Grant Roe and his family have maneuvered through several transitions these past few years: from church staff, to launching a new ministry, to moving from Northwest Arkansas to become missionaries in South Africa.

WE asked Grant to share how he prepared himself and family for these transitions, what others told him of the process in preparation, but most importantly to share what he had to learn along the way that would be valuable for others…he graciously obliged. Below is a blog by Grant Roe…5 Keys to Navigating Transitions in Ministry

5 Keys to Navigating Transitions in Ministry

As I sat in the coffee shop sipping my americano, I could feel my nerves beginning to get the best of me. (And I’m sure the extra shot of espresso didn’t help matters.)
 
I was awaiting the arrival of a mentor to join me. 
 
I had asked him to meet because I needed some advice. I knew change was coming. I knew God was calling me and my family into a new assignment for His Kingdom.
 
I was confident in what I had heard God speak to me, but frankly, I had no idea how to go about making the transition.
 
How will my family be taken care of?
How do I gracefully exit my current assignment?
How will my current leaders respond?
How will the people I lead respond?
How will provision be made?
How will I go about selling my house in the relocation? 
How will I figure out the necessary details for the move?
 
The list of questions went on and on and on…..
 
In that moment, as I sat in the coffee shop, a thought crossed my mind that I believe was divinely inspired. 
 
There are many people who receive a “what” from God but feel unequipped to steward the “how.”
 
“Here I am God, send me!! But wait a minute…. HOW in the world am I going to get there….!?” 
 
The HOW. —>
 
This is where the discouragement, the disillusionment, and the confusion sat in for me.
 
And to be honest, I have observed many ‘God-callings’ are lost between the what and the how. 
 
In 2019, my family took a step of faith and followed God’s leadership from a ministry assignment in the United States into a new ministry assignment in South Africa. 
 
In a moment of honesty, it was a huge step into the unknown for me. I knew I needed to surround myself with the advice of mentors to help me navigate the uncertainty.
 
As I write this, my heart grieves for the many like me who have felt/feel/will feel unequipped to handle the how. 
 
Admittedly, I am no expert in navigating transitions, (much of my learning has come from making plenty of mistakes!). 
 
Nevertheless, here are a few keys I am learning from our experiences and conversations with mentors that are enabling our family to transition into a new ministry assignment:
 
  1. The way we walk out of one door affects how we walk into the next door. 
    • Learn the ancient principle of honor. Honor those who have invested in you, created space for you to grow, and given you a place to express your gifting. Even if the assignment you are leaving was difficult, discipline yourself to see the beauty in the mess. 
  2. We must seek to follow God’s promises before seeking the provision.
    • Follow God’s promise not the provision. We often run the risk of sacrificing our assignment on the altar of a predictable, comfortable income. While we do have a responsibility to provide for the ones we love, Jesus said we cannot serve both God and money. Seek first the Kingdom and then all these things will be added.
  3. Once we find ourselves in our new assignment, we must embrace a lifestyle of learning (and unlearning and re-learning).
    • It takes time to learn a new city, a new work culture, a new ethnic culture, a new language, a new team, and/or a new family rhythm. Making important decisions without fully understanding the new context can be detrimental to ministry fruitfulness. Take a concentrated amount of time to fit into the new culture before seeking to stand out in your new environment. God WILL be faithful to lead us if we are faithful to patiently follow.
  4. For longevity, we must seek to establish a healthy rhythm for ourselves and our family before seeking to establish a fruitful ministry.
    • There is an African proverb that states, “if you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.” In transitions, there is a temptation to take on matters quicker than is healthy for our personal lives and our families. There is no sense in getting an empty bus to the destination. Longevity seeks to make sure family is taken care of before taking on bold endeavors for the Kingdom. 
  5. Maintain life-giving spiritual disciplines throughout the transition. 
    • When the complexity of transition is in full swing, having established spiritual disciplines allow us to remain anchored to an unchanging, eternal source. Jesus instructs His disciples to abide in Him, for apart from Him, we can do nothing. Daily spiritual disciplines (scripture, meditation, prayer, worship, etc) allow us to endure a season of ambiguity as we seek to re-establish our roots in a new environment.
 
I pray these five keys will enable you to be more effective in navigating “the how” of transition so you can arrive at “the what” that God is asking you to steward!