One of the more difficult aspects that a COM needs to pay attention to when a pastor is fired is the congregation. There has been plenty written in recent years describing “killer congregations,” etc but regardless of whether the final act has resulted from a repeated pattern within a congregation or was simply a bad match between pastor and congregation, the pain of the firing of a pastor can be very damaging to a congregation.
First, one must recognize that the majority of the congregation was not in on the decision and will often be mystified and even hurt by what happened. In many cases, the pastor will have had a loyal following either large or small and they can be very angry at what has happened. The leadership that was involved may have experienced more personal trauma than they recognized in the process. They may also be under the illusion that once the pastor is gone, everything will now be all right and this is almost never the case.
Sometimes the skill of an intentional interim can eventually help them sort all of this out but initially the COM can add some wisdom to their actions and responses that will pay dividends down the road. I have personally been involved in being what might be called a bridge interim, someone who can come in immediately as the leadership searches out an appropriate interim. This is an excellent example of the value of a “non-anxious presence.”
Once the initial trauma has been eased, then a trained person needs to help the leadership identify who needs to be addressed within the congregation and how to go about it. Whatever is done in the first few months will help prepare a healthier foundation for the next pastor.
