b' Joychurchhasfacedanumberth e n ew s eni o r p as to r. I ofleadershiptransitions.rememberbeingimpressed Thebiggestofthesewasatanearlycouncilmeeting theretirementofourlong- asAlightthenthecouncil serving former senior pastor,c h a i r m a nr e m i n d e d u s Pastor Warren Wang, and thethatweviewthecouncil installationofourcurrentmembers role as supporting senior pastor, Pastor Mickeyt h e p a s t o r s v i s i o n a n d H s i a o . O n e o f t h e m o s tleadership.Heexhortedus challengingtransitionsanytorememberthatwehave church faces is the departureoneseniorpastorandwe of a longtime senior pastor.need to set the example for Evenb eforeIjoinedtheboth congregations of being s t a f f , I w a s i m p r e s s e dunifiedinsupportofhim. withthewayPastorWangHe,andlaterAlex,would hadintentionallyplannedcontinuetoremindusof forasmoothandhealthythatvalueeachyearwhen tr ansitionofleader ship,new council members joined recruitingPastorMickey,th e team. A n d that i s in traininghim,andgraduallypractice what we saw happen t r a n s i t i o n i n g m o r easPastorMickeytookon responsibilities to him untiltheseniorpastorrole.The intheendthetransitionc h u r c hb e g i n n i n g w i t h was seamless. Furthermore,council leadership on downPa s to r Wa n g ha d b u i l t aunified around him. It is not culture and team of leadersthat council members never who were ready and willinghaddifferingperspectives. towholeheartedlysupportO f c o u r s e t h e y d i d , a n d 8'