superintendents, conference leaders, and community developers.

Bill Kemp has served for twenty-four years as a United Methodist pastor in a variety of parish settings across three conferences and six districts. His current appointment as an intentional interim minister for the Western Pennsylvania Conference involves short-term ministry to churches that are experiencing conflict or unusual leadership needs.

In the author's own words:

"This workbook is for church leaders, both lay and clergy. One of the great mistakes of our current era has been to provide clergy with a multitude of books, seminars, and other resources for church change, as if they alone could make things happen. Transition is an organic process, meaning it involves the whole congregation in a shift in activity and in self-understanding. With this in mind, this book was written so that it could be read by anyone who is concerned about the church's future. The content of the book is arranged to support participation by each member of the congregation. This workbook is particularly designed to foster group discussion and to act as a shared resource for those church committees who find themselves riding herd on change. Who those committees are varies, depending on the nature of the transition and the way the local church is organized. Ideally each member of the church's administrative council or governing board would read through this workbook, and then the council would assign appropriate chapters to the various committees and invite short-term study groups to work through its chapters. The idea is to percolate involvement in the process of transition down to the grassroots of the church."