"I just love this quote from the book: "How fast you run will keep you in the race; how well you hand off will win it". Over the next 10 years we will see one of the largest pastoral leadership transitions in our history. How well we handle this hand-off to the next generation may well determine our future. Changeover Zone is timely, helpful and insightful as we approach these transitions in leadership. Every personnel committee, pastor, judicatory leader, district superintendent and bishop should read this book before approaching any major leadership changes.
—Bob Farr, Director of Congregational Excellence, MO Conference, UMC; author, The Necessary Nine
"Changeover Zone provides a roadmap for how to make healthy pastoral transitions, especially in churches making their first transition or first transition in a long time. This book will help you learn how to not only survive a church pastoral transition but how to thrive and gain momentum through the transition. We have utilized this roadmap in East Ohio and it works. I recommend this book to anyone involved with pastoral transitions at any level.
—Kelly P. Brown, Director of Congregational Vitality, East Ohio Conference, UMC
"A great resource for pastors and churches who are going through transitions. I love how the change in a church pastor is seen not as an event, but as more of a process and from various key perspectives. This will be a valuable tool for my coaching with pastors and churches who are entering a season of transition.
—Ken Willard, leadership coach, certified church consultant, and author, Time Management for the Christian Leader
"When our church learned that both long tenured pastors were leaving at the same, we knew we needed expert help. Jim Ozier led our leaders in a workshop based on Changeover Zone to prepare us for this scary change. In this book the authors use sound biblical footing to show you what to do and how to do it, as you go through a pastoral change."
—Cheryl Lee, SPPR Chairman, Ebenezer United Methodist Church, Suffolk, VA
"The action plan for the 100 days before and after a change of pastors (the Changeover Zone) is brimming with time-tested wisdom. Pastors, churches, and supervisors will be prepared to not only minimize the pain and confusion that comes with pastoral transitions, but actually maximize the potential for growth and new life in congregations.
—Ken Irby, Shreveport District Superintendent, Louisiana Annual Conference, UMC
"This book is filled with insight and excellent counsel. I have been using the authorsÂ’ advice on making a great handoff for several years. You will nod your head as you read, and say, Of Course. Keep nodding. It will make a difference in raising up stronger leaders and building reproducible systems. And thatÂ’s what we all want."
—Cathy Townley, Townley Coaching
"FINALLY! A simple, straightforward way to think about an essential part of ministry - transitions. Transitions can make or break a ministry and too often they happen without the purposeful thought that can make them successful. Whether your context is a new start pastor moving on or a long tenured pastor receiving a new appointment, this book will be your comprehensive guide in the process of ending well and starting strong."
—Rev. Nicole Reilley, Director of New Ministries, Cal-Pac Conference
