It is one of those stories that sounds too weird to be true, but it actually happened. A pastor had served a First Baptist Church in a small town in a rural area of the state for about three years. On the surface, it appeared everything was going well. But that was on the surface.
The pastor and his family left one Monday morning for a much-needed vacation. The two school-age children would enjoy a day or two at a theme park before returning home for school. The wife, who worked part time at the local power company, would enjoy a few days away from the demands of work, church and a hectic family life.
On Thursday, the pastor received a phone call from the church. It was not a call reporting a death and asking him to return for a funeral. It was a call reporting a decision by the church. It seems the church had held a special business meeting on Wednesday evening and fired him. He was not to come back to the church. The caller told the pastor he had until the next Wednesday to get back to town, pack up his belongings and get them out of the parsonage. If he did not, the church would set his belongings on the sidewalk.
The pastor suddenly found himself hundreds of miles from home, out of work, homeless and without insurance of any kind. All of these ended the moment he was fired. Church members showed little concern about any of this, however. They just wanted him out and gone.
Fortunately, such events happen with less frequency than a few years ago. Unfortunately, they still happen. A recent letter from a pastor in another state reported that two hours after returning from an overseas missions trip, he was called to the church by the deacons and summarily dismissed.
Now, he, too, is out of work and homeless. This 63-year-old minister and his wife live in a travel trailer parked in the yard of a family member while he seeks a new place of service. It is hard to be called as pastor of a church when one is 63 and fired from your last pastorate.
The harshness of the two stories speaks of hurt and anger. It is an expression of the church at less than its best. A more Christian approach would reflect compassion. After all, Jesus taught His followers to act compassionately, even toward those who despitefully use them.
These two events occurred in churches with small membership, but churches of all sizes experience crises of leadership. Too often, the result is separation. Even though the Alabama Baptist Convention offers help to churches with conflict, help is usually sought too late in the process. Requests usually come after firm, hard lines have been drawn. Too much damage has been done for reconciliation.
When termination happens, compassion should be a guide. There is more than enough pain and blame to go around in any separation. Most of the time, the parties focus on justifying their actions. A more important issue is whether the participants allow the teachings of Jesus to guide them as they part company.
Some readers will object to the idea that compassion should guide during a separation. These readers will argue that the church needs to be run like a business and a business fires someone if they are not doing the job. Family or transition are not a business’s concern. The bottom line is what is best for the business.
Increasingly, business practices question the accuracy of that observation. But even if it were true, that mindset is a sad indictment on the teaching ministry of the church. One observer noted that the United States, which claims to be a Christian nation, gives little evidence that the teachings of the church have penetrated its business practices.
On the contrary, it is the business practices that have penetrated the church. One often hears that a church should be run like a business. If the statement refers to professionalism, competency, efficiency and purpose, the statement is right. If the statement refers to a bottom-line approach or a succeed-at-all-costs approach, then the statement is wrong. Jesus gives other priorities.
The teachings of Jesus must be a church’s guide. They should be the guide for businesses as well.
In separations, churches must evidence concern and compassion for the minister, for the family and for future service. The minister must evidence concern and compassion for the body of Christ, which is the local church, and for the individuals involved in the separation process.
Housing, insurance, transition costs — all of these are part of demonstrating compassion when forced separation comes between a church and a pastor or staff member. Today it is common for a church to continue the salary and benefits of a dismissed minister for up to a year. It usually takes that long or longer to locate a new place of service.
Exactly what compassion means is not for this writer to say. Those involved in the trauma of a particular separation must seek the Lord’s guidance in those circumstances. One thing is sure. Threatening to put the minister’s furniture out on the sidewalk did not demonstrate compassion.
If you or your church is ever involved in the painful experience of forced separation, pray that all parties will be guided by the teachings of Jesus. Treating one another with compassion as we part company is just as important as treating one another compassionately while serving together.
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