Quitting the Ministry

[Dr. Bob]

And multiply that stat (quit the ministry after 4 years - which IS an accurate figure) exponentially for missionaries.

IFB missionaries take an average of 2.9 years of deputation (raising support by visiting 100+ churches). Our missions prof said that those leaving Bible College only (not seminary) and going to the field will be 4+ years.

Many incur HUGE debts during this time and it is physically taxing. So the result? 50% will only spend ONE TERM (4 years) on the field and never return.

 

[aefting]

Do you mean while they are on deputation, after they get on the field, or both?

Personally, I think churches need to take on a much larger percentage of a missionary's support -- 10% minimum. Of course, that would require IFB churches to stop equating spirituality with the number of missionaries they support.

Andy

 

[Major B]

A noted Southern Baptist spoke here a few years ago and said that out of a seminary graduating class of 25, that by age 50, only he and two other grads were still in ministry.

Conversely, the bivocational guys (often with little or no formal Bible training), just keep on perking along. Because they are working full time, there seems to be less pressure on them to be everywhere at once, and since they have another job, they are economically better off than many fellows who are full time. If you are in an association with a lot of Bi-vo preachers, check out the cars at the next associational get together, and see who is driving the better car--the bivocational pastor who is also a building contractor or school teacher or mail man, or the seminary grad who is full time in the pastorate.

 

[Askjo]

Have you every known a pastor to quit the ministry?

Why did Dr Charles Stanley not quit his pulpit position due to divorce?

If any pastor quits it due to God's will, I have no argument with it. Reasons? Crisis such as family life, children, stress and others.

I know 3 preachers who refused to quit their ministry. Their wives left them for good reasons because they ignored their family and wives and still preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their wives left their husbands. Blame on their wives? No!

What are the most common circumstances that cause a pastor to quit?

Sins --- Fraud? Divorce? Adultery? child abuse? dirty work? Fail to study for sermons?

How do you think God views this kind of decision?

If any pastors are innocent and quit their pulpit position, How would you think God's view on them?

If they sinned against God, refused to quit, how would you think God's view upon their sins?

 

[dianetavegia]

Askjo said:

Why did Dr Charles Stanley not quit his pulpit position due to divorce?

Dr. and Mrs. Stanley have NOT divorced. She filed for divorce, but from what I read, withdrew that petition and they are trying to rebuild their family. http://www.fba.org/FBA/aboutfba/index.html

I have known a pastor (our church) that left the ministry because of an affair with the secretary. He's now married to the secretary and they have a small child. He's NOT a young man.

I've known a pastor who left the ministry after his mother acted out in a church Bible Study.

I've known a pastor who left to sell printing supplies.

I've known a pastor who is planning on leaving church pastorship to work in an Oklahoma Baptist state position.

Diane

 

[gb93433]

What does one do when you have three volunteer state workers within the SBC and they come back telling youhow to run the chruch. None of them have ever discipled anyone. Yet they continue to come back with what the junior holy spirit says from headquarters.

I couldn't believe it but I have lived in three states and hear exactly the same things from three different SBC people. Either al of them know each other and think the same way of they get their information from the same source.

The last SBC church I pastored the leaders were afraid that I might stir up the community. Well that was my aim. All of the pastors met to try and get some evangelism going. But the leaders of the church I pastored had not witnessed to their Mormon neighbors.

I will never forget what a well known pastor's wife said after her and her husband said. She said that they came to the conclusion that after al those years that all pulpit committees are liars. I have had one experience that was very good. They told me what to expect. It was not a very good picture but God blessed out efforts. The next pastor search committee was exactly the opposite. The fact was they continued to be the same way.

 

[Rev. Joshua]

Diane,

According to this article (and the friends I still have in that church) they are divorced.

Having grown up in that church, I can't say I blame her.

Joshua

 

[Su Wei]

i'll say pastors have to quit if their families are not in order, like bitter wives and rebellious children.

1 Timothy 3:4-5 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

 

[Dr. Bob]

I give Stanley's SON a lot of credit. He left the church and started another across Atlanta over the issue.

