How would you handle this?

Mike

I will be praying for you as you seek out God's direction. It is difficult sometimes, but God still leads. I would not say that "I would quit before spliting the church" to loudly. Why? The folks have probably grown attached to you and God's ministry through you. Their desire for you to become their pastor may be just a simple human desire to let you know they care. (could be the devil causing trouble so don't be complacent).

Remember that the Lord knows the plans He has for you - we just don't know them, yet.

God bless

Wayne

 

Mike,
You are wise to talk this over with your pastor.

Let me give a word of warning though, many times the assumption and/or hope that people have that the associate will 'take over' doesn't come into reality.

El Guero is right in that it could be that they are expressing their affection for you. I have just seen too many times that search teams look outside the church rather than to a staff member.

This promises to be a difficult day for you, so we will be praying for godly wisdom and direction, as well as a receptive and productive conversation with your pastor.

 

Hi friend

There is no question what I would do. Be loyal beyond any shadow of a doubt to that pastor. If he is right with God and doctrinally straight, you owe it to him until God moves him. Don't move too fast and don't feel like you have to address the issue. Don't do it. Let people see you as a Hur or and Aaron upholding the arms of the man of God and your day will come...and believe me, sowing in the spirit here could reap years and years of loyal following from your folks once the pastor moves on. Give yourself to this man as he follows Christ. Give no thought whatsoever to how "it could be if this guy would leave". Give no thought to the compliments of others and strongly rebuke anyone who talks of "dethroning" their pastor. He is to be counted worthy of double honor.

I agree with not quitting before it would cause division. Then, you would have people trying to force him out or trying to follow you out to start another church somewhere.

I speak from mistakes made. You will never go wrong to wait on the finger of God and be loyal to your pastor. Your people will follow you. Your wife will respect you and your kids will obey you.

From my heart,
Bill

 

Mike,

It does not sound like the church is handling it right.
But theoretically, God leads the church corporately as well as the pastor.
What you seem to be saying is that the church will only really know when it is time for the pastor to retire, when he alone says God has told him to.

Some older pastors stay when they should have retired. And they don't perceive things as well as they once did, but they think they do.

Again, although it doesn't sound like the church is handling it great, I do think it is reasonable for people to have concern about transition.

Karen

 

I think Prime hit it, too. The best way to combat this is to very strongly rebuke anyone who suggests to you that the pastor ought to retire. Whether they realize it or not, that starts to open their hearts to disloyalty against their pastor. If they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will not tolerate any sort of sentiment being expressed to you OR your wife, hopefully things would calm down.

I think your wife ought to be put on notice of this as well. Very often us ladies try to do things through the wife.......this is wrong but it happens alot. Things that we know we cannot say to the husband, we think we can get across to him by mentioning it to the wife. I think she ought to be sweetly and firmly rebuking anyone who suggests resignation to her, as well. Then everyone knows you are both on the same page, and they can't get anything by her either. This will really help her in later years if it does turn out that you become pastor someday.

 

Good POint

That's a well-overlooked point Bapmom. Koudos!:thumbs:

 

Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait I say on the Lord.

Please give us an update when it happens.

 

I too agree with those who have asked you to be loyal, to refuse to buy into speculation, and to wait until things work through. I retired two years ago (at age 66); most of the pastoral work was taken on by our Assistant Pastor, and the church employed a part-time children/youth minister to alleviate some of the Assistant's responsibilities. As she preached nearly every Sunday and did a good bit of the pastoral work, it was assumed that she would be called as pastor. But, while it might look as though an incumbent has advantages, it is also true that s/he has had time to make mistakes and create enemies too! And so when the Pulpit Committee recommended someone else, a number of people who had developed strong loyalties to the Assistant Pastor became very upset. She resigned and left almost immediately, which some folks read as a statemanslike way to remove herself from the issues, but others read as leaving because she felt rejected and insulted. The position you are in, if you feed it, could become very divisive and could taint your ministry for a long time.