When a church walks through a pastoral transition, most of the focus naturally centers on the outgoing and incoming pastors. But there’s another group carrying the weight of that moment—your church staff.

These are the men and women who shepherd your congregation, plan ministry, and sustain the rhythms of church life week after week. And in a season marked by questions and change, they need more than just a new leader. They need to be seen, shepherded, and brought along with clarity and care.

Whether you’re a senior leader, an elder board, or part of a church transition team, here are three essentials to help you lead your staff well through a healthy, Spirit-led transition.

1. Trust is Built Long Before It’s Handed Off

Church transitions don’t start on announcement day. They begin years earlier in the slow, faithful work of building trust with your church staff. If you’re stepping into a new leadership role, know this: you can’t inherit trust by title. You earn it by presence.

If you’re learning how to lead former peers or navigating new team dynamics, check out our post on moving from friend to leader in ministry.

At Brentwood Baptist, we were intentional. I had the privilege of serving for more than 20 years before being affirmed as senior pastor—including launching and leading one of our campuses. During that time, trust with the church staff was formed through shared experiences, preaching opportunities, leadership responsibilities, and simply showing up.

Healthy handoffs happen when staff members have seen both character and consistency in the person stepping in—not just from a distance, but up close.
“You lead over by first learning to lead under.”

That posture of humility matters. Listen before you lead. Sit with the team. Learn the story. Trust is a slow gift, and it’s one you receive, not demand.

2. Clarity is a Kindness

One of the best ways to serve your team is by offering clarity, even when you don’t have every detail figured out. People can handle change; what they can’t handle is confusion.

Clarity answers questions like:

• What’s the timeline?
• What decisions are still ahead—and who’s making them?
• How will this affect our current team and structure?

At Brentwood, we worked hard to over-communicate the process, not just the person. That built trust before a single vote was cast. And because of that clarity, even staff members who felt the weight of the pastoral leadership transition still felt like they were part of something healthy and hopeful.

Don’t underestimate the power of a clear process. Internal clarity will shape external confidence.

3. Stability Doesn’t Mean Silence

There’s a temptation in transition seasons to wait until everything is perfectly scripted before you speak. But silence rarely leads to peace—it often breeds speculation.

In our process, we made space for staff to ask honest questions. We brought in trusted outside voices so they could process in a safe environment. And even after the announcement was made, we kept reinforcing the truth: God’s mission hasn’t changed, and our team matters.

Consistency is often revealed in the small things. Keep your rhythms steady—team meetings, prayer, encouragement, honest check-ins. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s presence. “If you love the church, you leave it stronger.”

That was the challenge from my predecessor, Mike Glenn. And it’s the posture every leader should take. Leading through a church transition isn’t just about changing titles; it’s about the culture of your church. If we steward it well, staff trust doesn’t just carry the transition—it fuels the next season of ministry.

Wondering how to lead your church through a healthy pastoral transition?

Watch Mike Glenn and Jay Strother on this episode of the Elevate Podcast, “Passing the Baton: How to Lead a Healthy Pastor Transition,” as they share real-world wisdom from Brentwood Baptist’s recent succession journey.

From long-term planning to staff care, visual moments to honest conversations, this episode offers practical insight for outgoing pastors, incoming leaders, and the teams supporting them.

About the Author: Jay Strother

Jay Strother is the Senior Pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church. A longtime leader within the church, he previously served as a campus pastor and as Next Generation Minister. He holds degrees from Greenville University, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and Southern Seminary. Jay is the author of Loving Well and a contributor to several ministry books and resources. He and his wife, Tanya, have five children and are passionate about foster and adoption ministry.