Succession planning for pastors is a hot topic right now in leadership circles.  If you are succeeding a beloved pastor or your church’s leadership teams are having this discussion, you need to know the following story:

In 1983, Ray Perkins succeeded the recently retired and deceased Paul “Bear” Bryant as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.  Perkins seemed like the perfect person to take over from the iconic coach.  The following was just a portion of his resume:

  • Was an alma mater of the Crimson Tide.  Played for Coach Bryant from 1964 – 1966.
  • Played on the 1964 and 1965 national championship teams.
  • Was a 3X SEC champion
  • 1966 All-American wide receiver
  • NFL head coach from 1979 to 1982
  • Coach Bryant loved Perkins.  In fact, Perkins was one of the last people to see Coach Bryant in the hospital on the day of his passing.

It seemed you could not get a more perfect fit.  Perkins was beloved when hired.  Then he made a critical mistake.

Coach Bryant famously observed practice from a 33-step tower just adjacent to the field.  Bryant would shout instructions from a bullhorn and God help you when he could be heard stomping down the steel steps coming to the practice field.  Someone was about to receive some intense coaching from the Bear himself.

The tower represented more than just erected steel, steps, and chain links.  When Bryant was perched high above the team it was if God Himself was watching from above.  His voice came down like rolling thunder.  In the state of Alabama, the tower was their Empire State Building, their Vatican, their pyramids, and their Eiffel Tower.  It represented excellence and everything right about the state.  The tower may have well as been a holy shrine.

When Perkins took over, he wanted to be on the field with the players.  Seems innocent enough.  So then he took down the tower, loaded it on a flatbed trailer, and carried it away to rust in a storage yard.  And all hell broke loose.

Still grieving from the death of Coach Bryant, the Alabama faithful felt this was an insult to his memory.  Perkins was reviled for this act, never forgiven, and ultimately removed after three years.

There is much to learn here for pastors who succeed a beloved pastor:

  1. Don’t be confused.  For awhile, they will love previous pastor more than you.  That’s OK and to be expected.  Do not confuse position with influence.
  2. Give the congregation time to grieve the loss of their beloved pastor.  Even if the pastor is still alive and in great health, there will still be a time of grieving.
  3. Always honor the past.  You cannot move forward into the future without first (and sometimes continually) touching the past.
  4. Learn where the potential landmines are.  I’m sure Perkins had no idea what taking down the tower would do to the Alabama fanbase and his own leadership.  He just wanted to be with his players.  Little did he know how much this act would limit how much time he actually got to do so.  Your church has “towers” of its own which leads to my next point…
  5. Understand the importance of symbols.  They old saying is true – never tear down a fence until you first know why it was built in the first place.  You cannot imagine how much people’s hearts are attached to symbols.
  6. Be slow to make major changes to symbols, programs, and traditions.  These three items attached people to the mission and vision of the church and give them security and sense of belonging.
  7. Have your leaders on board before making changes.  They will champion your message and reassure the congregation of your leadership.  Great leaders will also put out fires for you and have difficult conversations on your behalf.
  8. Get some of your own wins under your belt before making significant changes.  This builds trust and loyalty in you.

What is one thing you can learn from the story of Ray Perkins taking down Coach Bryant’s tower which will help succeed a beloved pastor?

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