Secure Your Church’s Future with a Proven Pastoral Succession Plan.
Unlock the key to a healthy pastoral succession with real-life strategies and solutions based on case studies where pastoral succession worked beautifully.
Join the churches that use the principles you’ll learn in The Art of Pastoral Succession.
Have you ever wondered…
How do I lead this church with a vision I didn’t create and a staff I didn’t hire?
Am I equipped to be a lead pastor and lead our church through a healthy transition?
How can I honor the outgoing pastor throughout the transition?
Then it might be time to make a plan for your future.
So much rides on healthy pastoral succession. A bad one can ruin a great legacy, harm a church, and make the new lead pastor a sacrificial lamb.
Or, it can go exceedingly well.
As an incoming lead pastor or board, there are so many unanswered questions…
On-Demand Course &
Private Coaching Group
The Art of Pastoral Succession answers all these questions and equips you, regardless of your church size, for success in the transition process.
Join hundreds of pastors that have looked to Carey Nieuwhof and Sean Morgan to guide them through a healthy pastoral transition with field-tested principles and strategies that work.
PRESENTED BY
Your Guide to a Healthy Transition
In The Art of Pastoral Succession course, you’ll get 9 on-demand video modules, access to a private coaching group, an interactive application guide, bonus sessions, real-life case studies, and more.
Phase #1
Discern & Decide Your Calling
- Your Success Plan & Timeline: How to Discern & Decide Your Calling
- The Alignment of You and The Church
- Evaluating the Board of Elders and Outgoing Pastor
- Bonus: The Mission Execute Potential Matrix
- Bonus: The LifeCycle Chart
Phase #2
The Preparation Phase
- The Art and Science of Negotiating Your Salary
- Developing Yourself as a Leader
- The Ins-And-Outs of Preparing the Church for Transition—Teaching, Leadership, Finances, and More
- Creating a Plan for the First 100 Days After the Transition
- Building Margin into the Transition
- Bonus: The Complete Checklist to Prepare Yourself & Your Church for a Pastoral Transition
- Bonus: The Ultimate Guide to Negotiating Your Salary
Phase #3
Success as a Successor
- Winning the Hearts and Minds of a Staff You Didn’t Hire
- Guide for Hiring & Firing Staff Post-Transition
- How to Manage the Board of Elders (And What Your Involvement Should Be)
- Building a Strategic Plan to Implement Your Changes
- Navigating Unhealthy Resistance to Change
Bonuses
- From The Frontlines. Hear directly from:
- Andy Wood, Saddleback Church
- Jay Kim, Westgate Church
- Greg & Josh Surratt, Seacoast Church
- William Vanderbloemen, Vanderbloemen Search Group
- And more…
- The Rules that Carey Nieuwhof & Jeff Brodie Followed During Their Transition
- Q&A with Carey Nieuwhof & Sean Morgan
5 Years From Now, What Would It Feel Like
To Look Back and Know…
You asked the right questions before and it prepared you for what came after.
You made tough but necessary decisions to prepare for a brighter future.
You chose the right growth and development plan to guide you through each step of the way.
Today, you’ll discern and decide a calling that impacts your future and the future of the church.
What if you made the decisions that set you on a clear path?
Make a decision to plan ahead.
Far too many churches and leaders start succession planning only when it becomes urgent. Take action today to set yourself and your ministry up for healthy growth—whether you’ve already taken over, are just about to, or will sometime in the future, the time to equip yourself is now.
Stop following generic advice.
As far as we know, this is the most in-depth transition plan out there. It walks you through each step, starting 2 years pre-transition all the way to 5 years post-transition. Our approach comes from a place of real-world experience that equips the incoming leader, the outgoing leader, and the church board for success. Whether your transition is upcoming or you’ve already transitioned but are running into challenges, this course will propel you forward.
Don’t try navigating this alone.
Ever notice that the most impactful and effective church leaders surround themselves with coaches and advisors—yet so many pastors don’t?
If some of the most impactful leaders can benefit from it, imagine how much benefit you could get from experts who have been there, guided successful transitions, and can give you the foresight, wisdom, and support your need.
A proven succession roadmap for churches of
all sizes.
Hit the ground running in your ministry and skip the years of trial-and-error (and failures) that so many pastors face during a transition.
Today, you’ll discern and decide a calling that impacts your own future and the future of the church.
I’ll encourage you to make the decisions that set you on a different path:
Make a decision to plan ahead.
Far too many churches and leaders start succession planning only when it becomes urgent. Take action today to set yourself and your ministry up for healthy growth—whether you’ve already taken over, are just about to, or will sometime in the future, the time to equip yourself is now.
Stop following generic advice.
As far as we know, this is the most in-depth transition plan out there. It walks you through each step, starting 2 years pre-transition all the way to 5 years post-transition. Our approach comes from a place of real-world experience that equips the incoming leader, the outgoing leader, and the church board for success. Whether your transition is upcoming or you’ve already transitioned but are running into challenges, this course will propel you forward.
Don’t try navigating this alone.
Ever notice that the most impactful and effective church leaders surround themselves with coaches and advisors—yet so many pastors don’t?
If some of the most impactful leaders can benefit from it, imagine how much benefit you could get from experts who have been there, guided successful transitions, and can give you the foresight, wisdom, and support your need.
A proven roadmap for your succession plan…
Hit the ground running in your ministry and skip the years of trial-and-error (and failures) that so many pastors face during a transition.
Answers to Your Specific Questions
Is it too early to start if there’s no formal plan? Worried that everything is happening way too quickly?
This course covers the entire process—from start to finish. Even if you’ve already taken over as lead pastor, you can dive right into the modules that address the issues you’re facing right now.
