SUCCESSION SURVEY RESULTS

Select the denomination that most closely represents your polity structure

SUCCESSION SURVEY RESULTS

Select the denomination that most closely represents your polity structure

"I invested in research to gather data on what pastors think about the topic of succession. We chose to partner with the Barna Group because of their experience, expertise, and credibility." - Will Heath, Founder of Sherpa

May we be like the men of Issachar, "who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do"

1 Chronicles 12:32, ESV

SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES

Does your church currently have a transition or succession plan for when you eventually leave or retire?

Which of the following best describes the current state of succession planning at your church:

Regardless of whether the planning is done internally or externally, how would you rate your church’s succession and transition planning:

In the next year or so, how interested would you be in information or resources that help your church in succession planning?

When do you anticipate transitioning out of your current role as pastor – whether in the near or distant future?

Would this be into another role or retirement?

Which of the following processes do you feel would be best facilitate your eventual transition?

How is your church most likely to manage the search process when you transition out of the pastor role? (if multiple methods may be used, please select the primary method)

Of the questions listed below, which are the two that represent your greatest concern about your eventual leadership transition?

ANSWER OPTIONS:

What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?
How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?
What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?
How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?
How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?
How will the church manage the actual transition process?
I’m not really concerned about any of these.

Note: The responses below indicate the % of churches that selected that response as one of their "two greatest concerns."

SOUTHERN BAPTIST RESPONSES

Pastors who anticipate moving to another role.

45% - What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?

42% - How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?

25% - How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?

25% - How will the church manage the actual transition process?

16% - How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?

11% - What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?

8% - I’m not really concerned about any of these.

Pastors who anticipate full or partial retirement.

52% - What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?

34% - How will the church manage the actual transition process?

29% - How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?

29% - How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?

23% - How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?

12% - What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?

2% - I’m not really concerned about any of these.

UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES

Does your church currently have a transition or succession plan for when you eventually leave or retire?

Which of the following best describes the current state of succession planning at your church:

Regardless of whether the planning is done internally or externally, how would you rate your church’s succession and transition planning:

In the next year or so, how interested would you be in information or resources that help your church in succession planning?

When do you anticipate transitioning out of your current role as pastor – whether in the near or distant future?

Would this be into another role or retirement?

Which of the following processes do you feel would be best facilitate your eventual transition?

How is your church most likely to manage the search process when you transition out of the pastor role? (if multiple methods may be used, please select the primary method)

Of the questions listed below, which are the two that represent your greatest concern about your eventual leadership transition?

ANSWER OPTIONS:

What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?
How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?
What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?
How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?
How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?
How will the church manage the actual transition process?
I’m not really concerned about any of these.

Note: The responses below indicate the % of churches that selected that response as one of their "two greatest concerns."

UNITED METHODIST RESPONSES

Pastors who anticipate moving to another role.

64% - What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?

36% - How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?

23% - How will the church manage the actual transition process?

21% - I’m not really concerned about any of these.

16% - How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?

10% - What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?

0% - How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?

Pastors who anticipate full or partial retirement.

50% - What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?

40% - How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?

29% - How will the church manage the actual transition process?

21% - I’m not really concerned about any of these.

16% - How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?

10% - What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?

4% - How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?

PRESBYTERIAN AND REFORMED CHURCH

Does your church currently have a transition or succession plan for when you eventually leave or retire?

Which of the following best describes the current state of succession planning at your church:

Regardless of whether the planning is done internally or externally, how would you rate your church’s succession and transition planning:

In the next year or so, how interested would you be in information or resources that help your church in succession planning?

When do you anticipate transitioning out of your current role as pastor – whether in the near or distant future?

Would this be into another role or retirement?

Which of the following processes do you feel would be best facilitate your eventual transition?

How is your church most likely to manage the search process when you transition out of the pastor role? (if multiple methods may be used, please select the primary method)

Of the questions listed below, which are the two that represent your greatest concern about your eventual leadership transition?

ANSWER OPTIONS:

What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?
How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?
What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?
How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?
How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?
How will the church manage the actual transition process?
I’m not really concerned about any of these.

Note: The responses below indicate the % of churches that selected that response as one of their "two greatest concerns."

PRESBYTERIAN AND REFORMED CHURCH RESPONSES

Pastors who anticipate moving to another role.

60% - What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?

38% - How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?

35% - How will the church manage the actual transition process?

27% - How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?

8% - What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?

8% - How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?

4% - I’m not really concerned about any of these.

Pastors who anticipate full or partial retirement.

40% - What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?

32% - I’m not really concerned about any of these.

29% - How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?

29% - How will the church manage the actual transition process?

17% - How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?

8% - What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?

