Church Leadership

A Methodist Firing…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 1 Comment

Don’t Fire Your Preacher the Wrong Way

Well, it happened. I knew it would eventually. What happened? A Methodist preacher got fired. We’re not accustomed to that.

See? What used to happen before the big “split” in the United Methodist Church was a pastor got “moved” whenever a congregation wanted a change in pastoral leadership. Every year, the Staff-Parish Relations Committee would meet to do an evaluation of the pastor.

Generally, at the end of the evaluation, there were two options: move, or stay. If the Committee (congregation) wanted the pastor to return, they checked stay. If they wanted to “fire” the pastor, they checked move. That’s the simplified version, but basically the process.

Pastors filled out an evaluation, too. It was basically the same process in reverse. It was a means of communicating to the denominational higher ups whether the pastor wanted to stay at the congregation, move to a new one, or was open to either prospect (meaning “I’d take a better appointment”).

Well, for those Methodist pastors (including myself) who left the United Methodist Church, times have changed. Especially for those pastors serving congregations who remained independent. We can get fired–just like our colleagues in most Baptist denominations (and a few others).

I had a friend and former colleague who “resigned” from his congregation recently. He was “asked” to resign (which is code for “resign or we’re going to take a vote and fire you”). Mind you, this was not a pastor who had only served the congregation for a short time and it just didn’t work out. The pastor had served them for over a decade, so he wasn’t an unknown quantity.

I don’t know all the specifics of the separation (and I don’t want to know), and no, I’m not going to name names or point fingers. This isn’t a blog about that. This is a blog about this brave new world many Methodists are living in, and is offered as an encouragement for independent Methodist congregations to act in Christian ways when they feel like it’s time for a change in pastoral leadership.

I’m not saying this congregation acted in an un-Christian way, though from some conversations I’ve had with folks in the congregation I’ve surmised it was not handled in a healthy way for either the pastor/family or the congregation. This is not about that. It is about being faithful in the inevitable event that a pastoral change is necessary.

As I’ve reflected on and prayed about my friend’s situation, I’ve hit upon some advice I’d like to share with Methodist congregations as they live in their new reality.

Be Transparent

First, be transparent (or as transparent as the situation allows). When a pastor “resigns” or is unexpectedly fired from his/her position, it raises a lot of questions for the congregation. Those questions, when they go unanswered or unaddressed, can easily give fuel to gossip in the congregation. That gossip can also easily damage the pastor’s reputation.

Can you hear the gossip now? “Oh, what did he/she do?”

“He must have stolen money!”

“There must have been a moral failure.”

“Who did he/she offend?”

Transparency quells the gossip–well, mostly. Gossips are going to gossip, but leadership owes the congregation and the pastor the truth.

If leadership wants to fire the pastor, own it. Don’t put the onus on the pastor as if it was his/her decision. And, don’t put in place any non-disclosure agreements (unless the law necessitates it). Don’t say to the pastor, “We’ll pay you a severance if you don’t say anything to anyone.” That’s just more fuel on the fire.

Be Generous

Speaking of severance, that brings me to the second point I want to make: Be generous to the pastor and the pastor’s family, regardless of the circumstances of the separation. Three to six months of salary should be offered to the departing pastor.

Why? Well, consider everything the pastor loses when he/she loses their position. First, they (generally) lose their home. If the church owns a parsonage, the pastor and family have to move. They may even have to purchase a new home.

Even if they already own their own home, the likelihood is they will need to sell it and move to a new community because full-time ministry positions don’t grow on trees. Seriously, how many opportunities for vocational Methodist ministers exist in your town? That’s what I figured.

It will take a minimum of three to six months for the pastor to find a new position, move to a new community and settle in new environs. Congregations need to consider this when choosing to fire a pastor. If the congregation (or congregational leadership) made the decision to transition to new leadership, count the cost and own it–every stinking bit of it. It’s the Christian thing to do.

Secondly, the pastor and his/her family loses their friendship network. Most of a clergy’s friendship network is within the congregation. In one fell swoop, those relationships are gone. They also lose their church family, too. The children (if there are any) lose their schools and their friends. The spouse also has to find a new job.

Think about this: You’re a teacher and you lose your position. You still have your friendship network. You still have your church home. You (most likely) still have your home. For the pastor and his/her family? All three are gone in one decision by a church board or congregation.

Every congregation initiating a move should graciously provide counseling as part of a severance package and job search assistance to the pastor/family. I’m reminded of what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 3: 17–“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?“

Be generous, my friends. It’s the Christian thing to do!

Be Patient

Perhaps I should have started with this advice–be patient. What do I mean by patient? Well, unless the leadership has worked with the pastor through a remediation plan before they ever come to a “firing” decision, well, you’ve already done it wrong.

