Retiring With Grace: A Baptist Pastor's Journey From the Pulpit to Retirement

by Kenny Smith

Overview

This book chronicles the pilgrimage of a Baptist pastor from the pulpit to retirement.

It is a valuable tool for pastors, church leaders, and laypersons to open up a dialogue about pastoral transition.

It is a compliment to the books by Tom Mullins, Passing the Leadership Baton, and Dan Southerland, Transitioning.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504348942
Publisher:	Balboa Press
Publication date:	03/23/2016
Pages:	124
Product dimensions:	6.01(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.29(d)

Read an Excerpt

Retiring with Grace

A Baptist Pastor's Journey from the Pulpit to Retirement

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By Kenny Smith

Balboa Press

Copyright © 2016 Kenny Smith
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5043-4894-2

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CHAPTER 1

It has been said,
"Old Baptist pastors never die,
they just go on .........
and on ................... and
on ................... and on
................... (Author
unknown)

There Is a Time for Everything

"I will die in the pulpit!" These were the words that I heard from the old pastors and preachers, when I was first called into the preaching ministry. According to them, it was God who had called them into the pastorate and the calling was for life. For the early part of my pastorate, "pastor for life" was my understanding of God's calling on my life. I don't remember any forums or workshops dealing with retirement preparation. I graduated from two prestigious seminaries and I don't recall any classes or presentations on life after serving as pastor of a church. At ministers' conferences, every now and then, someone would be invited to speak about how to report income from funerals, weddings and freewill offerings; how to designate housing allowance; how to designate income for the greatest tax benefit and maybe the person would mention something about retirement in passing.

However, for the pastors I knew, instructions about retirement were for those pastors who saw themselves as what the Apostle John called "a hireling" (John 10:12). The "hireling" was not the shepherd so he saw his duties as just a job. In the time of trouble, the hireling would leave the sheep. He would leave because his main concern was not the care of the sheep, but for his own safety. A "hireling" sees himself as a mercenary. He fills his position for the temporal gains which it affords. On the other hand, the "good shepherd" is willing to give his life for the well-being of the sheep. The premise was that the "good shepherd" would never leave the sheep, except through death. Retirement from the pastorate was not on the radar screen for most of the pastors in my areas. For some, it was a sense of self-sacrifice or martyrdom to stay in the pulpit for life and this view was honored, revered and even celebrated in some circles.

After a few years into my pastorate, I began to question the assumption of "pastor for life." Serving as the moderator of our local association and president of our state convention, I was privileged to witness in a very intimate manner the relationship between the pastors and their congregations. On one occasion, a pastor who started his pastorate late in life was now serving in his sixteenth year. His eyesight had diminished to the point that he could not read the Bible and had to be led to the "sacred desk" for preaching. The attendance in worship services and the impact of the church in the community had decreased dramatically. The deacons of the church tried to work out a retirement package, but the pastor insisted that he was voted in by the church and that the church would have to vote him out. The church voted him out. This was a painful experience for the church members and the pastor. I also recall that there were several pastors who had served for over 40 years, and had done great work and had obtained remarkable reputations in the local church and the community. Over the years the demographics of the congregations began to reflect the age of the pastors. Their declining health could be seen in their preaching and in other areas of ministry.

In all of these cases these churches were exhibiting the symptoms of what Tom S. Rainer, in his book, "Autopsy of a Deceased Church" highlights. The churches no longer looked like the community; the budgets had become more inward focus; there was no longer a zeal for evangelism; they ceased to see corporate prayer as an integral ingredient to the ongoing progress and growth of the church; and the churches lost their purpose for existing. These congregations would never vote the pastors out because they were beloved as father figures, but the members could see the vitality of the church slowly perishing. The boiling frog theory explains how some pastors and congregations allow for the death of their churches. The premise is that a frog placed in boiling water will immediately jump out of the pot, but if it is placed in cool or cold water and the heat is slowly raised, it would not perceive the danger and allow itself to be boiled to death. The story is used to illustrate the unwillingness or inability of people to react to change when the change occurs gradually. Slow erosion is the most dangerous of church decline, because it is difficult for people to see and recognize.

It has been my experience that most churchgoers are passive and non-confrontational. That is, they would prefer to "just pray it away," rather than engaging in serious dialogue with the pastor and other stakeholders concerning the health and ongoing progress of the church. The pastor must constantly remind himself that not only is he the under shepherd, but he is also a steward. That which he has been granted privileged to oversee, by God's grace, does not belong to him.