8% - How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?

LUTHERAN CHURCHES (any)

Does your church currently have a transition or succession plan for when you eventually leave or retire?

Which of the following best describes the current state of succession planning at your church:

Regardless of whether the planning is done internally or externally, how would you rate your church’s succession and transition planning:

In the next year or so, how interested would you be in information or resources that help your church in succession planning?

When do you anticipate transitioning out of your current role as pastor – whether in the near or distant future?

Would this be into another role or retirement?

Which of the following processes do you feel would be best facilitate your eventual transition?

How is your church most likely to manage the search process when you transition out of the pastor role? (if multiple methods may be used, please select the primary method)

Of the questions listed below, which are the two that represent your greatest concern about your eventual leadership transition?

ANSWER OPTIONS:

What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?
How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?
What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?
How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?
How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?
How will the church manage the actual transition process?
I’m not really concerned about any of these.

Note: The responses below indicate the % of churches that selected that response as one of their "two greatest concerns."

LUTHERAN CHURCH RESPONSES

Pastors who anticipate moving to another role.

54% - How will the church manage the actual transition process?

36% - What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?

27% - How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?

25% - How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?

16% - I’m not really concerned about any of these.

11% - What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?

10% - How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?

Pastors who anticipate full or partial retirement.

42% - How will the church manage the actual transition process?

40% - What can the church do to protect organizational continuity during a season of leadership transition?

30% - How would the church respond in the event of an unplanned emergency transition?

25% - How should the church best communicate with members before and during the transition?

19% - How will the church manage the process of hiring a new leader?

17% - I’m not really concerned about any of these.

5% - What should the church be doing proactively to help you, the transitioning pastor, prepare for your next season?

SUCCESSION SURVEY RESULTS

Select the denomination that most closely represents your polity structure

SUCCESSION SURVEY RESULTS

Select the denomination that most closely represents your polity structure

May we be like the men of Issachar, "who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do"

SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES

Does your church currently have a transition or succession plan for when you eventually leave or retire?

Which of the following best describes the current state of succession planning at your church:

Regardless of whether the planning is done internally or externally, how would you rate your church’s succession and transition planning:

In the next year or so, how interested would you be in information or resources that help your church in succession planning?

When do you anticipate transitioning out of your current role as pastor – whether in the near or distant future?

Would this be into another role or retirement?

Which of the following processes do you feel would be best facilitate your eventual transition?

How is your church most likely to manage the search process when you transition out of the pastor role? (if multiple methods may be used, please select the primary method)

Of the questions listed below, which are the two that represent your greatest concern about your eventual leadership transition?

UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES

Does your church currently have a transition or succession plan for when you eventually leave or retire?

Which of the following best describes the current state of succession planning at your church:

Regardless of whether the planning is done internally or externally, how would you rate your church’s succession and transition planning:

In the next year or so, how interested would you be in information or resources that help your church in succession planning?

When do you anticipate transitioning out of your current role as pastor – whether in the near or distant future?

Would this be into another role or retirement?

Which of the following processes do you feel would be best facilitate your eventual transition?

How is your church most likely to manage the search process when you transition out of the pastor role? (if multiple methods may be used, please select the primary method)

Of the questions listed below, which are the two that represent your greatest concern about your eventual leadership transition?

PRESBYTERIAN AND REFORMED CHURCH

Does your church currently have a transition or succession plan for when you eventually leave or retire?

Which of the following best describes the current state of succession planning at your church:

Regardless of whether the planning is done internally or externally, how would you rate your church’s succession and transition planning:

In the next year or so, how interested would you be in information or resources that help your church in succession planning?

When do you anticipate transitioning out of your current role as pastor – whether in the near or distant future?

Would this be into another role or retirement?

Which of the following processes do you feel would be best facilitate your eventual transition?

How is your church most likely to manage the search process when you transition out of the pastor role? (if multiple methods may be used, please select the primary method)

Of the questions listed below, which are the two that represent your greatest concern about your eventual leadership transition?

LUTHERAN CHURCHES (any)

Does your church currently have a transition or succession plan for when you eventually leave or retire?

Which of the following best describes the current state of succession planning at your church:

Regardless of whether the planning is done internally or externally, how would you rate your church’s succession and transition planning:

In the next year or so, how interested would you be in information or resources that help your church in succession planning?

When do you anticipate transitioning out of your current role as pastor – whether in the near or distant future?

Would this be into another role or retirement?

Which of the following processes do you feel would be best facilitate your eventual transition?

How is your church most likely to manage the search process when you transition out of the pastor role? (if multiple methods may be used, please select the primary method)

Of the questions listed below, which are the two that represent your greatest concern about your eventual leadership transition?

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