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One of the most exciting parts of the pastor search process is getting to announce the new pastor to the congregation. The search team has spent months praying and working through an extensive pastor search process.
Many times, the church has voted on or approved the candidate that the pastor search team chose as the new pastor. It can be an exhausting process, so when the day comes to announce the new pastor to the congregation, it’s a day of excitement and celebration.
A key part of the announcement should include setting up a website or landing page that introduces the new pastor to the church community.
A few things your web page should include:
On the day that the search team announces the new pastor from stage, record it and include the video on the web page. People who weren’t able to be there for the live announcement will appreciate being able to watch it.
If possible, have the outgoing pastor commission the incoming pastor. This isn’t always possible, as the outgoing pastor may no longer be a part of the church during the pastor search process. But if it is possible, showing the unity between the outgoing and incoming pastor can be extremely powerful and a pivotal part of a smooth pastoral transition. Mountain Lake Church was fortunate to have outgoing pastor Shawn Lovejoy commission incoming pastor Chris Emmitt during their pastoral transition last fall. Check out the commissioning video here.
The congregation will love seeing pictures and videos of the new pastor and their family. Dr. Matt Brooks of First Baptist Jackson included his whole family in his introduction video, which gave the congregation insight into his family life and showed him not only as a pastor, but as a dad and husband, too.
Include videos of the new pastor preaching or teaching. This is a great way to show the congregation the pastor’s gifts and what they have to look forward to in the church’s next season.
An FAQ page is a great way to answer common questions that the search committee will receive throughout the transition.
Here are a few examples of questions and answers you might consider including:
Christ Church Plano included frequently asked questions on their web page about their rector-elect Fr. Paul Donison.
Have the new pastor create an introductory video showing their excitement for their role as the new pastor. This is a great opportunity for the new pastor to cast vision for the future of the church and how honored they are to be a part of it. First Presbyterian Church Bethlehem’s new pastor Marnie Crumpler created an introductory video about her excitement to join the church.
Let your congregation know how they can pray for the new pastor by providing a downloadable prayer guide on the website.
Grace Fellowship in Maryland provided a prayer guide for their congregation as they anticipated the arrival of their new pastor Shea Strickland.
We also have a free prayer guide for search teams to share with the congregation throughout the pastor search process.
