Discernment, New Calls & What Comes Next
Transition is one of the most spiritually and emotionally complex seasons a pastor can enter. Whether you’re considering a new call, stepping into retirement, feeling restless in your current place, or wondering if God might be redirecting you entirely — discernment requires more than a prayer.
It requires someone who can help you hear yourself.
The Noise of Transition
Transition seasons are noisy. There’s the voice of expectation — what your congregation needs, what your family needs, what your denomination expects. There’s the voice of fear — what if I’m wrong? What if I leave too soon, or too late? What if the next place is worse? And underneath it all, the quieter voice of God’s calling, trying to be heard.
Coaching creates space to sort through those voices — not to replace your discernment, but to support it.
Real Stories of Pastoral Transition
One pastor came to me after years in a familiar setting, sensing it was time for something new but unsure what that meant:
“At first we worked on building in margin in my schedule, in my ministry, in my finances, and in my life. This eventually led to a couple of years of discernment into a new call, far away. Barbara knew how to help me help myself into a more self-differentiated and authentic person.” — Pastor Ken T.
Another pastor navigated one of the most disorienting transitions imaginable — beginning a brand new call in June 2020, in the middle of a pandemic:
“Through her work as a coach I was able to sort out the issues and see how to lead this new congregation. Over the years we have not only discerned the needs of the congregation, but also my own needs. If you are stuck or not sure what is next in your ministry, having a life coach will get you unstuck and help you hear your heart.” — Clergy Life Coaching client
And one pastor found that the tools built during coaching became a personal record she could carry into whatever came next:
“While the coaching prep materials are designed to facilitate discussions, they also provided invaluable documentation when I was changing calls. They became a written narrative and record of my ministry that was helpful to review when I was updating my paperwork.” — Pastor Karen R.
Questions Worth Sitting With
If you’re in a season of transition — or sensing one on the horizon — here are some questions worth exploring:
- What is drawing you toward something new? Is it vision, or is it escape?
- What would you need to feel at peace about leaving your current call?
- What do you most want the next chapter of your ministry to look like?
Transition is not a problem to be solved. It’s a passage to be navigated — with prayer, honesty, and ideally with someone walking beside you.
If you’re in a season of discernment, I’d love to be part of that conversation: book a call today!
Blessings! –Barbara
