Being the new guy is tough. You are used to being “the guy”. The guy everyone knows and wants you to hang out. The guy everyone went too, the funny guy in videos or the guy on stage. There is none of that when you come into a new place. You are a “nobody” in a sense and can do a number on your self-esteem if you let the enemy mess with your mind. I say this because it is something I am working through with my own new transition. This is my first real transition into a new position into a new church and I am not going to lie, some areas in this transition have been tough, mostly because it is an inner battle. Don’t get me wrong, the new place is amazing, and the people are nothing but a blessing to work with, most of the difficult parts are “the new guy” learning to transition well, which I am learning as I write this.

I thought I would write down a few things I am learning during this new time to maybe help anyone else going through a transition into a new ministry.

Get to know the staff- You are going to be doing ministry together, you are going to be doing life together. There are going to be countless hours in the office together working side by side. Make it intentional to hang out with every single person on the team, one on one. To grab lunch, get a coffee, and hear their heart on life and ministry. It will help more than any other thing with transitions.

Be the tortoise, not the hare: slow and steady change- I admit I failed at moving slow when I first arrived. We just get excited to be there, all these ideas filled our head and we want to do every single one of them. I actually had to be called out by one of the team members to slow down a bit because I didn’t even realize I was doing it, and I am thankful he did. Even just the ideas in your head about switching things up can ruffle feathers and can make you loose credibility amongst the team. You need to do a good job just sitting back, being patient, and getting to know the culture of the ministry. We need to remember if we are in it for the long haul, there is no need to want to do everything all at once right now; there will be plenty of time for your ideas.

Take note of everything!- As the new guy, you come in as someone who does not know the history of “this is how we always have done it”. You have the fresh eyes to the ministry and are able to notice things or ask the questions of “why don’t you do _______?” You are able to see things that others do not because they have been doing it for the same way for a while. Take note of everything you are thinking and seeing because when you are no longer the “new guy” you will be “THE guy” and be able to bring change in ways they have not even dreamed of yet.

To be continued…next Wednesday