Thoughts About Retirement

When is the right time for a pastor to retire? There clearly is no one size fits all answer to this question. There are too many variables, and each situation must be considered individually. More to the point, when’s the right time for this pastor to retire? I do have a few thoughts about that question.

When I was a few months away from 65, I was surprised when several members of our congregation asked me, at different times, if I planned to retire any time soon? Initially, I was taken aback. I hadn’t given much thought to this question, and I wondered if they were hinting that it was time for me to go. With further discussion, I realized that they didn’t want me to retire, but wondered if the church should prepare for transition since I was nearing the standard retirement age of 65. I publicly assured the church that I had no plans to retire, and everything continued smoothly without interruption.

I didn’t hear any more about this until I approached 70, when the same thing happened again. Once more, I assured the church that I had no plans to retire, and the question disappeared. I wondered if this issue would reappear when I reached 75, but I heard not a word. Thus, I continued forward and passed 76, but by now, I was beginning to reflect upon the retirement question myself.

Reality

As much as I enjoy what I do and have no desire to quit, the reality is that no one lives forever, and every passing year brings the inevitable transition nearer. Since we can’t know the future, no one knows when that day may be forced upon us. Transition will come, ready or not, and therefore it seems prudent to thoughtfully weigh that reality. On the one hand, I don’t want to be one of those pastors who fail to recognize that their effectiveness is slipping and naively plow ahead as their church slowly declines. Neither do I want to abandon my post if the Lord wants me to continue and knowing which of these two situations applies is not easy. It takes prayer and input from others to make that determination.

Church Condition

By God’s goodness, the church is currently healthy, vibrant, and growing. We are enjoying a great deal of enthusiasm, similar to what we experienced in the early years when we first began in 1973. That was an exciting time, but the passing years eroded a measure of our fledgling zeal. However, we have lately enjoyed so many manifestations of God’s blessing that the enthusiasm level is the highest I have seen in a long time. This does not seem like the right time to step away but knowing that I will be 77 in April requires thoughtful reflection on the future. Nobody lives forever and decline always accompanies aging. The trick is knowing when the passing years are saying, “whoa!”

Staff Condition

Our pastoral staff is stable. Pastor Bob LaTour is second oldest to me, and is semi-retired, having stepped down from full-time status when he turned 70 after experiencing a heart attack. Thankfully, he continues as part-time Minister of Visitation, filling a vital role. A member of Beacon since 1979, and assistant pastor since 2006, he brings spiritual maturity to our eldership. Pastor Mike Karns is next at 68, having served as Minister of Christian Education since 1995, demonstrating competence in the pulpit and in administrative assignments. Greg Phillips has maintained a high standard of excellence as Minister of Music since 1984, and Pastor Hunter Strength has served ably as Minister of Youth since 2022. Although still in his twenties, he is gifted and solid and shows promise of effective ministry for years to come. We are blessed with a team of solid, mature leaders.

My Condition

I am truly amazed at my continued good health. After experiencing aggressive cancer forty years ago which required massive doses of deadly chemo which results in premature aging, I was told by two excellent doctors that I was not expected to live much beyond 60. I can only attribute my present condition to the blessing of God. My recently retired primary care physician called me “the miracle man.” God has chosen to keep me going strong, and I feel a solemn obligation to preach his Word as long as He gives me enabling strength. And yet, there’s no denying that the clock is ticking.

My Plan

Marti and I started talking about the “R” word a couple of years ago, batting around various ideas until a workable plan began to emerge. After we had discussed it thoroughly, I took several months to talk it over with each of our fifteen deacons, one by one, getting their input. As congregational representatives, I have learned to respect their thinking as valuable sounding boards to get a feel for how the congregation will likely respond to new ideas. I knew that if they were hesitant, the congregation would likely be so as well, so I listened carefully to their questions and feedback. Having received positive input, I concluded that it was time to begin a small step-down process.

In short, I will reduce my work schedule by 20%, taking 14 weeks off a year, a number that combines step-down weeks with an appropriately adjusted vacation allotment. Normally the away weeks will be associated with the last Sunday of each month, with a two-week absence twice a year. The present pulpit series in Hebrews will continue and we will maintain the present Beacon Broadcast radio ministry, as I see no practical way to scale it back. I have asked the church to reduce my salary by 20%, which should help take some financial pressure off our current budget which has been a bit tight over the past three years. I believe this plan will allow our current ministry to continue with only minor adjustments.

What Next?

We will implement this schedule for 2025 to see how it works. If things progress smoothly, as I expect they will, and if the Lord continues to grant sufficient physical strength, this arrangement will probably continue into 2026. However, we will take it a year at a time and re-evaluate at the end of each year. Only God knows the future, but this plan should keep our current ministry moving forward with minimal liability but keeping us mindful of the inevitable transition that one day will come. We appreciate your prayers as we prepare for this important time in the future of our church.