On another occasion, the pastor, who had served long enough to retire, had some major health issues that rendered him incapable of fulfilling the duties of the office of pastor. Yet, he stayed on until the members requested that he leave. In still another case, the pastor served for over 40 years. He did some great works during his tenure and the church was progressing. He had led the congregation in accepting a plan to build a new edifice. The children he had dedicated and baptized went off to college. When they returned they began to question his leadership and his ability to serve as pastor. According to them, he had not "kept up with the times." He had remained a creature of his times.

The congregation had forgotten about the good works this pastor had done. In other words, "Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph" (Ex. 1:8). The congregation voted the pastor out after 42 years of service. As far as I know, he had done nothing wrong, except he stayed beyond the time set by some of the members. The pastor left without a banquet, no certificate of appreciation, and no words of commendation, there were many hurt feelings among some of the members of the congregation. The church split, with many members going with the ousted pastor to start a new church. This action resulted in broken relationships between friends and families.

I believe the pastor died the night he was voted out, not a physical death, but within his spirit. He called me and told me that after he preached his last sermon at the church, a few days later he went to get his belongings from his office and the trustees had changed the locks on the doors. The pastor was devastated. He said, "After 42 years of service, they have relegated me to a common thief." I am sure that many of you probably have your own story of when the pastor stayed beyond his season. In each of the vignettes sighted above, the relationship between the pastor and congregation moved from someone beloved to just someone who was tolerated and, in some cases, the relationship became adversarial.

I am not suggesting that just because the pastor gets old that he needs to retire. How old is too old? I know of pastors 70, even 80 years old, who have thriving, growing and relevant congregations. However, these congregations are the exception and not the rule. The issue is not about the length of time a pastor serves, but rather about being obedient to the voice of the Lord. Neither do I want to diminish or take lightly a pastor saying, "God has not told me to leave." The pastor should not leave his duties without hearing from God.

I also acknowledge that there may be times when God may summon a saint in old age; Noah was 600 years old when he began to build the ark (Gen. 7:6); Abram was 75 years old when he was called into service for God (Gen. 12:4); and Sarah was at least 90 years old when she gave birth to Isaac (Gen. 17:17). Service to God is not restricted or hindered by age, gender or any other mental or physical limitations of a person. God is not as much concerned about our ability as He is with our availability. As He told Jeremiah, and He also wants us to know, that His grace is sufficient for all of our limitations (Jer. 1:7-8), see also (2 Co. 12:9). However, from both young and old alike, God requires obedience; obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22). Every call is a call to obey God. The word obedience is derived from the Latin "audire," which means "to listen." But just as we were alert to the initial move of God to our current place of service, the pastor must stay alert and be willing to accept new directions from God. God's call is always evolving, it is not static. During times of transition, we must raise our spiritual antennas high, so that we can hear the voice of God when He speaks. Sometimes He speaks through the thunder, sometimes He speaks through the rain, and sometimes He speaks through a still small voice.

"Pastor for life" is not the only reason why pastors won't retire.

Consider also:

1. Some pastors just can't bear the thought of leaving people they have worked with and watched grow in their knowledge and commitment to God. Will a stranger care for them like I have cared for them? Will a stranger love them like I love them? How can he know what each of them need?

2. A few individuals find self-actualization in being called "pastor." For them, to lose the title of pastor means to lose their identification. If I retire who would I be? For these persons, their selfhood is intertwined with their title as pastor.

3. Many pastors cannot leave because of their finances. They have not been good stewards of their finances or the church does not have a sufficient retirement plan. So, they have become addicted to pastor's anniversaries, pastor's birthday celebrations and other benevolent contributions to the pastor and his family. Serving as pastor just for a salary is a sad commentary for any individual.

4. Many pastors won't leave because of some health issue. They want to make sure that if their situation worsens they are in the church's employment.

5. Some pastors won't leave because they have not made plans for life after the pastorate. For many, they have been so busy ministering to others that they did not cultivate a life outside of the church. The weekly interactions with the members provide them with needed socialization. So, for them leaving the church would mean a life with no meaning. Some pastors even lost touch with their immediate family while ministering to the members of the congregation. To leave, in some cases, would mean going home to be with strangers.

6. There are those who like the authority of the office of pastor. They like the idea of lording over people. For some, they were unsuccessful in their other life and were told what to do and when to do it. The pastorate provides a platform for them to tell others what to do. Jesus said this about seeking authority, "..... Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you...." (Matt. 20:25,26a). The pastor must never forget that he is the under shepherd, not The Shepherd. He also must remember that you drive cattle, but lead sheep. God's people are to be led by example. In John, Chapter 13, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples to demonstrate humility. In Philippians 2:6-8, Paul writes that Jesus, who was God, put on the form of a servant and became like us to teach us humility. Service, not status, should be our goal. The pastor should say like the Apostle Paul, follow me as I follow Christ (I Co. 11:1).