Don’t know who you can talk to and trust during the process? Not sure how to find trusted advisors?
You’ll learn who you can trust during the process and how to find mentors and advisors. Plus, by choosing The Art of Leadership Academy you’ll have instant access a network of peers you can learn and grow with—including direct access to both Carey and Sean.
Nervous about too much change too quickly?
The pace of change (during and after the transition) is an art to be mastered. We walk you through the nuances of it in detail so you know exactly what you can and can’t do each step of the way.
Afraid you won’t be a fit? Afraid the church won’t be a fit?
Many leaders are. We outline the exact criteria to look for in yourself and in the church to ensure it will be a good fit for each.
When is the right time for the handoff to happen?
The ins and outs of preparing the church for transition are covered down to the details, including:
- Teaching–Is the church ready for a change in teaching style? And communicator?
- Leadership–How will the staff and congregation react to a different leader?
- Finances–What should the finances look like before, during, and after the transition?
- Facility–Does the current arrangement and maintenance set you up for success?
- And more
Between must-have conversations and specific benchmarks, you’ll know exactly when the right moment is to step into your new role.
When should I take this course? Is it too early or too late?
This course is designed to be used by incoming lead pastors and their governing boards, either as a team or individually. The course will work beautifully to prepare for succession and from the moment a successor pastor is chosen through his or her first few years in their new role.
It would also be valuable to the Outgoing Pastor as they help prepare the church (and themselves) in advance for the transition.
About Carey & Sean
Carey Nieuwhof is a best-selling author, podcaster, and founding pastor of Connexus Church. He is a highly sought-after speaker and thought leader, appearing at major US conferences and events such as Orange, Exponential, SXSW, and Lifeway’s Pipeline Leadership Conference.
Sean Morgan is a nationally known coach who has developed a reputation for connecting ministry leaders and being a catalyst of fresh vision; he founded and curates cohorts at theascentleader.org.
What people say about working with Sean
“Sean understands transitions, loves the church, and has built a powerful base of influence and experience with many of America’s most dynamic churches.”
Brad Lomenick, Founder, BLINC
Author, H3 Leadership & The Catalyst Leader
“I have had the opportunity to know and work closely with Sean for many years. In that time, we have trained and developed many leaders within the church. Sean provides a lifetime of leadership experience and his work helping churches navigate transitions is profoundly helpful to everyone he serves.”
Dave Ferguson, Lead Pastor, Community Christian Church
“Sean has been a huge help and resource to my own transition. He clearly understands succession and has a heart to build into the leaders who are in transition.”
Archie Coates, Vicar, Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB)
”When it comes to pastoral succession, there’s no one I trust more on this topic than Sean Morgan. Not only does he know the nuts and bolts for healthy succession, but he has the wisdom to help navigate all of the gray areas. He helped us with ours, and I know he’ll be able to help you with yours.”
Daniel Im, Lead Pastor at Beulah Alliance Church, Podcaster, and Author
From the Frontlines
Andy Wood | Lead Pastor of Saddleback Church, California
Choose Your Plan
The Art of Pastoral Succession Course
$447 / one-time payment (USD)
The Art of Pastoral Succession Course
The Art of Leadership Academy – Individual Plan
$497 / year (USD)
The Art of Pastoral Succession Course
8 Additional Growth & Leadership Courses
Monthly Live Coaching Calls
A Private Online Community
Training & Resources Added Monthly
The Academy App (Web & Mobile)
Or monthly payments of $57 (USD)
What Leaders Are Saying About The Art of Leadership Academy
“Absolutely life-giving, encouraging, and honestly kept me from quitting on my hardest days”
Archie Jackson, Pastor/ Entrepreneur/ Artist
“I have received so much wisdom, encouragement, and thought-provoking input from an amazing network of people I otherwise would never have met. The Academy has truly been a gift.”
Sarah Starrenburg, Executive Director of Global Collaboration, United Bible Societies
“What I didn’t expect was the genuine friendships I’d make with like-minded leaders. I am feeling more energized and relationally connected than I ever have before.”
Kenny Hackbarth, Campus Pastor, The Chapel McHenry
“Practical and helpful! A transformational resource that gives great insights into so many leadership areas. I have been impressed by the caliber of thought leaders, the peer community, and the information shared by Carey and others!”
John Brimm, Entrepreneur/Strategist
Busy Pastors are growing their church through
The Art of Leadership Academy. You can too.
Get 150+ Easy-to-Use Video Training, Guides, Assessments, Cheatsheets, Meeting Agendas, and More. Learn How To…
- Increase your productivity
- Scale pastoral care
- Hire/fire staff
- Motivate staff
- Align your team with your mission
- Find & recruit great leaders
- Say ‘no’ without hurting people or losing influence
- Have effective 1:1 and team meetings
- Handle toxic people
- Increase staff engagement
- Avoid burnout
- Build a volunteer core
- Align your church around your mission
- Structure your church for growth
- And more…
You’ll have questions. You’ll be looking for some guidance. And there are seasons where you’ll need some encouragement.
That’s why the Academy exists.
Meet Carey, church leaders, and faith-driven business leaders for stimulating conversation in The Art of Leadership Academy App—available on mobile and desktop.
Choose Your Plan
The Art of Pastoral Succession Course
$447 / one-time payment (USD)
The Art of Pastoral Succession Course
The Art of Leadership Academy – Individual Plan
$497 / year (USD)
The Art of Pastoral Succession Course
8 Additional Growth & Leadership Courses
Monthly Live Coaching Calls
A Private Online Community
Training & Resources Added Monthly
The Academy App (Web & Mobile)
Or monthly payments of $57 (USD)