The Transition Team is a group of seven FCBC members selected by the Nominating Committee and confirmed by the church body, dedicated to serving Jesus and representing the congregation throughout the process of transitioning from Pastor Tim Maynard’s leadership to that of the next senior pastor.

The Pastoral Transition Team was prayerfully assembled by members of the Nominating Committee in the last quarter of 2020. PTT members were presented to the congregation for approval at the November 2020 business meeting where they were unanimously approved. The PTT held its first meeting in January 2021.

Currently the Pastoral Transition Team meets biweekly.  The Team may meet more or less often as needed throughout the transition process.

The Pastoral Transition Team members range in age from early 30s to late 50s. They have children of all ages from infants and toddlers in the preschool ministry to adolescents in the children’s and youth ministries, young adults in the college ministry and grown children. As the transition progresses and working groups are formed, the PTT will seek representation and input from younger and older age groups to ensure that the full congregation is represented in the process of selecting the best pastoral candidate from those who apply for the position and feel called to serve FCBC. 

The Pastoral Transition Team members acknowledge the unique and intimate insight that the church staff can provide concerning the needs of the church.  As such, the PTT meets regularly with staff regarding their input and provides updates to the staff regularly.

Absolutely.  It is our goal to make sure church members are as informed as possible throughout the transition process.  To arrange a meeting with a Transition Team member please contact Kelly Gates at ptt@fruitcove.com.

Per the church bylaws, a search committee is formed when there is a vacancy within a ministerial position.  Since Pastor Tim has not yet vacated the role of Lead Pastor and does not intend to leave until a new pastor has been installed, there will never be a time where a vacancy exists.  As such, the bylaws allow for ad hoc committees such as the Pastoral Transition Team to be formed to carry out specific functions such as setting up and executing a transition plan for the senior pastor role to ensure efficiency and due-diligence in the process.

The Pastoral Transition Team’s charter is as follows:

The PTT will work with the lead pastor to facilitate a smooth transition to the calling of our next pastor. The committee may invite other church and staff members, committees or outside consultants to assist and advise as necessary. 

There are seven members on the team who have been elected to serve until the conclusion of pastoral transition (i.e., no rotation). These seven members were selected by the Nominating Committee from the church at large, reviewed by the deacons and elected by the Church in the November 18, 2020 business meeting.

No, the Pastoral Transition Team is an Ad Hoc committee that will oversee the entire transition process for the senior pastor role. As such, the PTT will appoint a working group to work with either an internal subcommittee that will conduct the search to identify, meet and call the new pastor, or oversee the use of a professional staffing company that specializes in finding pastoral staff.

Absolutely.  It is our goal to make sure church members are as informed as possible throughout the transition process.  To arrange a representative to speak with your small group, please contact Kelly Gates at ptt@fruitcove.com.

While there is not an exact timeline at this point, as a general rule of thumb the average pastoral transition can take approximately one month for every year that a legacy pastor has served. (William Vanderbloemen). Pastor Tim has served as lead pastor of FCBC for more than 28 years, and is committed to transitioning out of the role with excellence and in a way that sets the next pastor and the congregation up for as much success as possible. At this time, it is estimated by the Pastoral Transition Team that the process could take between two and three years to fully complete.

At this time Pastor Tim has not provided the Pastoral Transition Team with specifics about the next chapter of his life except to say that his ideal next role is to teach and counsel in some capacity.

Yes, the Pastoral Transition Team is always interested in input from the congregation.  To make a recommendation, please contact Jeff Crick at ptt@fruitcove.com.  In addition, when the PTT is formally accepting applications, we ask that you encourage any potential candidates to apply. The formal application process will be announced as soon as possible.

Prayer is truly the greatest need through the pastoral transition process, and the most valuable support that the congregation can provide. We ask that you lift Pastor Tim up in prayer as he looks to close this chapter of his ministerial life and seeks God’s direction for the next chapter.  Please be in prayer for the church’s next pastor and his family as God begins to speak to them about this opportunity and the journey ahead.  Lastly, please pray for the Pastoral Transition Team as they work to first seek the Lord and his divine direction regarding this critical role of transitioning the senior pastor role here at FCBC.

First and foremost, pastoral candidates should be men of God that have a passion for the Gospel and leading others to follow Jesus and believe that they have been called by the Lord to Fruit Cove Baptist Church. Candidates should have a heart for missions and equipping the congregation to share the gospel to “all Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Pastoral candidates should hold a degree from an accredited seminary program. While a master’s degree will be considered, a doctorate is preferred. Candidates should have extensive experience leading a church congregation similar in size and style to that of FCBC.

Yes, all applicants that meet the posted qualifications will be considered.

We consider internal stakeholders to be FCBC members, staff, and anyone who regularly attends FCBC but is not a member. We consider external stakeholders to be any community (local, national or international) that we support and serve in our ministry of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

It is the goal of the Pastoral Transition Team to communicate regularly with the FCBC congregation. Given the size of our church and the current challenges due to the pandemic, the PTT will look to communicate across a variety of platforms. Church members can expect to hear from the PTT occasionally from the pulpit before/after church services, in their Connect Groups, at church business meetings, and electronically. In addition, this webpage will serve as a central location for transition updates. If you wish to hear directly from a member of the PTT please send an email to ptt@fruitcove.com and list the PTT member in the subject line you wish to contact.