Interim Ministry: Supply or Transitional Pastor

Interim ministry is not new to the Mennonite constituency. We have used this term to describe pastors who have served congregations in a temporary capacity between longer term permanent pastorates. There are two types of interim ministry. One is short term and the pastor is called either a “supply pastor” or an “interim pastor”. The short term pastor typically provides preaching and on-going pastoral care, but does not engage the church and its leadership around issues of vision or congregational process. A congregation may choose this plan when there is a very brief time before the long term pastor is to arrive. Supply pastor works best if the congregation is in a healthy place.

The second type is a transitional pastor who comes for a year to two years. This pastor is trained to assist a congregation to make good transitions from one pastor to the next. There are times when the congregation must stop and reflect on their attitudes, their behaviors, and their structures. It is a good time to make changes under the leadership of a trained transitional pastor. One of these important congregational moments is during the transition from one pastor to another.