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Succession is inevitable. Whether you've been the Founding Pastor, a Senior or Lead Pastor, one day you will pass the baton. That's why we are expanding our "MIM: Mentoring in Ministry" to present the "Succession Intensive."
It doesn't matter whether your succession is a few years away or a decade away, it's never too early to develop your plan for a successful transition and the future success of the church you have poured your heart and soul into.
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While our succession story is still fresh, we'd love to share our best practices (and mistakes) with you in a LIVE virtual setting. We want to help set you up for a successful transition when it's time for you to pass the baton.
But first, an introduction. You may or may not know our story, but we are Jeff and Beth Jones and together as a husband/wife Senior Pastor team we founded and pastored Valley Family Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan for 32 years. We started with 5 adults and 4 kids and through the years (with the normal ups and downs of church life), it grew into a mega-church with multiple services and thousands of members in a mid-sized city.
At the same time, we raised 4 kids who are now married and starting their own families. We are happy to report they all love the Lord, us, His Church and are serving God in their respective cities and seasons of life.
In January 2023, we passed the Lead Pastor baton to our youngest son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Alexa Jones. Since then, things could not have gone better. Personally, we are loving this "active-retired life" where we get to enjoy the fruit of our labors while still serving as the Founding Pastors. Meanwhile, under our Successors leadership, the church is growing, adding services and in a great season of momentum. We attribute our Succession success to God's grace and wise planning over the past 5 years. We want to share all the details with you.
But, you need to know, it hasn't all been peaches and cream, we've had some bumps along the way and that's why we'd love to share our succession roadmap (the good, bad and ugly) to mentor you as you create your own succession roadmap
LEARN MORE ABOUT JEFF AND BETH_______
If you anticipate that you'll be passing the baton of leadership to your Successor sometime in the next 2-10 years this Intensive is for you!
Succession starts with the Leader (and often in collaboration with your Board, Elders, Staff), so it's essential to have your heart and head wrapped around all the dynamics that go with the biggest transition your church will experience -- the who, what, when, why and how of succession.
SPACE IS LIMITED: CLICK TO ENROLL______
Succession takes time and wise planning. At a minimum it will take 2-3 years to prepare for and complete a successful transition from one Lead Pastor to a new Lead Pastor -- and it's even better to give yourself 5-10 years to lay the groundwork. That's why we want to help you get started now!
We will cover these types of topics to help you write your own succession roadmap for a successful transition.
The Who, What, When, Why and How of Succession
- What to look for in a Successor.
- How and when to prepare all parties for succession.
- Four critical phases of a successful transition.
- Passing the baton in a way that honors the past and the future.
- Tips for a purposeful post-succession life.
- How to financially prepare yourself and the church.
- Ways to strengthen your own spirit, soul and body for succession.
- And a whole lot more! Keep scrolling for more details.
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We understand that pastors live busy lives -- we lived your life for 32 years and our foot was on the gas pedal the entire time! That's why we created the Succession Intensive format in a way that could accommodate your schedule, yet give you personal, practical and proven tools for a successful transition when the time comes.
Our 3-Month Succession Intensive Format:
- We will begin in March 2024.
- We will start with your personal succession assessment.
- We will meet 6 times (twice monthly) for Group Zoom mentoring.
- We will meet once a month via 1:1 Zoom mentoring with each participant/couple.
- We will offer you unlimited text/phone access to both of us.
- We will invite you to a private WhatsApp group to interact with others who are preparing for an eventual transition.
- We will give you monthly worksheets you can personalize.
- We will guide you to create your own succession roadmap.
- We will host a 2-day in-person gathering for everyone in the Intensive to enjoy a time of fun, fellowship and the chance for a Q&A with us and our successors.
- We will give you lifetime access to all resources in the Intensive for your exclusive use.
QUESTIONS? CLICK FOR FAQS & SCHEDULE______
We will answer these questions and talk about the critical topics that must be addressed well "before" you pass the baton.
- When and how did you know it was time for succession?
- Did you talk to other Pastors who had been successful in transition or read any books that helped you prepare for succession?
- When did you know who your Successor would be?
- How and when did you phase into telling your kids, board, staff and congregation about the transition and succession?
- Can you explain the Residency phase you established?
- What did the Interim phase do for the church and your successors?
- How would you describe the Changeover phases and why it was important?
- How did you prepare the church and yourself financially so you could transition successfully?
- What role did your Board play in this succession process?
- Since your Successor is your youngest son and daughter-in-law, how did you you navigate the various family dynamics with your other kids and in-laws?
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We will answer and discuss these kinds of "during" succession questions:
- How long was the whole succession process?
- What were the biggest challenges you faced as you transitioned?
- What role did your Successor have during the transition months?
- Can we see the details and Order of Service for the official Legacy Service and the Change of Command Baton Pass service?
- Did you lose or gain church members in the transition?
- What wins have you seen as a result of the transition?
- In what ways did your Successor honor you and the church's history during the baton passing season?
- In what ways did you honor your Successor and the church's future so the congregation would welcome them with open arms?
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We will dive into these "after" succession dynamics:
- Are you providing ongoing mentoring to your Successors and if so, how?
- What does your new role of Founding Pastors look like?
- Do (or did) you continue to attend Valley Family Church?
- How do you and your successor continue to show honor to the past and the future?
- What has been the hardest part of the succession process?
- What has been the best part of the succession?
- What does your life as "active-retired" Founding Pastors look like?
- Are you still on the Board, involved in ministry at the church you founded or ministry elsewhere?
- Have you found new purpose in this season?
- Do you have any regrets about transitioning?
- Now that you've passed the baton and your Successors have their first year under their belt, what would you do differently?
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We realize that hundreds of baby boomer pastors will be passing the leadership baton to their Successors in the coming years and we want to help as many as we can develop a proven roadmap for success. In order to give everyone a quality experience in the Succession Intensive, we are limiting the number of pastors -- so please don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity.
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Cost is a funny word.
Sometimes, when it comes to the price of something, people ask, "Is it worth it?" Can we suggest a few different questions? How about, "Are you worth it?" "Is the future of your church worth it?"
We believe the value we will provide and the value you will receive in exchange for the Succession Intensive cost far outweighs the fee by 100-fold or more.
Perhaps the best way to think about cost is by asking another question: "What will it cost you and your church if you are not mentored in how to have a successful succession?"
See the pricing options below.
ONE TIME / PER PERSON ($1998 PER COUPLE)
ENROLL BY DECEMBER 31, 2023
USE CODE: EARLYBIRD
THE SUCCESSION INTENSIVE
What You'll Get:
3-Months Virtual & In-Person Mentoring
Set yourself and your church up for a smooth and successful succession transition when the times comes!
ONE TIME / PER PERSON ($2598 PER COUPLE)
ENROLL AFTER JANUARY 1, 2024
EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY
THE SUCCESSION INTENSIVE
What You'll Get:
3-Months Virtual & In-Person Mentoring
Set yourself and your church up for a smooth and successful succession transition when the times comes!
50% Complete
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