When a Pastor Leaves

Tom Harris, IPM Executive Director

When a pastor leaves a church, I have found that are four distinct groups within the church. It is helpful to recognize these groups and address the needs of each constituency. The four groups include: 1. The glad group. These people are glad the pastor left. They may have been in opposition to the style, direction or emphasis of the departing pastor. They may have been in disagreement with the pastor over church governance, programs or utilization of resources. When a pastor leaves, this group is usually energized. They feel relief and renewal. Many of these folks may have been less active when the Pastor was there and now they are ready to step up and serve and lead. 2. The sad group. This group is experiencing loss. They have lost a pastor that they valued highly. They may have liked this pastors sermons, his warmth or style of ministry. Consequently, this group may be somewhat depressed over the pastors departure. The sad people may lose energy with the departure of the pastor. They may withdraw or show less enthusiasm for the future of the church. In addition, this group may be mad that some people in the church are so happy that the pastor left. You may often find this group in direct conflict with those who are glad that the pastor left. These negative feelings can polarize a congregation and upset the emotional climate of the church. 3. The confused group. This group is made up of people that are not on the fringe of the church. They are not on the church board or serve on a primary ministry team or committee. Often these folks are in church just 1-2 times a month and all of a sudden the Pastor is announcing his resignation. They wonder, What happened. They ask, Didnt the pastor like us? This group can quietly fall away from a church when the pastor leaves. 4. The accepting group. This group will recognize that pastors eventually complete their ministry and move on either into a new ministry or into retirement. They may have positive or negative feelings about the pastor who is leaving; but they accept the fact that change is inevitable. They understand that this is a normal process of church life. When a pastor departs, it is important for the leadership to take time to recognize the feelings and needs of each of these four distinct groups. Yet, I have found that often the existing leadership fumbles the ball at this point. They may be in different emotional places over the pastors departure. They may lack the skills to listen to the people and give helpful empathy, care and counsel. A wise decision, when a pastor departs, is to bring in a trained and credentialed interim pastor who can settle the anxiety in the congregation. May I encourage you, when your church goes through pastoral change, to engage an interim to bring spiritual and emotional health to your church.

Article in IPM IMPACT, September, 2012