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Some churches have a habit of running pastors off. Some pastors have a habit of leaving too soon. Today, we tackle the former issue and discuss why some churches continually run off pastors.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM ROBERT
The church I pastor has been approached by a struggling church in town about a merger. In their own words, they are an “out-dated and ineffective ministry that is operated by the same 6 families that have been doing it for 40 years and who have effectively run off every pastor that has questioned the way they do things.” I’m hesitant to commit our church to anything right now, but why would a church operate that way? And is there any hope for us to succeed in this merger/acquisition?
Episode Highlights:
- Some churches shouldn’t be asking “How can we find a new pastor?” but “What might we be doing to run off the pastor we have?” instead.
- At a church, the most natural object of frustration for the church members will be the pastor. For the pastor, it is often the church members.
- “That’s what we pay the pastor to do” is not the attitude of a healthy church member.
- Pastors, stick around through the tough times, things should eventually improve.
The five reasons churches run off pastors are:
- The pastor was not the magic bullet.
- The pastor becomes the object of frustration.
- The pastor burns out.
- Decline often leads to blame and conflict.
- The pastor’s family becomes discouraged and withdraws.
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
- Church Health Report
- ChurchReplanters.com
- ChurchAnswers.com
- Replanter Assessment
- Find more resources at the Revitalize & Replant page at ThomRainer.com
Submit Your Question:
Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.
Thank you Tom Rainer! You do not know how this podcast has blessed me. I have been pastoring my first church for 2 years now and have been pondering on stepping down. I will not get into the what’s of my congregation but you hit the nail on the head with what is going on.
Thank you for letting God use you to bless me!
Thank you, Franklin. I am pausing to pray for you right now.
Sadly, the reasons you mentioned are all present at my church (Disciples of Christ). We are in a very unhealthy period, and are known as a pastor-eating church. May God help us.
My husband is a DOC pastor and we are seeing this in many DOC churches recently, unfortunately.
Two months ago I accepted the call to a dying Church. I recently was asked to leave a because of the infighting among the church members and deacons. During the interviews, the deacons told me they were not ready to give up. There are two families and two-part staff, one who i believe is not Baptist, and the other not a church member, that want to sell the church property.
There was resistance the moment my name was announced as the potential candidate for interim pastor. I was promised to be voted on an intentional interim 30 days later, which never occurred.
A former pastor, who resigned told the chairman of deacons not to call me because I am an evangelist. I asked the deacons what other option did they have, an Undertaker?
After seven weeks of going door to door, prayerwalking, bus stop ministry, sidewalk ministry, community evangelism the attendance was up to 26 people. The staff refused to work with me and even tried to hinder me from getting paid.
But we prayed and took this opportunity to serve the Lord Jesus as a consultant. I even told the deacons that was my approach.
They asked me why someone with education, and experience would even consider coming to the church in their detrimental condition? I explained that God had opened a door for us to serve Him and make Jesus known.
The church has at least a hundred visitors to the campus weekly, but no was giving a verbal or written Gospel presentation to anyone. It is basically a church for rent due to their parking, education building, and gym.
In eight weeks we saw seven salvations, two rededications, two baptisms and numerous request for prayers, one by a professing atheist and increased in attendance.
We saw work and the potential of what God could have done and can still do if people will get saved and Christians repent.
What a great work of God!
“A former pastor, who resigned told the chairman of deacons not to call me because I am an evangelist. I asked the deacons what other option did they have, an Undertaker?”
I LOVE that quote! Can I paraphrase it for a graphic? Here’s how I’d state it: A pastor can either be an evangelist or an undertaker.
I was installed as 19th pastor of a church in its 127th year. I served longer than anyone in over 100 years. The Church was growing. Expanded building and paid off debt. Money in the bank and their own radio station. I was not run off like most. I was put out. All because of the perception power was shifting from the leadership to me. Even though I was running a large corporation and living 1 1/2 hour away. I still can’t figure. All I was doing was preaching, teaching, loving, and sharing my business expertise.
