What is a SpecializedInterimMinister?[SIM]. SpecializedInterimMinister?[SIM] A Specialized Interim Minister is an ordained pastor: TrainedTrained to lead

What is aWhat is a SpecializedSpecialized

Interim Interim Minister?Minister?[SIM][SIM]

What is aWhat is aSpecializedSpecialized


A Specialized Interim Minister A Specialized Interim Minister is an ordained pastor:is an ordained pastor:

• TrainedTrained to lead churches in to lead churches in renewal and revitalizationrenewal and revitalization

• ExperiencedExperienced to pastorally lead to pastorally lead you to more effective ministryyou to more effective ministry

• EndorsedEndorsed by the Office of by the Office of Ministry ServicesMinistry Services



A SIM is A SIM is Trained in:Trained in:

Resolving

anger and

grief

Resolving

anger and

grief

Training LeadersReconciling:IndividualsGroupsWhole churches

Finding God’s

mission for your

church today



SomeSome SIMs are SIMs are Trained in:Trained in:

Caring Caring for for churchechurches after s after pastoral pastoral abuseabuse

Natural Church Development

Appreciative Inquiry



All SIMs are All SIMs are Trained to:Trained to:Increase your church’s Increase your church’s

vitalityvitalityPrepare you for future Prepare you for future

ministry and a future ministry and a future pastorpastor



All SIMs are All SIMs are Experienced:Experienced:

Many are retired ministers Many are retired ministers with a career of with a career of

experience leading experience leading churcheschurches




Some are career interims Some are career interims who have led many who have led many

churches in transitionchurches in transition




Each interim comes with Each interim comes with unique abilities and unique abilities and

background. background.

One will be right for you.One will be right for you.



SIMs are Endorsed:

Only those endorsed by the Offices of Ministry

Services are SIMs

““The classis… may appoint a The classis… may appoint a specialized interim minister…specialized interim minister…provided the minister has beenprovided the minister has beenendorsed as qualified endorsed as qualified by the General Synodby the General Synodor its designated agent.or its designated agent.

Book of Church Order 1.II.7 sec.6Book of Church Order 1.II.7 sec.6

(i.e. The Office of Ministry Services)(i.e. The Office of Ministry Services)

What does aWhat does a SpecializedSpecialized

Interim Interim MinisterMinister

[SIM][SIM] do? do?



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:

• Reflect on your heritageReflect on your heritage



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

Your church’s heritage holds Your church’s heritage holds

treasurestreasures troublestroublesandand• Past wisdomPast wisdom

• SuccessesSuccesses

• MinistriesMinistries

• Important Important peoplepeople

• Sinful actionsSinful actions

• FailuresFailures

• WoundsWounds

• Important Important people gonepeople gone

Your SIM will help you Your SIM will help you identify both,identify both,

use the treasures anew use the treasures anew andand

heal the troubles in God’s heal the troubles in God’s gracegrace



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:

• Reflect on your heritageReflect on your heritage

• (Re)discover your mission (Re)discover your mission identityidentity



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

Your church’s mission identity Your church’s mission identity

can can changechangeBecause of changes in:Because of changes in:

• Who your members areWho your members are Their giftsTheir gifts Their backgroundsTheir backgrounds Their passionsTheir passions

• Your neighborhoodYour neighborhood People “different than us”People “different than us” The children grew up & leftThe children grew up & left Redevelopment or declineRedevelopment or decline

Your SIM will help you Your SIM will help you

rediscover how your giftsrediscover how your gifts

and your neighbor’s and your neighbor’s needsneeds

lead you to God’s mission lead you to God’s mission for your churchfor your church



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:• Reflect on your heritageReflect on your heritage• (Re)discover your mission (Re)discover your mission

identityidentity• Develop new leadershipDevelop new leadership



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

When churches change pastors When churches change pastors or experience other changes or experience other changes

new leaders often rise up.new leaders often rise up.

New New leaders leaders usually usually have new have new ideasideas

This can This can make the make the

church/old church/old leaders leaders uneasyuneasy

Your SIM will teach you Your SIM will teach you

how to embrace new how to embrace new leadershipleadership

while maintaining unity in while maintaining unity in the churchthe church

and continuity in ministryand continuity in ministry



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:• Reflect on your heritageReflect on your heritage• (Re)discover your mission (Re)discover your mission

identityidentity• Develop new leadershipDevelop new leadership• Strengthen RCA tiesStrengthen RCA ties



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

Riverside Riverside DriveDrive

Regional Regional SynodSynodClassisClassis

General General SynodSynod

Let’s face it, Let’s face it, sometimes to our sometimes to our churches these churches these words seem like words seem like irrelevant people, irrelevant people,

places, things.places, things.

Your SIM will help you Your SIM will help you

deepen your relationshipdeepen your relationship

with all of the Reformedwith all of the Reformed

Church enriching bothChurch enriching both

your resources andyour resources and

those of God’s Kingdomthose of God’s Kingdom



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:SIMs accomplish 5 tasks:• Reflect on your heritageReflect on your heritage

• (Re)discover your mission identity(Re)discover your mission identity

• Develop new leadershipDevelop new leadership

• Strengthen RCA tiesStrengthen RCA ties

• Lead you to commit to your new Lead you to commit to your new leadership/pastor/mission planleadership/pastor/mission plan



[SIM][SIM] do? do?

What do you call a What do you call a vision without a vision without a plan?plan? NothingNothing

What do you call a plan What do you call a plan without commitment or without commitment or leadership?leadership? Still Still

nothingnothing

Your SIM will guide youYour SIM will guide you

to prepare for future to prepare for future ministry:ministry:

• a plan matching God’s vision;a plan matching God’s vision;

• leaders, a pastor, and a leaders, a pastor, and a commitment matching God’s commitment matching God’s heartheart

Who needs aWho needs a SpecializedSpecialized


[SIM][SIM]??



[SIM][SIM]??

SIMs are valuable to churches:SIMs are valuable to churches:

• After a pastor of 15+ yearsAfter a pastor of 15+ years

• When two or more pastors When two or more pastors stayed less than 5 yearsstayed less than 5 years

• When your church attendance When your church attendance has declined for 3+ yearshas declined for 3+ years



[SIM][SIM]??


• When conflict is tearing at the When conflict is tearing at the unity of the churchunity of the church

• When your neighborhood When your neighborhood undergoes ethnic and/or undergoes ethnic and/or economic changeseconomic changes



[SIM][SIM]??


• When the last pastor When the last pastor committed abuse: committed abuse:

sexual, verbal, financial, sexual, verbal, financial, physical, spiritualphysical, spiritual

• Between pastors in order to Between pastors in order to prepare your church for its next prepare your church for its next chapter.chapter.



[SIM][SIM]??


• When you feel the need to When you feel the need to seek God’s vision for your seek God’s vision for your future anewfuture anew

• When a church with a pastor When a church with a pastor needs a consultant to give needs a consultant to give them objective advice and them objective advice and guidanceguidance

Documents

What is a SpecializedInterimMinister?[SIM]. SpecializedInterimMinister?[SIM] A Specialized Interim Minister is an ordained pastor: TrainedTrained to lead