When problems arise (and they will), the first step should be for the person designated by the church by-laws (Discipline) to sit down with the pastor to provide a clear explanation of the issues at hand. There should always be a process in place to work with the pastor to address any issues the congregation may be facing.

That process may include counseling, continuing education or even arbitration, and there must be (let me stress MUST) a process to continually re-evaluate the situation. It’s simply a matter of justice, folks.

Don’t blind-side your pastor with a list of complaints (especially anonymous ones) and then say, “We think it’s time for a change.” That is the most unjust thing that can ever happen. If your congregation’s “firing” happens like that, well, your congregation has deeper issues that a new pastor isn’t going to change.

Sit down. Develop a plan. Work the plan…for a minimum of twelve months. Communication is key. Conflict avoidance only heightens the conflict. Working through a remediation plan is the most gracious and healing way to deal with issues involving pastoral leadership.

Granted, there will be some pastors who don’t respond well to remediation. Believe me. When I was a District Superintendent, I encountered some of those pastors. I’ll share with you what I recently shared with my congregation: Don’t let someone else’s misbehavior be an excuse for your misbehavior.

Honestly, if a pastor isn’t open to working through and responding positively to a process of conflict resolution, he/she will make the decision to initiate a transition. Most pastors don’t want to move. Most pastors are serving their congregations in a self-sacrificial way. Congregations need to repay that sacrifice with transparency, generosity and patience.

A Word to Pastors

Let me just say a brief word to pastors who may be reading this–this advice works in reverse, too. Don’t blind-side your congregation with the news that you quit! It’s not fair to them. Seriously, if you feel the Holy Spirit’s nudging to a new season of ministry, sit down with your congregation’s leadership and be transparent. Give plenty of notice. Hey? The congregation (leadership) may even be helpful in the discernment process.

If we, as pastors, want congregations to be fair with us, we must be fair with them. After all, pastors don’t grow on trees. Leaving on short-notice brings harm to the congregation and thus, to the Body of Christ. Don’t be one of those pastors.

Just Do the Right Thing

Let me reiterate: All this advice is absent moral failure on the pastors part. The moral failure of a pastoral leader opens up a whole other can of worms. Talk about harm to a congregation and to the Body of Christ! There’s nothing that does more damage to the life and health of a congregation than a moral failure of its leader. That’s for another blog…or not!

Let me just say to congregations, don’t be one of those congregations that changes the locks to the church when the pastor is on vacation (it really happened). Trust me. That makes you like the Church of Laodicea (Revelation 3: 14 – 22). Jesus just wants to vomit you out of His mouth.

Just do the right thing. It honors Christ. It builds up the body of believers. It gives a good witness to the world.

Besides, for both pastors and congregations, the grass is rarely greener. Pastoral leadership is rarely the reason for dying congregations, and difficult congregations are rarely the reason for bad pastoral leadership.

Also, keep this in mind, congregations–pastors are in short supply. Pastors, keep this in mind–good pastoral appointments are in short supply. Especially in this new Methodist environment. It’s a new world we’re living in. Let’s navigate it with transparency, generosity and patience. We’ll all be better off in the end.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Am I Doing it All Wrong?

/ pastorlynnmalone / 2 Comments

I haven’t written for a couple of weeks. I’ve either been busy or lazy (or a bit of both), so the words getting on the page have been slow to come. The respite from writing has given me time to think, though, and that can be a dangerous thing.

What have I been thinking about? I’ve been thinking about my role as a “pastor.” Actually, not my particular role as pastor, but the “pastor” model of the church of church leadership.

I was a “pastor” vocationally for 28 years. I’ve been a “pastor” bi-vocationally off and on since 2019. That gives me a total of 34 years experience, so maybe I have some insight into the role. Then again, maybe not.

Let me preface this blog with the statement that I think most pastors do a fantastic job and fill their role with integrity, character, diligence and faithfulness. The question I’m about to posit isn’t a reflection on anyone’s service in ministry, nor is it a reflection on God’s calling on anyone’s life. After all, ministry has been my calling since the age of 27 (perhaps longer, but I was deaf to the call), so the question has shaken me to my core.

Pastor vs. Pastor-Model

What is it that has shaken me to my core? Drum roll, please! Is the “pastor” model of leadership as we know it even a biblical concept?