Thom,
Our church is making some early, but very encouraging and hopeful changes in direction. We are just beginning to turn from a long steady decline, towards a new God centered purpose and labor, and we are doing it together. The church has been hurt by pastors over the years, and I have been hurt badly by a few of our members, but God has helped us commit ourselves to each other. Your podcasts have greatly helped me reevaluate my own ministry and attitudes, in becoming a more bold leader and a more gentle, patient shepherd. In many ways, God is using you to revitalize our church. Thank you.
I am praying for you too, Bob.
Thom, your insights are so spot on. I am in my second pastorate. Months ago, I was visiting a church member. I told the person, “We all have to pull together if we want church growth in the future.” She said, “I thought that’s what we pay the pastor for.” (He’s the one that’s to create church growth.). I don’t know that we can turn around. All I can do is pray to God consistently, lead in outreach, and try to get the people to go out into the community. The problems are too deep here and the past too tumultuous. Your analysis is so spot on most of the time. Thank you for all you do, Thom.
Father Jim does not allow mean people at our church. You either love or leave. Between all our paid staff our tenure is over 50 years with us. He keeps us busy serving – so not much time for backbiting – we don’t do mean. Y’all might just want to get busy? Prayers for you all!
Thank you, Thank you,Thank you Thom! You continue to talk about the realities of ministry in the pastorate and everything was spot on. My husband and I have been in ministry for 26 years. I have witnessed the Pastors’ role decrease, losing the leadership of the church as a spiritual leader/church leader and becoming a church employee/spiritual leader instead. And since they are treated like a church employee their actions or lack thereof are measured in employment terms only. The HR committee then sets standards they choose and can become another group in the church to please and they take over the “complaint department” of the church itself using it to keep the pastor in line. The pastor is treated more and more like an employee and less and less of a spiritual leader until there is no respect and the pastors’ value becomes measured in monetary terms. In the world we live in if a person doesn’t do the job they were hired to do they get fired. My concern is that no one on the HR committee was interviewed for their job. It was voluntary. So those in the pastorate get whoever volunteers to be on the HR committee that church year. That means that the standards change along with the duties every church year! Who would want to work under these conditions? This is one example why pastors burn out.
It’s typically a two year learning curve for the new pastor. A declining church doesn’t always allow its pastor that much time. They expect him to turn the ship around by then.
And sometimes they expect him to turn the ship around quickly, but not by actually doing what’s needed to affect the turn.
(Dissatisfaction X Vision of Preferred Future X Knowledge of First Steps) > Resistance = Change.
You have no idea how much your site helps my husband and I. He is in his first senior pastor position and although it’s rewarding to follow God into the ‘unknown’, I’ll admit that at times it gets so rough that I don’t even want to go to church anymore. That’s hard to admit! I can completely relate to the 5th reason pastor’s leave. It’s hard to worship with and be around people that criticize your husband. I have to remind myself often that I need to allow my feelings and emotions to not get the best of me, but it’s very hard to hear the criticisms and not let it make you bitter. I’m constantly reminded that the Lord has a purpose for everything and we need only to be obedient in ALL seasons.
Kassie –
It is my joy to serve servants like you and your husband.
You often mention the commonly agreed maxim than 5 years is frequently when a ministry the starts to bear fruit – and my own previous experience confirms this. My denomination has mainly multi-church ministries with solo pastors and reviews appointments after 4 years; amongst wide consultation, there’s an opportunity for direct feedback to the person coordinating the review – and the pastor won’t get to know who gave the feedback. Consequently, it’s common for that to be the route for really negative comments – which get set alongside often largely positive responses; I’m pretty sure this contributes to two things i) disproportionate emphasis on negative feedback leading to pastors leaving or appointments NOT being extended ii) too many appointments being shorter and less fruitful than they should be (the stats bear this out).