Wanted:

I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine who happens to be a very good pulpit minister. His congregation is well over 1000 folks and seems to be healthy and growing. I had called to check on him because his area had received about 2' of rain over the weekend and everything was flooding. We talk all the time, but this time there was an actual reason to call. (His house is okay, but several families had to be evacuated)

After he told me all the weather stories, we talked about the changes in our tribe. Who had gone where, which preacher had resigned, etc. I told him about the pulpit guy from my daughter's church resigning, on the heels of the admin minister resigning, on the heels of them letting the children's minister go..lots of empty offices. Anyway, he had counted numerous guys that had left full-time active preaching for other efforts. Some were para-church organizations, some to do something else. His take on it was that if you were 45-55, willing to relocate, and a fair preacher, you could land a job.

But the real question for me was the over-arching question of why these guys were hanging it up. Wasn't this supposed to be the pinnacle of self-fulfilling work? Shouldn't these guys, above all others, feel that their jobs had meaning and significance? Why would you leave this?

The first thought might be money. But I'm here to tell you that these guys make a pretty decent living. Most of the guys in congregations over 600 make six figures. There are good benefits, sabbaticals, vacation, continuing education. Not a bad way to spend your day.

The second thought might be the schedule. Now this one may have merit. You aren't really ever "off." It can be a 24/7 deal if you don't draw pretty clear boundaries. But even then there are expectations that have to be dealt with from the leadership group (I will address that one a little further down)

I have always felt that the pulpit job might demand the widest range of skills of any job. You have to be a "people person" loving the kids, loving the old folks and everyone in between. It came a quite a revelation to me several years ago that the really premier "preachers" were intense introverts, while the preachers who were extroverts tended to be simply adequate as communicators. Interesting. So from one person we ask them to be the most congenial amongst us, the deepest theological thinkers (which takes "alone" time, and lots of it) planners, strategists, communicators, encourager, the list goes. I am here to tell you that these guys simply don't exist. But the pressure to perform in all these areas will ultimately grind anyone down.

And then there is the very real fact that they are working for entitled amateurs. In my tribe, they are called elders. These elders have the ability to hire and fire, set job descriptions, do evaluations, and generally meddle in every part of every one's ministry. And they have no training, no requirements themselves, no parameters in which they have to work. Given, some are gifted amateurs but amateurs none the less. Contrast that with the pulpit guy who has thousands of hours of training, experience, has spent thousands to learn their craft, spends 20 hours a week preparing for a 20-30 minute communication model, then is critiqued by some folks who have not spent any time in training, none invested in being better at their role, but who feel completely entitled to direct from the pew.

A couple of years ago a study showed that we were 30% low on ministers, if every job position was filled. That percentage is rapidly growing. The weight of sustaining the organization is simply becoming too cumbersome. That is why you have guys going to para-church organizations and planting new churches. It is the last place in ministry where they can go and be in control of their own destiny.

Of course as soon as the community of faith becomes an organized church the cycle starts all over again. We have a model that simply does not work. Think about that for a second and see how you feel about it.

Godspeed out there.
Don