You're Fired!

I have often said that college football coaches and pastors have a lot in common. It is funny when a pastor or a college coach is talking to another potential employer they must sort of hide the fact they are doing so. Additionally, when things aren't going right in the program the trustees or boosters can decide the coach just isn't the right fit. When things appear to be going wrong in the church a "board" of deacons or a personnel committee simply decides that the pastor is the "wrong fit" for the setting or for a specific congregation. In fact, I read that 34% all pastors serve congregations that fired their previous pastor or actively forced his resignation. Sadly, 23% of all current pastors have experienced forced termination.

I am getting sick of hearing about pastors being fired! I believe that I now know about 9 individuals that have been terminated from their ministry positions.

I realize that every minister isn't perfect. Don't get me wrong there are reasons to terminate pastors. I see the teaching of heretical doctrine, and illegal and immoral actions as clear grounds for dismissal. But, bad people skills, bad preaching, and poor leadership skills doesn't constitute putting a minister in the street.

I believe churches have been wrongly led into believing that they are a business rather than a Kingdom Institution. Therefore, if we can just get the right business leader with all the right talents then we will be successful. If it were only that easy!

Therefore, a lot of good men have been forced out because they didn't fit the mold.

I understand there are bad matches. But, this epidemic must stop. These terminations are destroying families and ministries. I am not an advocate of blaming everything on the devil. But, I can clearly see how the devil uses these opportunities to shift the focus off the Gospel and on to gossip. For example, rather than going through the process of mediation, reconciliation or conflict management - a church (or a select group of members) elect to terminate. The church then must go through the process of healing and searching for a new leader. This entire process shifts the focus of the church away from the Gospel. I wonder if pastors and congregations were in a partnership together attempting to advance the gospel if there would be so many forced terminations?