While there are certainly enough examples of square pegs in round holes and the power hungry serving as pastors, and there's plenty of blame to pass around as to why some churches can just never find the "perfect fit" from a pastor, I found this article telling.
One line jumped out at me...especially when I realized I was once a part of that statistic. "50 percent of seminary graduates quit the ministry in the first five years". For me, it was right at 3 years.
I was in a toxic church. The sad thing is that it was a church that I planted. Some of those in the church, especially those with financial ability and/or leadership are described in Wilson's article. I learned that disgruntled church members make a poor foundation for a new church. My resignation (just six months in)followed an attempted "coup" by a small, but vocal and influential clique.
Although I had 5 years of full-time ministry experience under my belt, as well as a seminary degree, I was unprepared to do battle and walked away.
We had grown significantly in those first six months. Already we were seeing 40+ in attendance each Sunday, meaning we were larger than the other Baptist church in town. I was 30 with a young family, and great vision for the future. Suddenly I was without a church, without an income and wondering how in the world I would support my family.
And I knew, because of their eagerness to run me off, that they had in effect cut their own throats and would die a slow death...which they did. God would not honor that kind of meanness. Within five years the five who remained finally threw in the towel.
I typed up my resume and as best I could got word out that I was available. I heard from a couple of churches. One dangled the carrot in front of me, got me excited about the possibility and then suddenly dropped me like a hot potato, for what reason I never heard. I mean I heard nothing. In a phone call with the other church's designated pastor-seeker I asked, "How old is your church?" They were a young congregation of just eight years. "How many pastors have you had?" Six...six in eight years! It took me about a half a second to say, "No thanks. I'm not going to be #7".
My heart goes out to these young pastors fresh from investing 3 or 4 years in grad school training for what they truly believe is God's calling on their lives. They come out of seminary on-fire for God and in love with His church and mission. And within just a few years they quit, angry, hurt and often (as did I) doubting their call.
And we wonder why many are saying evangelical Christianity is dying. Hey, it doesn't work when the "sheep" are killing the "shepherds".
The rest of my story is that there was this church in the same town that was comatose and dying. Somehow, four years after I quit the previous church, God dusted me off, said He still had use for me and placed me with them as their pastor. And almost 25 years later I'm still here.
So, if you're a young, maybe defeated pastor, who has been burned by a preacher-killing church, please don't allow them to make you feel as though God can't use you. It's not you He can't use, it's them. Hang on. Stay faithful. Find other avenues of ministry and mission until He picks you up and puts you in a healthy place.
If you're a pastor, or you know a pastor you know needs to talk about this, I'm available and would love to help.
50
percent of seminary graduates quit the ministry in the first five years
- See more at:
https://baptistnews.com/ministry/congregations/item/30171-churches-unhappy-with-pastors-should-look-in-the-mirror-consultants-say#sthash.Rk5ebbQT.dpuf
50
percent of seminary graduates quit the ministry in the first five years
- See more at:
https://baptistnews.com/ministry/congregations/item/30171-churches-unhappy-with-pastors-should-look-in-the-mirror-consultants-say#sthash.Rk5ebbQT.dpuf
50
percent of seminary graduates quit the ministry in the first five years
- See more at:
https://baptistnews.com/ministry/congregations/item/30171-churches-unhappy-with-pastors-should-look-in-the-mirror-consultants-say#sthash.Rk5ebbQT.dpuf
50
percent of seminary graduates quit the ministry in the first five years
- See more at:
https://baptistnews.com/ministry/congregations/item/30171-churches-unhappy-with-pastors-should-look-in-the-mirror-consultants-say#sthash.Rk5ebbQT.dpuf
50
percent of seminary graduates quit the ministry in the first five years
- See more at:
https://baptistnews.com/ministry/congregations/item/30171-churches-unhappy-with-pastors-should-look-in-the-mirror-consultants-say#sthash.Rk5ebbQT.dp"
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment