Next: Pastoral Succession That Works

“Every church leader needs to read Next. It is a must-read--whether pastor or board member--because every church will need to face this pressing issue. This tremendous work is a 'Who's Who' of the church world, full of real-life facts and lessons learned.”

“Change is always hard, especially when you are at the center of it. That's probably one of the reasons that so few pastors think about how they will transition the leadership of their church to the next generation. Next will kick-start your thinking and give you some practical steps on how to transition well.”

“This book is an absolute necessity. Far too little has been written on the process of pastoral transitions.”

“Too many churches are in crisis--or headed toward it--because we have not learned to think long range. The need is nothing short of a paradigm shift in leadership development. This excellent book rightly helps move these discussions to the front burner.”

“Just a few sunrises ago, the church was in someone else's hands. In just a few sunsets, another generation will lead. May we be gracious, skillful, and intentional toward a very good handoff.”

“Senior pastor succession is the big elephant in the church boardroom, and it is at last coming out of the closet. We will see more senior pastors coming from campus pastors and through church mergers in the next decade. This book describes every imaginable type of succession and encourages everyone how to start preparing now.”

“This is a great book. It should have been written years ago.”

“In the kingdom of God, success equals succession--looking for a successor all the time. Next shows pastors how to do that for themselves, and how to model succession for their staff and volunteer leaders.”

“Vanderbloemen and Bird are giving leaders permission to ask formerly forbidden questions now so that churches can thrive rather than limp through inevitable pastoral transitions.”

“This book is incredibly rich with good advice. Even a simple pastoral handoff like I experienced, from my father-in-law to me, could benefit from the wise insights and great stories my friends William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird have inked.”

“Someone said that the moment you succeed, you need to prepare for your successor to succeed. The church has too often failed in this critical mission. I believe this book to be one of the most timely and important of our day. If I could state it more urgently or enthusiastically, I would!”

“Wisdom around pastoral succession is one of the great needs of the church today, so it's about time this book showed up. I have already sent a copy to several of the elders at my church.”

“Every pastor will face a transition at their church, and it will be one of their best chances at leaving a legacy. Next is an invaluable tool for securing a transition that works and a legacy that lasts.”

“I pray this book sells a million copies! My dad used to tell me this too: 'All pastors are interim pastors.' We're stewards, not owners. We're only here for a blip in time, but the church goes on forever.”