Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 7/30/2011

Question
QUESTION: Why do pastors leave the ministry?

Too many pastors quit ministry in a local church an go independent or take a secular job. I am a Baptist pastor since 1968 and I observed that too many pastors either quit ministry or are "fired."

Waiting your response to my question with sincere anticipation.

ANSWER: Dear Pastor,
 Thank you for writing.  I do not see a question, but rather a statement.   I agree with your statement and you are absolutely correct.   If you wish me to state why these men quit, I can only speculate.   
   Many were never called to preach in the first place. When things grew difficult they left.   Others like Demas of 2 Timothy 4:10 "having loved this present world" has forsaken the Lord.   Some leave because of money.   Others were rightly fired because they showed they were not God's man.   Some are wrongly dismissed because the preached God's truth which is not popular in some churches.
  Some become discouraged because of the many trials they faced and not being spiritually mature or dedicated to their calling they quit.
   There are varied reasons. For some it is a good thing that are not preaching as they are a poor testimony for Christ.  Others, the reasons are tragic.
   For me...I have been pastoring since 1981 and I have not quit being sustained by God's grace. Many times I would have left the ministry, but I could not forsake the Lord, who has never forsaken me.  I know I could fail, but thank the Lord for His grace.
The one passage that has always kept me going is:

   "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."  (Romans 12:1-3)

   Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts will me.

Cooper P Abrams III
Romans 12:1-3
http://bible-truth.org
"You cannot serve God without serving others."

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity"  (1 Corinthians 16:13-14 )

For a clear explanation of God's plan of salvation please go to: http:bible-truth.org/gospel.html



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: What solutions would you give to churches to retain pastors or to avoid them leaving?

Answer
Hi Dixion,
 I have been extremely busy which is the reason for the delay.  Honestly, I do not know because there are so many reasons that pastors leave.  Many times the pastor gets discouraged after working really hard and seeing little or no response and looks for a church where they feel their work is accomplishing something.   There is often a great deal of apathy among church members.  There are literally dozens of reasons why pastor leave from a lack of commitment by the pastor, poor income, to not being appreciated by the church,   so it is hard to pen point the reason.
 I would suggest that the church simply ask the pastor from time to time how does he honestly think things are going and ask for his suggestions.   I would make it clear that you honestly want his input.   
 I was in a church once for about twenty months.  In the beginning things were fine, but after a while some of the people, the "pillars" of the church began to be dissatisfied.   The reason was clear to me and many others in the church....they did not like anything more that little sermonette on Sunday morning.   Most of the complainers had obvious sin in their lives.  One part of church was happy and growing, the other part was the opposite.  When people began to change and be saved this group was unhappy.   They did not want the church to grow and liked it the way it was!  Some of the complainers were voted out of positions by the faithful they had held for years.  So the old crowd  began a work to get rid of me.   After I left church they continued the same way through a number of short term pastors...until they got a "back patter."   The deacons ran the church and were upset with me for not following their guidelines of preaching (compromise).  I learned a lot there.  The older group liked running things and the power they had.  I was heart breaking to see people so blind and using a church for their personal gain.
   We I am not sure this is helpful, but the bottom line is this.   If the church has a pastor that loves the people and preachers the word of God uncompromising they have a pastor they should try to keep.  A true pastor is greatly encouraged by people who love the Lord and serve Him.  That kind of congregation will work a pastor to death and he will love every minute of it....seeing the Lord working in their lives.
Cooper Abrams
http://bible-truth.org