What has prompted the question in this season of my life? Well, I “pastor” a small local church. They call me pastor and I call myself their pastor, but what I really am is their Sunday preacher. I don’t mind being their Sunday preacher. They need a Sunday preacher and I like to preach, so it seems to be a good fit. The folks are wonderful, faithful people who love Jesus, and I’m blessed to be their Sunday preacher, but, they need a pastor, too (or someone who fills the role that is traditionally called the “pastor”)

Perhaps they don’t need a “pastor” as traditionally defined. What they need is leadership. And, here might be a good place to clarify that I’m not really talking about the “pastor,” but more the “pastor model” that the Church has developed through the years. Yes, the “pastor” is a biblical calling:

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the PASTORS (emphasis mine) and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT)

As certain as I am that “pastor” is biblical, I’m not equally certain that the “pastor model” of church leadership is biblical. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Ephesians, certainly seems to indicate that there is some sort of plurality of leadership in the body of Christ (the local church), not one person who is the “pastor,” or the “senior pastor,” or the “founding pastor” who makes all the decisions in the church, or does most of the leadership work in the congregation.

Actually, Paul makes the case that the local church is to be led by “overseers” and “deacons” who would shepherd (pastor?) the church:

3 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task…, and

8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain…

(1 Timothy 3: 1, 8 NIV)

Likewise, in Titus 1, Paul instructed Titus to appoint “elders” who would serve as “overseers” of the local congregation:

5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. (Titus 1:5-7 NIV)

I think the Bible is relatively clear that there is to be a plurality of leadership in the local congregation, with each one fulfilling the gifts given to the Church by Christ Himself. It is Jesus Christ who is the head of the Church/church. The plurality of leaders sit under His headship/Lordship. He is the One to whom we look for guidance. He is the One whom we follow.

Priesthood of All Believers

I also don’t see any biblical evidence for the distinction between clergy and laity in that plurality of leadership. Actually, I don’t see any distinction between clergy and laity at all. Sure, there were priests in the Old Testament, but I distinctly recall the passage in Matthew’s Gospel when Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross and “the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27: 51 NIV). Since the death of Jesus, anyone (I repeat-anyone!) could enter the holiest of places. The separation no longer exists.

Likewise, the Apostle Peter affirms that fact:

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2: 4-5 NIV)

This would be an excellent place to talk about men and women in leadership, and qualifications for elders, overseers and deacons, but I’m not perplexed by those questions, so I won’t chase those rabbits. I’m perplexed by the whole “pastor model” of church leadership, and I just wonder (as one who tries to live biblically) if I’ve been doing it wrong all these years?

I may not have been doing it wrong, but I certainly don’t believe I’ve been doing it biblically. I’ve been doing it the way I’ve been trained to do it, so it’s not necessarily the “wrong” way, it’s just not the biblical way. There’s nothing sinful about the way the pastor model has been/is being done, it’s just got me wondering if the pastor model has run its course and it’s time to get back to doing it the biblical way.

Perhaps all I’m doing is trying to justify my own inability to lead the congregation in a healthy, effective way these days. That, or the Lord is prompting me to dig more deeply into His calling upon my life and how He wants me to live that out. I pray it’s the latter. I fear it’s the former.

I suppose time will tell, but today is Sunday, and the folks need a Sunday preacher. So, until the Lord (or the congregation) tells me different, I’ll go be a Sunday preacher. That’s all I know to do right now. If you’ve got any clarity for me, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear it.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Don’t Be Insane…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

You know the definition of insanity, right? Insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result. The definition has been attributed to Albert Einstein. No one really knows if Einstein said it, but regardless, it is still true.

I bring up insanity only as a follow-up to my previous blog (here) dealing with the pastoral supply shortage in the church world (particularly among Methodists). Many congregations are searching for pastors and they are doing so with a mentality that is either dying or already dead.

Many congregations want a pastor like the pastors from the “good old days”–one who visits the sick, comforts the grieving, preaches good sermons, leads great bible studies, attends all the church functions, opens and closes the church on Sunday, etc. Many congregations are looking for a pastor “Who can meet our needs.” They are looking for Pastor Fetch.

If you’re a congregation that is searching for a leader, and you’re looking for a Pastor Fetch, you’re being insane. The reason for your insanity is because you’re trying to do ministry in a world that no longer exists. The world (the culture) has changed and your congregation is not changing with it. My counsel to you is “Don’t be insane!”

The 21st century and the dawn of the Information Age (call it the rise of the internet), along with the introduction of social media, has changed the landscape for EVERYTHING in our world. The church, as per usual, is one of the last institutions to adapt to that changing landscape (although the Covid pandemic did speed up the process for some). The tectonic shifts in culture have rendered the “old” models of ministry (and ministers) dead, or at the very least, on life support.

The “Old” Models

What are the “old” models of ministry I’m referencing? First, there is what I will call the “priest” model. This model has the leader who has been “trained” in all the rites of the faith tradition, and has the credentials to prove it. This person “stands apart” from the lay persons in the congregation and is the go-between for God and the people.

