A pastor’s retirement: Life-impacting decisions that require intentionality

In March 2024, I joined the wave of baby boomer ministers moving into retirement. After months of praying and years of putting the foundation into place, I stepped by faith into a new season, walking where I’d never walked before.
David L. Chancey
Photo by Lisa Fountain

A pastor’s retirement: Life-impacting decisions that require intentionality

By David L. Chancey
Special to The Alabama Baptist

In March 2024, I joined the wave of baby boomer ministers moving into retirement. After months of praying and years of putting the foundation into place, I stepped by faith into a new season, walking where I’d never walked before.

I struggled mightily with the decision because like many pastors, much of my identity connects to my vocational calling. Would I be able to leave the church family I had served for over 24 years and loved deeply? Would I adjust from “the flow of the week” that included sermon prep peaking with sermon delivery? Could I walk away from being “the pastor”?

After much prayer and discussion with my wife, family and trusted friends, I began to look ahead.

Family considerations

I had a target window. November 2024 marked my 25th anniversary with this church family. A tragedy experienced in 1993 also influenced my thinking. My dad died of colon cancer at age 67.

As the years went by, I eventually thought, “God, if I can, I’d like to shoot for around 67 and retire while I’m still young enough and healthy enough to travel, visit my grandchildren and visit my aging mother more often.”

Off and on throughout 2023, I sought counsel, talked with financial people and tossed around possibilities with my wife.

As I sought God’s will, I sensed that God confirmed my full-time pastoral ministry was coming to a close, and it was time to begin a new chapter. I pictured stepping away sometime between March (when I turned 67) and November 2024. I chose March.

Several items weighed heavily as I grew more serious about this life-impacting decision:

First, I made sure I had prepared personally, emotionally and otherwise. What was I retiring from? I was retiring from the rigors of church life and from the myriad responsibilities of being a pastor, yes, but I also was retiring from a full-time job and all the obligations that came with it.

Second, I had to decide how to prepare my leadership. Once I established my target day, I met with our three deacon officers. I stressed confidentiality, saying “This is MY announcement to make” when the time came. I gave a tentative timeline and recommended we lead the church family to call a transitional pastor rather than a traditional interim because of my long tenure.

Third, I had to decide how and when to announce to the congregation. There is no good time to announce because something important is always coming up in church life. Sixty days seemed reasonable in my context, so a mid-March retirement necessitated a mid-January announcement.

Fourth, I desired to provide leadership at the time of the announcement and in the days to follow. I knew I would catch the congregation by surprise, so I tried to answer as many questions as possible in the announcement.

Fifth, I desired to have a strong finish. I assured our congregation I had no intention of coasting but would serve them right up to the end of my tenure.

Sixth, I had to decide what my role was after my departure. We remain members of our church and continue to serve, but I purposely keep a very low profile so as not to give any appearance of interfering.

What does retirement look like for me? I’m still figuring that out, but I’ve asked God to expand my writing ministry and to open doors to preach. Both prayers have been answered.

New stage of life

We’ve visited my 96-year-old mother, our children and our grandchildren, and we’ve traveled to some places on our “wish list.” Plenty of people told me we would be “so busy you’ll wonder how you ever had time to work.” We’ve experienced that reality already.

Every minister’s circumstances are different. Some desire to serve full-time into their 70s. Others are forced to retire earlier than they planned due to health or other concerns. My deacon chair, retired from corporate life, told me I was very fortunate to go out on my own terms and timetable.

Things are different in this new stage of life, but our desire to serve, our friendships and our fellowship continues. For those things, we are grateful.


Questions to consider while praying about retirement

  • Does the thought of retirement scare you or excite you?
  • How do you feel about walking away from the routine of full-time employment?
  • How does your health or the health of your spouse factor into your timetable?
  • Is your work getting harder and more stressful as you get older?
  • What do you picture yourself doing if you aren’t working?
  • What’s on your bucket list that you can’t do until you retire?
  • What are your ministry plans during retirement?

EDITOR’S NOTE — David L. Chancey retired this year after 38 years in pastoral ministry, more than 24 of those as pastor of McDonough Road Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. He continues preaching as God opens doors and is a frequent contributor to several publications, including The Alabama Baptist. Read more of his writing at davidchancey.com.

Click here to read the letter he shared with his congregation on the day of his retirement announcement.