SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?
8/3/2020 By Larry Barker
The transition from one pastor to another is a very crucial and delicate time in the life of a church. This transition time has not been handled very well. It has been said that, “there is no success without succession.” Succession requires forethought, prayerful planning, and thinking through an agreed upon next steps for the church. The question is, “How long is too long?” Can a pastor overstay His welcome or even his effectiveness? Your effectiveness is more about calling, heart, vision, and passion for the church and the community than it is your skill set.
Also, be careful of leaving too soon because of big dreams or discouragement. Paul David Tripp in New Morning Mercies shares that he was chasing his ministry dream and did not even realize it. He says this about his decision to resign one church, “I was going to exit the nightmare and go live the dream.” After resigning there was an older gentleman who said, “We know you’re discouraged and we know you’re a bit immature, but we haven’t asked you to leave. Where is the church going to get mature pastors if the immature ones leave?” He realized he was running and decided to stay instead of jumping ship.
There is a time to stay and there is also a time to go but how do you prayerfully discern between the two? You almost always believe you have one more good year in you. You can become obsessed with holding on faithfully instead of developing a plan as God gave Moses to raise up a Joshua. One, of many, important things to consider is if your spiritual fire has diminished from how it once burned. Have accomplished what God called you there to accomplish and is it time to move on? There will be no smooth succession if a plan is never developed and agreed upon. Who are you raising up?
Hal Seed has helped us with different materials on church health and church planting. In writing on the importance of transitioning well from one pastor to the next he shares some traps you can easily fall into in the ministry. The first is the “Maintenance-Only” trap. This is where you allow the needs of the church to keep you from continuing to expand God’s kingdom through evangelism and outreach. 2 Timothy 4:5 says, “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” Are you focused on the fields white unto harvest?
The next is the “Heart-Loss” trap. This is vital to your ability to stay and be who God intended you to be. One pastor said you must learn how to be thick-skinned and tender-hearted at the same time. Solomon said to guard your heart. The devil will throw everything he can at you to cause you to walk away. The heart of the leader is vital if the heart of the church is to be healthy and strong. Pastor you are not there to maintain and sustain but to thrive spiritually and for your church to be healthy, vibrant, and bearing fruit. Self-leadership is the most important leadership you will exercise.
The third trap we can all fall into is “Vision-Hijack.” Members have their own agendas and from day one you must make sure that everyone is on the same page. People need to know who your church is, how you will operate, and how you will carry out God’s vision for your context and community. One pastor has said you have to be mean about your vision. You will certainly have to protect it many, many times. Do not allow a Diotrephes to hijack your vision. 3 John 9 says, “I wrote a short letter to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to be their leader, will not pay attention to what I say.”
The next trap can be a very difficult time in your ministry and it is the “Discouragement Pit.” This will come at some point or time and at one level or the other. It can sneak up on you because of the challenges you face, conflicts you observe, and disappointments you experience. Hal seed says, “Therefore, refueling faith, hearing from God, receiving mentoring and outside encouragement, as well as old-fashioned perseverance will help you cope.” There is a weight and burden that comes with correctly shepherding the Lord’s church.
If you are discouraged and not sure of what to do next get away for a prayer retreat and seek God’s face and presence. Reach out to some godly advisors who can help guide you through this season. Take a vacation or a sabbatical if possible. Hal adds, “Your desire to move on might be driven by fatigue and exhaustion. The best course may be to take a break. Get away and rest. The situation may look different after an extended break.” We will cover four more ministry traps in the next article.
Paul said this to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:15-16, “Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for by doing this you will saveboth yourself and your hearers.”