Another model of “old” ministry is that of “chaplain.” Yes, this model has the congregational leader as a “shepherd” of souls. You need a “pastor” with counseling skills and psychological insight who can visit the sick and care for the needy.

Another “old” model of ministry is that of “preacher-teacher.” The leader has to be trained in Greek and Hebrew in order to interpret the ancient texts. This leader is the resident scholar and theologian, and the sermon is the centerpiece of this model of ministry. An entire industry of theological education grew up to support this model of ministry, and the reality is that industry depends on the survival of this model for its continuation.

A more recent “old” model of ministry is that of “CEO-Manager.” This model has a leader who manages budgets, recruits and manages people for tasks, develops programs for ministry, gains new “customers” (converts) and casts vision for the congregation. This model is pretty much a singular reason we have so many “megachurches” these days.

None of these models has been ineffective. None of these models are necessarily un-biblical (with the exception of the CEO-Manager model). Unfortunately, each of these models have been rolled into the job description for one person, thus the leader who became “Pastor Fetch.”

A “Pre-Christian” World

The parallels between the first and twenty-first centuries is striking. I guess we might say is “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The parallels include globalism, religious pluralism along with a new focus on “spirituality” (people are “spiritual but not religious), and the collapse of institutions (including religious institution) are but a few of the most obvious ones.

The re-emergence of a pre-Christian world (culture) necessitates a new model of leadership in the church. It is called the “Apostolic” leadership model, and it harkens back to the days of the first apostles. I believe God is calling congregations and Christian leaders to re-learn and re-engage in this model of ministry to be effective in this new “old” world.

The “Apostolic” Model of Leadership

So, what does it mean to engage in this new “Apostolic” leadership model? First, this model is “missional.” The congregation (and its leaders) must be on mission–the Great Commission.

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28: 19-20 NIV).

Evangelism and sharing the Gospel must be at the heart of every congregation. We must be prepared to tell the story of Jesus to a world that increasingly has not heard the Word, and we must do it with creativity–taking the church to the street, or the amusement park, or the ball park, or the concert venue–well, you get the point. One congregation actually leases an amusement park once a year and invites the community free of charge to come as a means of promoting the Gospel.

Next, the new “old” model is “kingdom focused.” To be kingdom focused means that we believe Jesus’ kingdom does not fit the model of this world, and that it actually extends past the walls of church building programming. This does not mean we are pursuing political power, but are looking for collegial relationships that are community based and community focused. It is not about “how do we get people to come to our church,” but more about, “how do we take church to the people.”

Thirdly, the new “old” model is “team-oriented.” Pastor Fetch cannot and will not do it all in the apostolic model. Jesus had a team of twelve (probably more) that he taught and commissioned to begin the work of ministry. The Apostle Paul had Barnabas, Silas, Timothy and Luke as helpers for the work of ministry. A team orientation to ministry assists in bringing ALL the necessary skills to the work, and it promotes accountability among leadership in a much more spiritual way.

As part of this team orientation, ministry leaders will be focused on developing disciples who exhibit and practice the “five-fold ministry gifts” found in Ephesians 4.

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4: 11-13 NIV).

Ministry leadership is about developing others to fulfill the calling of the mission. Congregations seeking pastoral leadership need to be looking for persons who can lead them in learning to the do the ministry instead of leaders who do the ministry for them.

The Leader a Congregation is Looking For

In this cultural age, every congregation should be looking for a pastor who is evangelistic, meaning their primary desire should be to see others come to Jesus. The primary desire of your new pastor should not be to meet your spiritual needs, but rather should be concerned with inviting others into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Another characteristic that should be high on a congregation’s list of qualifications is a person who is interested in community engagement, a person who has demonstrated the ability to engage in building relationships across congregations, businesses and other non-profits in the communities they’ve served.

A final characteristic I would be looking for if I were looking for a pastor is a team-building mentality. Is the person capable and has he/she demonstrated the capacity to surround him/herself with other leaders and allow them to share the work of ministry. Has this person delegated responsibility to others, and has this person taught and trained others how to use their giftedness for ministry?

Those are not necessarily qualities that have been high on your list for previous pastors, but if a congregation goes looking for a pastor like their previous pastors, then they’ll likely get exactly what they’ve gotten in past, and that will only lead to a continuing decline in the congregation. But, I say, “Hey, if you want what you’ve always had, then by all means, go for it. You’ll get what you’ve always gotten, and that’s just insane.”

But, then again, what do I know? I’ve been out of vocational ministry for five years. I don’t know much of anything. I’ve just been observing from the sidelines. One can learn a lot, though, when observing from the sidelines.

Until next time, keep looking up…