So what I get asked all the time is: are you guys going to look for another third person? The only reason having three on a preaching team worked for us was because it was a preparation for our congregation to get ready for Kyle. We both love to preach too much. We think we are going to go with two for a while.
Preaching: Once Bob officially retires this summer, how many weeks of the year will you be responsible for preaching?
Stone: I think I’m at like 28 or 29. Kyle’s at like 20. We’ll bring two guests in over the course of 12 months. That’s the game plan right now.
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Preaching: Are people asking you already if Kyle is the next person in line as senior pastor?
Stone: Yeah, poor guy, he gets asked that all the time. He and I were in a meeting this morning and he said, “You know, we’ll see where the Lord leads.” The challenge we’re going to have with Kyle is we need to get him more responsibility, which we’re giving him. He has so many gifts — not just communication gifts, but he has leadership giftedness. Bob did a good job of keeping me interested here because of giving me more responsibility, so that’s what we intend to do with Kyle. And this is a tough place to leave!
Preaching: As you look back on the transition, are there some things you look back on now and say, “Hmmm, I probably could’ve done that differently? Or maybe I shouldn’t have done that.” Are there some ways you could have improved the transition?
Russell: I would say one thing: I probably wouldn’t have made it as long as it’s been. I think two years would be plenty long to announce to the congregation. I’ve answered so many questions about retirement and “when are you leaving?” It probably was too early to announce to them what we did. If I would have fashioned it again, we might just hold that. I don’t know if there are any other things.
Stone: I remember the week when he announced it to the congregation. I’d say he and I knew it was kind of heading in that direction a few years before the elders asked for a succession plan. You know we are good friends, we goof off together, we play golf together, it just seemed to kind of fit. It was one of those unspoken things. I didn’t have a desire to lead a megachurch — my kids were very young — it was just one of those things that kind of happened and we both had peace with it.
Russell: Dave said an important thing earlier when he said we’re not trying to be a model for anybody else. I think everybody has to fashion their own succession plan if they are willing to do that. It worked for us because of the personalities involved. There has to be a blend of the right personalities for it to happen.