And yes, I read the divorce was final. Sadly.

 

[timothy 1769]

paul had a few troubles, i'm glad he stuck with it.

 

[Jamal5000]

Originally posted by timothy 1769:
paul had a few troubles, i'm glad he stuck with it.

A few troubles???

Lol...imagine how many pastors would still hold down their jobs if they had the "few" troubles Paul had.

 

[dianetavegia]

I'm sorry to hear that about the Stanley's. I don't believe in divorce.

My cousin goes to his son's church. I seem to remember her sending me the story quite a while ago. Sorry to mislead all.

, "the deacons intervened and by a vote of 35 to 3 recommended the congregation retain him as pastor. Nearly 90 percent of about 5000 members at an October 1995 meeting voted to accept the deacons' recommendation" (World, 7-1-00). Today, Stanley said he is committed to "remain faithful to God's call" as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta despite his divorce.

Diane

 

[gb93433]

Just because someone does not pastor any longer does not mean that they are not actively involved in ministry.

The case with me is that I am discipling more now than when I was pastoring. I no longer have to deal with babies that want sugar water. I am now dealing with men and women who sincerely want to grow and reproduce themselves in the lives of others.

When I pastored I got so tired of those who wanted to sit idly by and waste my time with things that were unimportant. A number of them had no intention of getting down to business with God.

When I brought it up to the deacons about doing evangelism one of them stood up and pointed his finger at me and said. "What are you trying to do stir up the community?" The fact was at the time more people came to Christ than they had ever seen in the history of the church. Those deacons complained about lack of parking and two services. They complianed about not knowing the new people. But when I suggested they go visiting with me they told me that was my job.

Life is too short to spend it on people that will buck you and that you have to push and pull and give prizes to get them to do something. As soon as I left and moved to another area of the country. Within a few months I found six men who wanted to grow and they were willing to pay the price to grow. Everywhere I go there are people who want help. You don't have to treat them like babies. I find them to be thankful. Just four months ago I started meeting with five couples and by now everyone of them are beginning to share their faith. Some are new believers and some have been in church for years. But they want to reach others. I can see changes already in their lives. There is a tremendous bond between each of us. They are my closest friends.

I still communicate with the man who helped me grow over 30 years ago.

Why should any pastor have to push and pull and give prizes to people that really don't want to grow? Imagine if the early church would have grown the way we treat people today.

It's not about church. It's about Jesus.

 

[GODzThunder]

the top five reasons ministers quit:

5. Pride.
4. Money issues (from mishandling Church funds to being paid too little in their opinion).
3. inability to leave the women of the Church/community alone.
2. Wife, a wife not called or a wife allowed to suffer under your pressures will make your life misrable.

and the number one reason preachers quit...

1. no genuine calling from God to go into ministry to begin with!

 

[Rev. Joshua]

Diane,

My mother and her husband go to Northpoint as well. I haven't seen Andy in years (since the time when I was a member at First Baptist), but I understand he's doing very well up there.

Joshua

 

[dianetavegia]

Well small world! My cousin is Brigette Ward. You may know her boyfriend.... but now I've forgotten his name! (Is or was a pastor)

Diane

 

[Major B]

Originally posted by GODzThunder:
the top five reasons ministers quit:

5. Pride.
4. Money issues (from mishandling Church funds to being paid too little in their opinion).
3. inability to leave the women of the Church/community alone.
2. Wife, a wife not called or a wife allowed to suffer under your pressures will make your life misrable.

and the number one reason preachers quit...

1. no genuine calling from God to go into ministry to begin with!

Interesting. Judgmental, mean, cruel, and wrong, but interesting. Doesn't match the stats in the SBC, for sure.

 

[MissAbbyIFBaptist]

Originally posted by Jamal5000:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by timothy 1769:
paul had a few troubles, i'm glad he stuck with it.

A few troubles???

Lol...imagine how many pastors would still hold down their jobs if they had the "few" troubles Paul had.

