When A Pastor Should Not Leave His Church

Pastoral transitions happen. Life happens, and sometimes pastors need to move on. If not, in time our mortality will force a transition! These transitions can be extremely difficult for a pastor, his family, and for the church body. Sometimes leaving is for the better, but too often this kind of transition leaves a wake of broken hearts and missed opportunities. 

There are, of course, good reasons to leave a church. For example, if a pastor believes his marriage or family needs this transition for spiritual health, transitioning is advisable. Or, he believes he is no longer physically or mentally able to minister to a congregation. Another reason may be that he believes it is time to retire and give opportunity to the next person. In some circumstances, God has just makes it crystal clear that it is time to move on to another church or ministry. These transitions will likely come for all those serving in pastoral ministry at one point or another.

Don’t leave too hastily!

However, I wonder if pastors are too quick to transition for less than sound reasons. Here are some reasons he should be wary of when considering leaving a congregation:

1) He is treating the ministry like a corporate ladder and has found a more impressive church.

2) He is abandoning the church before it implodes to save his reputation.

3) He is running away from conflict or a particularly hard ministry scenario.

4) He is losing his love for the church or people in general. (Better to passionately pursue personal renewal than simply leave the ministry.)

5) He is tired, exhausted, burned out AND has not spoken to the church’s leadership about it.

Pastoral ministry can be extremely taxing, but the solution of leaving may not be the right choice.

“To do” before you leave

Often a pastor considers leaving because he is hurting and feels helpless. If this is you, you may just need some good advice as to how to work through a particularly difficult situation. An older experienced pastor or denominational official can be invaluable. Some things you might need to try before moving on: 

1) If salary is the issue, have you candidly asked for a raise? Don’t give an ultimatum but be clear of the need.

2) If burnout and stress is the issue, have you spoken to the leadership about a sabbatical, an additional staff member, or some shared preaching?

3) If a conflict is the issue, have you had a forthright conversation with the parties involved? If you are considering leaving it all behind, what do you have to lose?

4) If church polity or a constitution is the issue, have you brought in outside counsel? Have you spent some time teaching on the issues at stake from the pulpit?

5) If church finances are the issue, have you considered other options, such as renting out the facility or reducing staff hours?

Have you prayed about the obstacles, intentionally and persistently? God sometimes moves mountains right out of the way simply by devoted, intentional prayer.

Whatever is “forcing” the pastor out may be something that can be dealt with internally and the pastor just doesn’t know how to do it. 

My own experience

Looking back, I am so glad I didn’t leave my church at times when I considered moving on. Whatever the situation was, it eventually worked out. Running from it would only have been avoidance of an issue, both for my church and in my heart, and would still be an issue for the next church where I would become a pastor.

As it stands now, my leaders and congregation are quick to respond to requests for assistance. Whether agreeing to a sabbatical or offering an additional week of vacation time, funding a “Pastor’s Discretionary” account, or adding a “Guest Preachers” line item, they want to help.  

Time is on the pastor’s side, rather than vice versa. Be patient, preach faithfully, and keep loving people. My guess is in most cases, you will be grateful in hindsight you didn’t leave.

Rick Harrington is a pastor at First Baptist Church - Haverhill in Massachusetts. He is the author of the books "How to Find a Church: Seven Steps to Becoming Part of a Spiritual Family" and "The Weight of Preaching: Heralding the Gospel of Grace". You can follow his writing on his blog The Lamp Post.