Tabernacle Baptist Church

Pastoral Transition

Frequently Asked Questions

Any time of change frequently generates questions about why the change occurs and what we do to manage through the transition. This time of transition for Tabernacle Baptist Church is no different.

As leaders of the church, we know that you may have many questions, and we want to do our best to answer those questions and keep you informed. This Frequently Asked Questions summary is intended to help us communicate with as many of you as possible as easily as possible.

Have a question?

We welcome your questions and concerns throughout this transition. Please contact the Board of Deacons at Deacons@tbcrichmond.org.

Explore the FAQs

Section 01

About Sterling Leaving

Why is Sterling leaving, and where is he going?

Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina, voted to call Sterling as its Senior Pastor, and he accepted. He and Laura felt the same sense of call that brought them to Tabernacle in 2004, and believe God is calling them into a new season.

He will begin serving at Earle Street in early January 2027. Laura will stay in Richmond through the school year, joining him in the summertime.

When is he finished at Tabernacle?

His last day in the office is Thursday, November 19, 2026. He will take some time off in November and then come back for his final Sunday and celebration on Sunday, December 6.

He plans to use the remainder of November and December to prepare for the move and rest before beginning his next season of ministry.

How will we celebrate him?

We invite the congregation and our community to join the Severns family on Sunday, December 6, for his final official sermon as Senior Pastor at Tabernacle. We will share Bread for the Journey with him and his family.

We will have a reception following the service to celebrate and honor Sterling’s dedication to TBC.

Planning for how we celebrate and thank Sterling, Laura, and their family is underway, and you’ll have chances both individually and as a congregation to share your gratitude before they go.

Section 02

Tabernacle During the Transition

Who is leading the church during the transition?

The combined group of the Board of Deacons, the Personnel Committee, the Finance Team, and the Administrative Board are leading the transition effort. Regular meetings are held to address our transition plan.

Who is in charge of staff now?

In our current organizational chart, all staff members report to the Senior Pastor. The Personnel Committee, in agreement with April, has decided that April will take on all staff supervisory roles in the interim period.

Will the church continue doing everything it was doing before?

As much as possible, yes!

Worship, Sunday school, pastoral care, community ministry, building use, and the Child Care Center will continue as normally as possible.

Church lay leadership and staff will work with the congregation to ensure we continue church life and work throughout this time of transition.

We appreciate your patience and grace as we all work together without a full time staff member to be church through this transition.

What will Sundays look like during the transition?

Church leaders, led by the Deacons and April, will continue our rhythm of weekly worship.

Initial plans are for diverse pulpit supply preachers from our community to lead us until the end of January 2027, after which we intend to have some longer term worship leadership plans in place.

Outside of preaching, we will continue to invite the whole church to participate weekly in worship, as has been our rhythm over the last year.

See the TAB Weekly for the worship volunteer sign up process.

Who do I call in a crisis, hospitalization, or other pastoral need?

All pastoral concerns can go directly to deacons@tbcrichmond.org.

Otherwise, we encourage you to directly reach out to your Sunday school class, ministry team, a deacon you know, or April, as you feel comfortable.

Leaders are hoping to implement the point person model we used during the pandemic: each class, team, or committee has someone who knows what is happening and can pass needs and information to the deacons and April.

What about our partners who use the building?

We do not anticipate significant changes regarding use of our buildings. Each group that uses our spaces will be given a contact person at the church for questions and emergencies.

Section 03

Interim Leadership and Pastoral Search

What will interim leadership look like?

The leadership team is in discussion about how to best handle steady leadership during the transition.

We are considering several options, including:

• Bridge interim: A period of 8 to 10 weeks focusing on Sunday worship support.
• Intentional interim: A trained, longer term interim leader who supports Sunday worship as well as transition and search conversations.
• Other models: Additional approaches that may best serve the needs of our congregation.

We are seeking wisdom from the wealth of knowledge both inside our church and from outside experts on how to best navigate this season.

Our intention is to have a transitional leadership structure in place by early February 2027.

What will looking for a new pastor look like?

We are weighing the options of doing the process on our own or working with outside consultants to aid in the search process.

Leadership will update the congregation at every step of the way regarding how we will consider new leadership in the church and the timeline for when to expect someone new to join us.

How long will the search take?

We don’t know yet.

Some churches take multiple years, and some churches finish the transition in less than a year. The type of process we decide to pursue will play a significant factor in the length of the search.

The most important factor is making a sincere leadership effort to select the best fit for Tabernacle without rushing the process.

What is our process of choosing a new pastor?

Under our bylaws, in the interval between pastors, the following process guides the congregation:

1. Pulpit Supply: The Board of Deacons is responsible for pulpit supply (Sunday worship preaching).
2. Pastor Search Committee: The Deacons ask the Nominating Committee to recommend a Pastor Search Committee, which the church elects.
3. Candidate Recommendation: The Search Committee conducts the search and recommends a candidate to the Board of Deacons.
4. Deacon Recommendation: The Deacons make a recommendation to the church.
5. Congregational Vote: With due notice, the church votes to call a new pastor. Calling a pastor requires a quorum of 50 members and a three fourths vote of members present, with two weeks’ notice given at a regular Sunday service.

Section 04

Communication, Questions, and How to Help

Where can I get updates?

The TAB Weekly will carry transition updates on a regular basis.

Important items will also be mentioned during Sunday worship, and this FAQ will remain available on the church website.

Where do I send questions or concerns?

Send questions to the deacons at Deacons@tbcrichmond.org.

How can I help?

There are many meaningful ways to support one another and our church family during this season of transition.

• Pray for everyone involved. Pray for Sterling, Laura, and their family, for the Earle Street congregation, for our staff and leaders, and for our church.
• Volunteer for worship. Look for opportunities through the TAB Weekly or the Sunday bulletin links.
• Support our staff. Check in with staff and thank them for taking on extra work.
• Stay engaged. Continue participating in worship, church gatherings, and events.
• Pray for wisdom and guidance. Pray for our leaders as they work together to make our transition meaningful and God centered. This is a spiritual experience, and your prayers are greatly appreciated.
• Share information carefully. If you hear something that hasn’t been announced or isn’t in this FAQ, please ask a deacon.
• Share your feedback. The leadership wants to hear from you. Please reach out to deacons@tbcrichmond.org.

We’re Walking Through This Together

We welcome your questions, concerns, and reflections as we navigate this season together.