What should your priorities be during your initial days as a senior pastor? How can you avoid early mistakes? What is a healthy perspective on leading change in the first 100 days? This is the topic Marshall Fant discusses with Andrew Snavely, who has served as senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Highland Falls, NY, for 18 months. Prior to taking the senior pastorate, Pastor Andrew served for 10 years as an assistant pastor. Here are some nuggets of his advice: “Listen first. Lead wisely.” “Relationships are everything.” “Earn trust by small, predictable faithfulness.” You can check out the show notes for the resources he found helpful as he transitioned to his new role.

Books:

• New Pastor’s Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry by Jason Helopoulos (great bullet point chapters)
• Church Matters: Seasons in a Pastor’s Life produced by 9Marks (short, succinct biblical stabilities)
• Who Moved My Pulpit?: Leading Change in the Church by Thom Rainer
• What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done by Matt Perman (personal direction and productivity)
• Next: Pastoral Succession That Works by William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird (more for the outgoing pastor and the church than for the incoming pastor, but still very helpful)
• Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry by Paul David Tripp
• Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church by Paul David Tripp

Podcasts and Conferences:

• RE:CHURCH interviews with Caleb Phelps:
  • Preparing to Preach in Year 1
  • What Pastoral Candidates Wish Pulpit Committees Knew
•  The E3 Pastor Conference hosted by Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary

Conversations with senior pastors he knows well to gauge input on full-time schedule, load management, family care, etc.