Between Preachers: You Can Grow Through Interim Ministry — PUBLISHED!

When I started working with churches between preachers nearly thirteen years ago, several people, said, “You should write a book on interim ministry.”

I started the blog Between Preachers in January 2016 which became the book released last week.

Between Preachers is now available in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.

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Dale Jenkins says in the Foreword:

While brother Jerrie has written the only book I know of by a member of the church of Christ on interim ministry, the excellent principles in this book could well be used as a book on healthy moving, or healthy leader/minister relations, or a book for every Christian on healthy living! I’d encourage you to purchase one for every elder you know.

Table of Contents

Endorsement for Between Preachers
Dedication
Appreciation
Foreword
Introduction: Have You Noticed?
The Journey Between Preachers
Chapter 1: How Can We Improve Without Changing? The Desire of Many in Transition
Chapter 2: How Long Will It Take? Why Can’t We Just Get On with the Lord’s Work?
Chapter 3: What (Who) Is the Problem? Can We Fix It Quickly?
Chapter 4: Principle 1 of Family Systems: The Identified Patient: What’s Wrong with Him (Us)?
Chapter 5: Principle 2 of Family Systems: Homeostasis (Balance): How Can We Improve and Stay the Same (Not Change)?
Chapter 6: Principle 3 of Family Systems: Differentiation: How Can We Be Connected — But Not Stuck?
Chapter 7: Principle 4 of Family Systems: Extended Family Field: Were (Are) My Relatives Human?
Chapter 8: Principle 5 of Family Systems: Emotional Triangle: How Can I Keep from Getting Caught in the Middle?
Chapter 9: I Don’t Like it this Way! But I Like It the Way It Is Better than What It Would Take to Change It
Chapter 10: Is There Any Hope for This Church? Should We Trash This One and Start Over?
Chapter 11: Interim Minister Working Agreement: Good Relationships Begin with Clear Understanding and Mutual Agreements
Chapter 12: How Much Do You Pay an Interim? What Is Fair Compensation for the Interim Preacher and the Congregation?
Chapter 13: “I Don’t Think We Need to Write It!” Objections to Written Working Agreements
Chapter 14: How Do You Get the Word Out? How Do People Know You Would Like to Work as an Interim?
Chapter 15 Beginning an Interim Ministry at a New Church: My First Three Rules: Clear Expectations Reduce Conflict and Disappointment
Chapter 16: Name Memory Rule: What Happens When I Don’t Remember Your Name?
Chapter 17: Communication Rules: How Will Each Know What the Other Is Thinking?
Chapter 18: Criticism Rule: A Leader Is More Like a Lightning Rod than a Cute Wall Decoration
Chapter 19: Originality Rule: I Make No Claims to Originality
Chapter 20: Discussion Rules: Guidelines for a Peaceful and Productive Meeting
Chapter 21 Opening Family Meeting: An Introduction to Transition and Interim Ministry
Chapter 22: Staff Meetings: Coordinating and Growing Individually and as a Group
Chapter 23: Transition Monitoring Team: What Are People Thinking, Saying, Asking, Losing, Fearing, and Hoping?
Chapter 24: Self-Study Survey: What Kind of Preacher Do We Want? Will That Kind of Preacher Want Us?
Chapter 25: Introduction to this Church and Our Community: Would You Want to Work with This Church and Live in This Community?
Chapter 26: Timeline: Are We Growing, Plateaued, or Declining?
Chapter 27: Learning from Previous Shepherds: What I See Now, I Wish I Had Known Then
Chapter 28 Preaching During the Interim…Beginning: Let’s Look at Ourselves Before We Start Looking for a Preacher
Chapter 29: Preaching During the Interim…Church Problems: Why Did We Have Problems in the Church?
Chapter 30: Preaching During the Interim…Workshops and Closing: Practical Principles and Closing Sermons
Chapter 31 The Search: Who Will Participate?
Chapter 32: Search Team Training: How Do You Look for a New Preacher?
Chapter 33: Preacher Search — Interviews: What Will You Ask and What Will You Be Asked?
Chapter 34: Checking References: Do You Want to Know the Truth?
Chapter 35: Suggestions for the Preacher Search: Suggestions from Observation and Experience About Looking For a Preacher
Chapter 36: When and How Will the Next Preacher Leave? How Long Do You Plan to Stay? How Do You Plan to Leave?
Chapter 37 The Preacher Who Is Being Considered 1: How Were You Approached?
Chapter 38: The Preacher Who Is Being Considered 2: Are They Interested in You…or Just Anybody?
Chapter 39: The Preacher Being Considered 3: Are You Interested in This Church…or Just Anywhere?
Chapter 40: The Preacher Being Considered 4: Have You Checked the Church’s References?
Chapter 41: Leaving an Interim Church: Finishing and Saying Good-Bye
Chapter 42: Evaluation: What Was Helpful? What Can Be Improved?
Chapter 43 When You Don’t Need an Interim: Making a Planned Transition Without an Interim

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