Standards for an Interim Pastor Ministries Pastor

1.   A personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord

2.   A lifestyle consistent with Scripture

3.   Agrees with one of the IPM statements of faith 

4.   A sense of God's leading into interim ministry

5.   An awareness of the importance of transition times in local church

6.   Favorable references (recommended by District Leadership if in a denomination, or Organizational Leadership)

7.   A willingness to participate in interim ministry training

8.   A desire to see churches grow in health and effectiveness

9.   A desire to help prepare a local church for it's new pastor

10.  A minimum of 15 years pastoral experience in a lead, solo or Senior Pastor role (experience in church administration, lay leadership, small group/teaching ministries and secular career experience typically do not qualify) 

11.  Has reached the age of 50.  If you are under the age of 65 and not on social security and/or receiving a retirement, the  applicant must be able to support himself (and his family) financially between interim ministries. While IPM does it best to place its interim staff, we cannot guarantee placement. So, a financial plan for  “in between” times is a must.
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12. Must have a Seminary education – at least a two-year MA in Bible & Theology; MDiv or ThM preferred
 
13. A willingness to undergo criminal background checks

"On behalf of the Elder Board and the body of Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Fairmont, MN, I wanted to tell you how thankful we are to have had Pastor Jerry as our pastor. With men like him, IPM is performing a needed service extraordinarily well.

"When we asked for an interim pastor, I think we envisioned someone to fill the pulpit, help us to get over the grief of losing a pastor of 20 years to a disease, and kind of keep the church together until the 'real' pastor was found and hired. Not true with Pastor Jerry! His genuine, honest leadership and practical sermons connected with our congregation in our momentary pain and led us to new dimensions in our relationships with one another and with the Lord. That is no small task in a congregation of over 400 attendees plus two full-time and six part-time staff members!

"He addressed sensitive, long-standing issues head on and demonstrated his pastor's heart in the care of Bethel. He taught us, as an Elder Board, what it means to be elders and leaders in God's church by modeling that leadership every day while being a servant that does not grow weary in doing the right things at the right time for the right reasons."

Mark Owens, Elder Board Chairman and Church Chairman, Bethel Evangelical Free Church, Fairmont, MN