“Succession planning”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Monday, May 30, 2022

Joshua 1:1-9 (Forward, p. 32) CEV p. 209

Having lived a certain length of time in smaller communities and rural areas, I have become quite aware of the importance and intricacies of succession planning. A farm or a business that was established and built by one generation cannot be ‘assumed’ to continue on, unabated and without a hitch, by the next generation of owners and managers. There may well be some exceptions, but it is usually best to have some sort of plan in place to make sure that the change-over works and works well. First off, as questions to be addressed: is the leadership style and the interactions with one’s workers, suppliers, customers and neighbours. All of this is quite crucial for the successful running of a farm or business—and can easily be lost or dissipated under new management. And what is more: the experience and knowledge of the previous workers can easily be lost or ignored if there isn’t a plan in place.

From my reading of the changeover from Moses to Joshua God seems to have taken many of these concerns into account:

a) Firstly, Joshua has already served as apprentice to Moses. He has already served with him and under him, and so is fully aware of how he did things, and fully aware of what ‘worked’ and what didn’t. (I must say that there is nothing like a ‘hands-on’ experience with an ‘older’, more experienced person: that is why I would always argue for curacies and internships in the training of new clergy.)

b) Furthermore, Joshua was to continue with what he had been taught, yes, by what he had been taught by Moses, but even more so, by the Book of the Law. He was to read it daily and keep it continually in his mind and in his decisions. In fact, he was to obey it completely.

c) And finally, he was to be inspired by the example of Moses and be encouraged by him. As God was with him, so would He be with Joshua as well. And so, he was to be strong and of good courage. God would be with him and help him, even as He did with Moses.

To me, this is a powerful example. However, I think that it is one that is often lost on the church. We change rectors and bishops with amazing— and sometimes frightening—frequency, with absolutely no game plan for the transition, absolutely no succession plan. Indeed, sometimes we seem to go out of the way to ensure that there is a complete break. Yes, a parish or diocesan profile may lay out some history and expectations, but there is nothing in place to ensure that either thing is even taken into account once the new person is appointed. In fact, all too often it seems as if the new person is like a ‘new broom’ sweeping clean. All too often I have seen the past direction and ethos of a parish or diocese completely changed under ‘the new management’. And, what I find singularly revealing about this process is that it would never, ever ‘work’ in the business world. Having a business that changed its business style or its intended market or product line every 5-8 years would be a sure recipe for failure. Yet, that is exactly what we do within the church.

Needless to say, that is not at all what God did with Moses and Joshua, or indeed with Elijah and Elisha, or with Jesus and the Twelve, or with Paul and Barnabas and their various helpers. The faithful training up of coworkers and helpers, and the development of a sort of succession plan, was very much in their thoughts and actions. It needs to be in our thoughts and actions as well, and not just in the top, upper echelon leadership, but also in the development of leadership on the ground level, with the ordinary rank and file of the church. That is God’s plan for the church—a plan that ‘works’—and so we too need to follow it. Amen.

Forward notes: “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (verse 9b).

“After the resurrection, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom we are told that he had cast out seven demons. We do not know what these demons were—some accounts say the demons symbolize mental illness; others contend the demons could be issues of anxiety or fear, greed, or desire for wealth or status. Or maybe they were actual demons, not bits of the human condition we describe as ‘demons.’

“We do not know the what, when, where, or even how of these demons, but we do know that Jesus cast them out completely. Mary Magdalene is the first person to encounter the risen Christ, the first to ‘go and tell’ others the Good News of Jesus’s Resurrection. We know her not as Mary the tormented but as Mary Magdalene, literally one who comes from a very strong and lofty place.

“Mary Magdalene is the ultimate Joshua 1:9 story. Be strong and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.:

MOVING FORWARD: “Are you wrestling with demons? Ask for Jesus's help in casting them out.”