A resource for Assemblies of God staff pastors who experience abrupt senior pastor transition

Assemblies of God churches frequently experience pastoral transition. Some transition is anticipated and planned for accordingly while other transitions occur suddenly for a variety of reasons. This project is designed to identify and constructively address many of the most common problems that abrupt senior pastor transition creates for staff members who remain behind to minister to a local congregation. How do such transitions impact staff pastors and their families? What common issues do they grapple with during these types of situations? What wisdom can be gained by studying the experiences of pastors who have successfully navigated abrupt transitions? The desired goal in this body of work is to ascertain the answers to such question and to create a resource for staff pastors who may face the abrupt departure of their senior pastors in the future.;This study demonstrates the need for Assemblies of God leadership at all levels to recognize and respond to the needs of staff pastors who carry forward in their calling while enduring such seasons of unplanned senior pastor transition. This project demonstrates that at the present time the failure to deliver a proactive and deliberate approach for aiding staff pastors who endure the abrupt transition of a senior pastor is due primarily to long held cultural paradigms within the fellowship itself.;Presently staff pastors are navigating personal, congregational, role change, and protocol issues with relatively little pastoral experience and even less direction from those in places of spiritual authority. If these issues are not addressed it can be expected that this problem will continue to persist and grow in significance as more and more Assemblies of God churches move toward a team leadership pastoral model.;The personal experiences that have been communicated by the research survey participants in this study provide a realistic look into the challenges confronting staff pastors who navigate such circumstances. The shared wisdom of the research participants also provides clarity and practical admonitions that can be useful with regard to negotiating the way forward in times of congregational tumult and disorientation.