</font>[/QUOTE]Sadly, if we had the trouble Paul had, a lot of us would probably give up.
I think, besides not being called to begin with, the pastor's wife {THAT one still surprises me!} or sin, I think prehaps the next one would be discouragement.
Especialy in the Bible belt, it seems most everyone is "saved" so soul winning is harder....at least it is in my town. If the pastor gets discouraged, it can rub off on the congregation, and then everyone is depressed! That dosn't make for pleasent "worship" services. It's VERY easy to get complacent. And when these things happen, the devil likes to slip in and cause problems in the church, or in the member's lives. Add all that together, and I'm sure the idea of leaving the ministry is on a lot off men's minds.
Now, I'm no paster, and praise the Lord, I'm no man! BUT I think they can find their answers in God's word. Perserverance,patience, long suffering, compassion, love, zeal. That's what we ALL need, but prehaps a pastor especialy. I'm sure he must have a hard job. He's always on call, probably does most of the work around a church, has to visit people, visitation, not to mention the hours of hours of study that goes into an individual message that has to be done THREE times a week, then he has his family, and it's his responsibility to be the head of the home there. Also, besides God, he's over the church, and probably has a 100 or more members he has to preach to, comfort, confront, check on, visit. Then add that to the problems of life such as sickness, grief, financial problems.etc, {sound bad?} he does have a lot to do.
But I think any man God calls, He will enable him to do His will. God said "My grace is sufficient for thee." Now, I know he's a man. Just like us all, only God called. So he's prone to temptation, and discouragment like any of us, but when ya stay in the Word, it helps that. God can help them. But the thing I beleive with all my heart {and some may not agree.} is that when God calls someone, He dosn't change His mind. Even if that person fails in a horrible way, or gets backslidden, I beleive God still wants them for His work. God can forgive. In fact He already did at Calvary. God knew the things that pastor would do from the begining, and still He called him. God may put him in another part of the ministry {Missionary, evangelist etc...} but God still has called them.
And our pastors wives do have a lot too. They share their husband with a whol congregation of people. I've visited my pastor's wife before, and it seemed the phone rang off the hook. Preachers, missionaries, church members, you name it. She said that was an everyday thing.
A pastor's wife probably has to hold down the home front a lot. And when doing God's work, the devil will fight. But still I say God gives grace.
Marrage is sacred, and if she promised to love, houor, cherish, obey in sickeness, heath, richer, poorer, better, or worse, she needs to hold to those vows. Both of them do. Some might think I'm old fashioned...yeap!
I don't think she ought to give him an ultimatum of "Ministry or me." Not when she's promised to stand by him for life. Wives are called on to be helpmeets, and to submitt. I know I didn't have a family to see that type of example, but the ladies in church's work has not been in vain on me. I do now that little bit.
And I know despite what is right, many might still go against it. That's what sad. Both minister and his wife have a lot of responsiblility, but I think with God's guidence it can be done.
One things for sure! Pastoring is NOT a profession, and anyone that thinks it is, and pastors might find that out quick. IT's a calling, and God dosn't call the equiped, but equips the called.
And yeah, I've rambled. Sorry about that, I do seem to do that a lot!
And I also unserstand I've never been in either the minister or his wife's position, so what I say or anyone else may sound simple, but I'm sure when actualy put in this position it's easier said than done.
~Miss Abby
PS, thanks for reading my long, and probably tiring post!

 

[Xingyi Warrior]

I was in one church where they were trying to ordain everyone as a pastor. They tried to ordain me but I repeatedly told them that I did not feel that it was my calling at least not at this time. Eventually they had all chiefs and no indians. Most eventually skipped out and reentered society in their normal capacity. I agree with the other poster that believes that many pastors spread themselves too thin. Many Christians are of the opinion that if it has to do with the ministry that it has to be right and come before all else in any case. Also many people just don't know when to, or are afraid to say no. God meant for us to fill our lives with goodly things and fellowship with believers and business with the Lord's work. But everyone needs balance in their lives and too much of anything can be bad - including ministry at the expense of your family.

 

[Jamal5000]

Hey Everyone,

I stumbled across this article.

In light of our discussion, do you think it has some relevance or do you think its more in the quackery category?