Before You Go - Why Ask Questions Before You Go?

This episode emphasizes the crucial questions pastors must ask before transitioning to a new church. It guides listeners through reflective practices that enhance clarity about calling and decisions, while also encouraging a thoughtful approach to potential ministry changes. 

• Importance of thoughtful reflection before changing churches 
• Understanding the impact of transitions on all involved 
• Avoiding hasty decisions to prevent regret 
• The necessity of prayerful consideration in decision-making 
• Action step: journaling motivations and emotions regarding change 
• Offers support from the hosts through Chemistry Staffing

Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Hey there, welcome to the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. My name is Todd Rhodes, I'm one of the co-founders over at chemistrystaffingcom and I'm so glad that you're here Today. We're kicking off a brand new series and it's inspired. We just did a series on Wade Hodges' first book, when to Leave, but now we're going to start his second book and it's called Before you Go Questions. Every Pastor Must Ask Before Moving to a New Church. Now this series it's going to be over the next three weeks.

Speaker 1: 0:36

We're going to unpack Wade's book in some pretty good detail, and this series is all about taking a thoughtful and intentional approach to transitions in ministry and whether you're feeling the pull to leave your current church job or maybe just exploring the idea. Maybe you've not made that final determination yet. We're going to tackle some really key questions that you need to ask before taking the plunge. Okay, so in this first episode, we're going to discuss why it's really so important to ask the right questions before you go. By the end of this episode, hopefully, you'll understand how some of the reflection and preparation that I'm going to talk about today can lead to a healthier and smoother transition when it's time to go. Okay, so let's start here Transitions.

Speaker 1: 1:23

They're a natural part of ministry, but they're also some really high-stake moments. Moving to a new church isn't just about finding a new job. It's about discerning God's will for your life and your ministry, and asking all the right questions is really essential in making really wise and God-honoring decisions. And Wade outlines some of the key reasons why asking questions matters, and the first we're going to talk about today is clarity about your calling. Now, this is really important because, before you take your next step, it's really crucial to confirm that the move that you're about to make, or you're considering making, really aligns well with your calling and your gifts. Are you running towards something or are you just running away from something? That's really the big question. I'm going to ask you to really take a step back and try to understand the bigger picture, because these, if we're really being honest with each other and hopefully we can be transitions affect more than just you. They affect your family, they affect your current church, they affect the new church that you're considering going to. So some of these thoughtful questions can really help you see some of the ripples of your decision, because it's not just about you and it's also going to help you if you really take time to ask some of these questions, it's going to help you avoid regret. Help you, if you really take time to ask some of these questions, it's going to help you avoid regret. So rushing into a new role without reflecting on your motivations and your expectations can really lead you to disappointment for you and your church. By asking the right questions, you're going to build some confidence into that final decision. It really helps you feel confident that you're making the right move and for the right reasons, and confidence is the key to starting well in a new role you want to be able to. If you're going to leave where you are and land someplace else, you want to have the confidence that you're doing the right thing when you get there.

Speaker 1: 3:16

Transitions it's not just about moving, it's not just about the logistics. They're really spiritual decisions that and they really deserve careful thought and prayer. So here's the bottom line for today, and we're going to talk about this on previous or consecutive episodes here Asking questions, matter of fact, that's what the series is giving you the questions to ask and then helping you answer them honestly. Asking questions before you go sets the foundation for a healthy transition in many cases and if you're considering a move, take time to reflect and to seek some clarity. We're going to start really basic and really simple, and I'm sure you've done this and it just seems natural, but I still I feel like I need to say it, and we always tell all the candidates that we talk to. This is what we tell them Just stop and breathe. Stop and breathe, pause and pray. Spend some time in prayer. I right, that's what we're supposed to do, but seriously spend some serious time in prayer and ask God to guide your thoughts and reveal his will. This isn't a decision to make in haste, so I want you to stop and breathe and pray. And then let's just start here. Write down, get out a piece of paper and pencil, use your phone if you want to I like pencil and paper myself and answer these. Write down some things here.

Speaker 1: 4:41

Why are you considering leaving your current role? And be honest, this is only for you, nobody else. Are you driven by calling? God's called me and I don't feel like my calling is here, it's somewhere else. Are you considering leaving because of frustration? Just can't hardly. I hate coming into the office, I'm just so frustrated here. Or are you considering leaving because of something else, and those are some really important questions to ask and some really important things to ponder and even pray about, and even to talk with, maybe a friend or a trusted mentor who can provide some perspective on this and how you're feeling. They might be able to see some blind spots that you don't see. That maybe will help affirm your decision.

Speaker 1: 5:26

So here's today's action step. If you're really serious about, hey, this year might be the year that I feel like God might be moving me from where I am to somewhere else. Here's something you can do today and it's going to take you about a half an hour. That's what I would take anyway. I wouldn't rush it, but I don't think it needs to be longer than that. 30 minutes to get out that pencil and paper Journal. A little bit about your motivations for why you're thinking about transitioning. Write down what excites you about a potential move. Write down what concerns and what scares you. Write down what keeps you up at night, and this exercise will help bring clarity as you move forward. It's really important to stop, breathe, pray and really consider some of the questions that we're going to be talking about.

Speaker 1: 6:14

If you would like a free copy of Wade's book, you can reach out to me at podcast at chemistrystaffingcom. I'd be happy to send a copy of that over to you and also, if you're considering a moon, I would love to hear your story and offer some encouragement. You can email me anytime. Podcast at Chemistry Staffing. Your journey matters and I'm here to help. My colleagues here at Chemistry Staffing are here to help, so let us know how we can help you, even if it's a conversation or just popping over your resume, so that we can help you go through that discernment process.

Speaker 1: 6:50

Make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes. Also, obviously, if you're in charge at your church of hiring staff and you to add some staff this year and you just want to pick my brain about it, that's what I do all day, every day. You can visit chemistrystaffingcom, but also just pop me an email. Podcast at chemistrystaffing. We'd love to partner with you if it makes sense. All right, that's it for today. We're here every Monday through Friday here on the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. Right, that's it for today. We're here every Monday through Friday here on the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. I thank you so much for joining us today and I appreciate you being a listener. Be back here tomorrow as we continue our series you.