Former Pastors Remaining Active at Church They Pastored

I was very disturbed to read some comments some people made about Max Lucado stepping down as the senior pastor of his church a few years. Check out http://mondaymorninginsight.com/blog/post/max_lucado_announces_hes_stepping_down_as_senior_pastor/.

I think it's legalistic to say that old pastors cannot stay at their churches. The truth is people will wonder if the old pastor might be against the new pastor if he still lives in the community and doesn't attend the church.

This is a man made policy. The bible doesn't say that it always or never works for the old pastor to stay. I think it depends on the personality of the old pastor. If he's a very controlling person, it would not work.

I'm thankful that Max Lucado didn't let those people's comments push him to leave the church. It is very evident that God is still using him in another capacity.

I was very disappointed to read that one pastor who commented said that he learned in pastoral theology class that old pastors should leave the town and the church and never return unless invited. How legalistic that is! Church is about Christ. Why cannot old pastors be welcome in their churches?

I think it is so unfair for people to expect an old pastor and his family to leave the church. What if they love the church deeply? How would deacons feel if they were not able to serve as deacons anymore and people told them they had to leave? Pastors are humans.