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This week on the 5 Leadership Questions podcast we are highlighting several of the speakers from our upcoming Pipeline Conference this October. We can’t wait for this event and all the leadership wisdom and practical advice that will be shared, and we want you to share in some of that. The early bird registration discount ends July 31, so make sure to register soon. So listen in, go to MyLeadershipPipeline.com to register you and your leadership team, and we will see you in October!
In this episode of 5 Leadership Questions, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im talk to Bob Russell, Pastor Emeritus of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. Todd and Daniel discuss Bob’s succession plan and ministry after serving 40 years at Southeast Christian Church. They talk about how to transition well in ministry, what to look for in a successor, how to hand off the baton, and more.
BEST QUOTES
“We all want to multiply our influence and want the kingdom to succeed far beyond our reach.”
“It’s not a compliment to us that, when we leave, the ministry falls apart or declines.”
“We must look at our church and say, “Who’s going to lead this when I’m gone?”
“One of the reasons we need to talk about succession is to acknowledge our own mortality.”
“Sometimes the church grows beyond our giftedness.”
“As we get older, it’s hard to produce the same amount of energy for a similar kind of program.”
“Be decisive. Make up your mind what you’re going to do and when you’re going to step aside, and stick to it.”
“Be willing to swallow your ego repeatedly.”
“If there’s no fear, there’s no courage. If there’s no ego, there’s no humility.”
“We’ve got to really believe that what we’re doing is the right thing.”
“One of our jobs in ministry is to train our people to be able to cope without us because their allegiance is to Christ, not to us.”
“Be willing to relinquish responsibility to the individual you have chosen as your successor.”
“It’s important that you retire to something.”
“We go full speed until the baton is passed then we give attention to the next phase.”
“I tried to not be a lame duck leader.”
“We need to keep going as hard as we can until the day we step aside.”
“It’s important that the person leaving praises and endorses the successor publicly.”
“Do not take a church three miles down the street.”
“It takes some perception to be able to spot the gift and the passion of people who have the gift to be a leader.”
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
After 50 Years of Ministry by Bob Russell
Pipeline: Succession at Every Level
Transition Plan by Bob Russell
Too Great a Temptation by Joel Gregory
