Not every church (nor every pastor) is a good prospect for a long-term ministry. A friend of mine, a veterinarian, tells me that vets typically graduate from school, take a job somewhere for a couple of years where they make all kinds of mistakes, and then move far away to start their REAL practice! That was not unlike my own experience! I graduated from seminary (and then took a private-sector job for a year to give me time to return to the "real world") and accepted a position as a church planter (I don't recommend anyone trying to start a church fresh out of seminary, but that's another topic for another day!). I had a terrible time and began even to doubt my calling as a pastor. After nearly three years, I bailed out and returned to seminary for a ThM (the subject field didn't matter; I just needed a face-saving way to leave that church!). But now I've been at my second church for nearly 30 years!
While my normal counsel to fellow pastors who are having problems is to "stick it out," I don't always advise it. Particularly in first churches, pastors may need to move on. Or when you've lost the confidence of your leadership. It's one thing to have differences with people, it's another to lose their confidence. When that happens, you both probably need a change.
No comments:
Post a Comment