7. Still some pastors will not leave because they cannot imagine turning over a ministry that they labored a lifetime to build to someone else who has not "paid their dues." Since confession is good for the soul, I must admit that for a while I fostered this attitude. I reasoned that the new pastor would walk in and take over a financially-sound church with a national reputation, more than 40 ministries, well-trained officers and competent staff. And he would inherit and worship in a state-of-the art building that was paid off in seven years. Would the new pastor appreciate the travails and struggles that went into the completion of this edifice and the development of this congregation? In my mind, it would be like giving away one of my children to a stranger. And in this case, to a person who did not earn it. How can I walk away from people who I have served and loved for 25 years? I was reproved by the Lord and He reminded me that I was a steward and not the owner --- First Baptist belonged to Him, not to me. The church belongs to Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:18). I was also reminded that whatever prosperity or success that the congregation may have enjoyed during my tenure, it was of the Lord's doing.

Just as there are reasons why many pastors won't retire, there are also signals along the way when the pastor should give serious consideration to retiring: Some of them include:

* When he sees his pastoral assignment as a job, not as a place of ministry.

* When he views the congregation as "the enemy," rather than a faith community where he is the steward.

* When he enjoys fighting with the church officers.

* When he sees his congregation as "them people."

* When he sees his pastoral assignment as a place to get, rather than a place to give.

* When he no longer looks forward to going to the office and interacting with staff and members.

* When he uses his sermons as a vehicle to chastise the members.

* When fellowshipping with the members is no longer empowering and exhilarating.

In the Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 passage, the author declares that everything has its season (including senior pastors). This proposition is affirmed in all of God's creation. Zoology, botany, sociology and our own life experiences validates this premise. Notice, the 14 pairs of opposites the author of Ecclesiastes uses in verses 2-8. He begins by showing the boundaries of life, birth and death. Birth and death are both in the hands of God. We have limited control of our "in-between time." Man, plants and all of life's activities are subject to divine order: plant and harvest, kill and heal, build up and tear down, weep and laugh, mourn and dance, and etc., are best when they operate within God's established boundaries. When we attempt to start or stop an activity, come or go to some destination before our preordained time, we are considered out of bounds. In sports, out of bounds means to play outside the regular playing area. Another definition is to go beyond any established boundaries or prescribed limits. The pastor, leader, or disciple that starts too early, or stops too late, is out of bounds spiritually. The premise is that we are most effective when we accept and work within our set boundaries.

Notice also in these verses that the word "time" is mentioned 28 times. He wants to emphasize the fact that "all things" have a time. We talk about time existing in three periods or durations - past, present and future. We cannot add to our time or subtract from our time without consequences. The pastor and all believers in Jesus Christ should desire to operate within his preordained time. The author of Ecclesiastes is confident that our lives are ordered or predetermined by God. The Psalmist said, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way" (Ps. 37:23).

Things come and things go and man is not the primary initiator of these activities. All human activities have a start time and an end time. The word for "season" in verse 1 is a verb which means "to be fixed." The notion here is that all seasons have been prearranged by God. He has a divine plan for our individual lives, all of nature and the universe. Everything must come and go in its appropriate time. Apples, oranges, watermelons and bananas are best in their season. I love watermelons and oranges. Every now and then our local market will have these fruits for sale out of season. They are grown in a foreign country and shipped in. When I try to eat these fruits out of season, I find it hard to really enjoy them. I believe the reason is because my mind, my palate and my taste buds know that January is not the season for watermelons. Man is confronted with two choices. He can accept the inevitable and be in God's plan or he can operate outside of God's plan and endure the consequences of operating on his own. William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird, in their book, "Next: Pastoral Succession that Works," states, "Every pastor is an interim pastor." The pastor that does not plan for his succession does so at his and the congregation's peril.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Retiring with Grace by Kenny Smith. Copyright © 2016 Kenny Smith. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword, vii,
Preface, ix,
Acknowledgements, xi,
Chapter 1 There Is a Time for Everything, 1,
Chapter 2 Does God Allow for the Pastor to Retire?, 15,
Chapter 3 Why Did I Retire?, 27,
Chapter 4 Beginning With the End in Mind, 39,
Chapter 5 Leading the Church in Transition, 59,
Chapter 6 Retirement in Retrospect, 69,
Chapter 7 There Is Life after Retirement, 81,
Appendix 1 Survey Questions-100 Pastors, 89,
Appendix 2 The Graphic Results of the Survey, 95,
Appendix 3 Retirement Plans: Some Major Baptist Bodies, 101,
Appendix 4 Social Security Benefit Chart, 103,
Bibliography, 105,
About the Author: Rev. Dr. Kenny Smith, 107,