Presbyter's Best Practices Report
After five months of research, over 700 pages of data and surveys from 176 presbyters in 30 districts around the nation, we found the secret! The report identifies how relational leaders are using sectional meetings to build a deeper sense of community in an age of isolation. Click here to download.
Isolation in Ministry e-book by Gene Roncone
Like shifting tectonic plates, something is changing in the church and it’s not good. Pastors are leaving the ministry, taking their own lives and suffering from depression in record numbers. Author Richard Clinton claims that 70% of those who enter the ministry will not retire from it. We are experiencing a national crisis among our ministers that can’t be ignored. It’s not until you dig down beneath the symptoms of burn out, loneliness and moral failure that you begin to see the real problem...isolation. This e-book examines the cause, consequences and cure for this national epidemic. The e-book is 43 pages with complete references and discussion questions for personal reflection or group discussion. It’s a must read for ministers and those who wish to support them. Click here to download.
Starting Well, Wise Advice from Veteran Presbyters
STARTING WELL, wise advice from veteran presbyters on how to start well. This 41-page resource was a collaborative efforts of 35 district leaders representing 17 districts around the nation. Then 54 network superintendents were invited to review the report and fill in the gaps. For the first time, the combined wisdom of hundreds of years is at your fingertips. The resource highlights ten (10) steps veteran presbyters would recommend to new presbyters wanting to get a good start and gain fast traction. Click here to download.
Rise Up, Pastoral Search & Transition Resource
UPDATED RESOURCE: After years of research on pastoral succession and transitions, Gene Roncone has released an update version of RISE UP, the most comprehensive and practical reference for pastoral transitions and succession available today. This 200-page resource has been vetted by leaders all over the nation and was created exclusively for the Rocky Mountain Ministry Network but can be applied to all churches of any size. Whether you are a pastor wanting to create a succession plan, a member of a pastoral search committee, or even a forward-thinking leader wanting to resource your board, this resource is for you. It is the only one in the nation that offers:
• Scriptural intentionality.
• Exposure to recent research and best practices.
• Presentation of the five most common succession models and how to apply them to your situation.
• A practical tool to shorten the transition learning curve.
• Practical resources, forms, letters, schedules, and more.
• A 13-step pastoral search process.
• Steps to mentor future successors.
• Statistics regarding the financial impact of pastoral transitions and a transition budget template.
• A 60-day sustainability plan with a focused prayer emphasis and small group curriculum.
• A new chapter on the importance of AG credentials.
• Customized online congregational survey with surveymonkey.com.
• Helpful checklists to guide you through the entire process.
The 2021 revision includes the following updates:
• A new podcast channel to help pastoral search committees navigate the uncertain waters of pastoral transitions.
• A three-week small group bible study with curriculum to prepare your church for a successful leadership transition.
• An exhaustive index to help you find what you need when you need it.
• New downloads, templates, chapters, and relevant content.
If you are a forward-thinking pastor who wants to customize a mentored succession plan or even want to provide your board with a resource in the event something ever happens to you, this resource is a must! Click here to download.
Mentored Succession, a Smarter Way
NEW RESOURCE! Times are changing and the traditional method of pastoral searches is becoming more and more antiquated. Most all churches experiencing a pastoral transition also experience a 10-15% decrease in attendance and giving. However, a new model offers hope. There are churches that actually grow numerically and financially during leadership transitions. These rare churches have three things in common. 1) They have a transition plan in writing. 2) They know who the successor is before the transition takes place, and 3) the outgoing pastor is fully supportive through the entire process. These churches embrace what is called “mentored succession.” Mentored succession is the process by which the lead pastor and the board collaborate together and select a person (current staff or future staff member) to be mentored and trained with the intention of one day leading the church. There is a focus to identify a divinely called “DNA carrier” who understands the church, has proven themselves effective, is mentored by the pastor and loved and trusted by the people. Superintendent Gene Roncone recently created a free ebook for long term pastors who want to set their church up to win in the event of their death, severe illness or retirement. The PDF ebook features the rational for mentored succession, how to identify interior and exterior candidates, four of the most popular models of mentored succession and five hypothetical stages to achieve mentored succession. It also gives practical advice on how to fund the transition and links to audio resources on the subject. Click here to download.
Phasing Into “New Normal”
NEW RESOURCE! The Coronavirus pandemic has and will continue to change the landscape of modern ministry. Wise leaders will know we can’t in one moment switch to “full-throttle” normal. We will need to not only identify what our “new normal” is but phase into it slowly, discerningly and intentionally.
This planning resource was created to help our RMMN churches phase into our “new normal”. The resource represents the collaborative efforts of medical personnel, pastors representing churches of all sizes, strategic planners and wise practitioners. The resource is a product of the collaborative efforts of nearly 20 RMMN leaders.
• A four-phased template to help you and your church wade back into the waters of face-to-face ministry in a post-Corona world.
• Rationale for why a phased re-entry will help your church provide margin and sustain momentum.
• Action points for each of the four phases with links to helps and resources.
• Access to a free online COVID-19 congregational survey to help you assess congregational needs, make wise decisions and minister to your congregation.
• Practical tools to help you connect with community leaders and identify ways your church can be part of the solution in your city or town.
• Resources to help guide you through healthy soul care as a pastor while leading in crisis.
• Tips on how to budget and reallocate resources to finance your “new normal”.
• Timelines to help you prepare for the holidays and start 2021 with the wind at your back.
Use it, improve it or cut and paste it to suit your own needs and context. At the very least, reading over it with your team will help you stay out in front of this crisis and bring focus to your re-entry into a moving target I have called our “new normal”. Click here to download.