Coaching For Interims

How Long Is Right for the Interim Time? - Rev. Dr. Jonathan New. Episode 17

How long will the interim time be? The answer would seem obvious: until the next settled pastor arrives. Yet, congregations often want a more specific answer, and how we interim ministers answer such questions sets expectations for what is to come.
Seasoned transitional interim minister, Rev. Dr. Jonathan New, shares ideas on how he responds to anxious congregations about how long it may be, and why – the factors involved. This is a conversation to return to frequently, both during the initial interview stage with a prospective congregation, as well as when people get anxious during the interim time itself.
For more episodes on this topic, as well as to download a transcript of this episode, please visit the Coachingforinterims.com website.

Helping a Congregation Expand Its Notion of Faithfulness During the Interim Time - Rev. Dr. Jonathan New. Episode 16

It’s often said that the job of the interim is to prepare for the next settled minister. True enough, as a bare minimum. The larger challenge is to help the congregation expand its notion of faithfulness. Listen as veteran interim minister, Rev. Dr. Jonathan New, speaks to how a congregation’s notion of faithfulness affects its interim experience, especially if it needs to radically rethink its future.
For more episodes on this topic, as well as to download a transcript of this episode, please visit the Coachingforinterims.com website.

How Play and Playfulness Can Breathe New Life into Your Ministry - Rev. Holly MillerShank. Episode 15

Prayerful and playful!
What to do if a playful style doesn’t come naturally to you?
How a posture of giving permission can unlock new possibilities for a congregation;
Tips for getting out of our heads and into our hearts in our role as interim minister;

The Gift of Conflict - Rev. Pegi Ridout. Episode 14

The difficulty with conflict isn't that we have it, it's that we don't know how to do it well.
How do we treat conflict as gift? How do we get there?
Respectful communication guidelines developed by Eric Law at the Kaleidoscope Institute - trust, respect, listen, then speak.
Conflict skills/muscles are built through practice;
Pegi’s 3 types of practice for building our conflict muscles;

If You Think You’re Going Too Quickly, Slow Down! - Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley. Episode 13

When congregations or leaders try to make decisions really quickly - it's almost always a bad decision. You don't really have the reflective capacity to make a good decision. So, unless your steeple is falling down, or your church is on fire, there's rarely a reason to make a really quick decision.
Rev. Cooley offers insightful analysis and practical advice for avoiding the speed trap and making solid decisions.

The Physiology of Conflict - Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley. Episode 12

Don’t you hate getting “triggered” by something someone says or does? When it happens, you can feel helpless – at the mercy of the other person. In this episode, Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley offers insight into what’s happening within our bodies when in such a state, and how to regain our center.
For additional podcasts on this topic, as well as downloading a transcript of this episode, please visit the Coachingforinterims.com website.

Church Bullies: Taking the Person More Seriously than the Behavior - Rev. Pegi Ridout. Episode 11

Bad (anti-social) behavior by just one or two people in a congregation can neutralize the wonderful behavior of many others. It also has wounded many pastors. Responding with niceness and compassion has its limits. It can even backfire. So, how to deal with these “bullies?” Rev. Pegi Ridout helpfully suggests 3 types of church bullies and strategies for dealing with each.
 

Managing a Declining Congregation’s Level of Anxiety so They Can Change in a Positive Way - Rev. Diane Kenaston. Episode 10

Congregations in decline are naturally anxious about their future. Yet, this anxiety isn’t necessarily a bad thing if managed skillfully and honestly. In this episode, Rev. Diane Kenaston tells how she and her leadership team simultaneously raised and lowered anxiety in the process of change that enabled a positive outcome.
 
For additional podcasts on this topic, as well as downloading a transcript of this episode, please visit the Coachingforinterims.com website.

How We Built the Trust Needed to Face the Reality of Our Decline and Move Forward -Rev. Diane Kenaston. Episode 9

When a congregation is in decline, accepting the truth of its reality is essential to having a hopeful future. Yet many congregants equate the reality of decline with gloom and doom and so avoid facing it. In this episode, Rev. Diane Kenaston tells how she and her leadership team built the trust needed to face the reality of their decline and move forward.

What to Think About When a Staff Member Is Also a Member of the Congregation - Holly Millershank. Episode 8

What options do we have as the interim minister when a staff member who is also a member of the congregation, is no longer performing their staff duties as we need them to? And how do we navigate the tension between the need for job performance by staff and the need for compassionate pastoral care to them?