Thoughts About Retirement
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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.
Greg Barkman 2018 Bio
G. N. Barkman received his BA and MA from BJU and later founded Beacon Baptist Church in Burlington, NC where has pastored since 1973. In addition, Pastor Barkman airs the Beacon Broadcast on twenty radio stations. He and his wife, Marti, have been blessed with four daughters and nine grandchildren.
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Praise God for those who give their lives in ministry.
I don't know the author or the situation of his church. But allow me to offer a generic perspective on the issue of pastoral retirement.
I want to encourage aging pastors to being open to fully retiring and stepping into a volunteer role, akin to the volunteer roles which you no doubt have called many in your congregation to embrace over the years. Consider what a gift you can offer to that next pastor whom God has been preparing, by stepping aside and making space for them to contribute their vision as God has led them, to connect with the next generation, to mature as they carry the pastoral responsibilities, to step into leadership roles in your local association, and to be supported by that salary.
At the same time, allow me to offer some of the distressing tendencies which I've seen in recent years with retirement age pastors. First is a tendency to retire in place, not wanting to ever step away from the opportunities to minister, the sense of responsibility, and the sense of being needed. Several of the local fundamentalist leaning churches in my area have sadly died or are dying, under the extended tenure of an aging pastor. Second, is a tendency to want to hand off the reigns to a family member or close associate, who will maintain your vision, especially if you planted the church those many decades ago. Dynastic successions within churches communicates something about whose church it really is. Third, is a tendency for aging pastors to either go soft on doctrine, to avoid the battles, or to be more strident, without the flexibility to continually refine and mature your biblical understandings, or to graciously engage with those yet trying to figure it out for themselves, or to be attentive to the latest attacks from within or without.
There are seasons in our lives. Seasons to grow and learn, to take on responsibilities, to lead, and to train up and "entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). There also comes a season where we contribute in a different way.
May God gives wisdom. And again, my thanks to those who live it out for our God.
Dan M.
atrustworthygospel.com
Our pastor/lead elder came out of retirement to be our pastor several years ago. The previous pastor stayed on as an elder. That has worked well for us, but our lead elder was aware he would not be serving for decades in that role.
Short version of our approach: Find a new potential pastor, bring him on as a pastoral assistant, evaluate, eventually bring him on as the new lead pastor and our lead pastor will rotate out of the role.
It is in progress and our pastoral assistant is taking over a lot of duties this month as our current pastor goes on a short sabbatical.
I’m not sure I would want to be a young pastor moving into top leadership with a team that includes two former pastors of the church. But maybe I really would. It depends on how much you’re all agreed on philosophy of ministry, priorities, intangibles like ‘style,’ etc., and just how well you get along as a team.
You don’t want to be young guy with a vision held back by old guys who don’t want to change anything. Then again, lots of young guys I’m aware of would have done better with more humility, patience, and deference to the elders.
In our case, the team seems to be in sync and functioning well. Lots of mutual respect and support in all directions. And things are progressing.
Realistically, in just about any ‘new pastor moving into leadership’ scenario, there are going to be older men of influence in the church (and women, let’s not forget!) who are respected and whose views on things carries a lot of weight. These function as elders in a lot of ways whether they have the title or not.
So here’s another vote for plurality of elders: Make it official and open rather than having people with titles in one group and the real, functional leaders in another. Get them aligned. (The NT does not permit the women of influence to be ‘elders,’ but their influence can still be—as we say in business—operationalized.)
It’s just healthy to have how the congregation’s power and leadership really works out in the open.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
Thanks for writing, Greg. You've been a blessing to me here and at Sermonaudio.
Dan, thanks for your word of encouragement.
G. N. Barkman
I’m not sure I would want to be a young pastor moving into top leadership with a team that includes two former pastors of the church. But maybe I really would. It depends on how much you’re all agreed on philosophy of ministry, priorities, intangibles like ‘style,’ etc., and just how well you get along as a team.
You don’t want to be young guy with a vision held back by old guys who don’t want to change anything. Then again, lots of young guys I’m aware of would have done better with more humility, patience, and deference to the elders.
In our case, the team seems to be in sync and functioning well. Lots of mutual respect and support in all directions. And things are progressing.
I'm three years into the teaching pastor role at my church. The former senior pastor of 30+ years continues to serve on the elder team. I'm not sure I would classify myself as a "young" pastor since I'm now 50, but I am certainly new to full-time pastoral ministry.
What has allowed this arrangement to work, I believe, is that all the elders are aligned on what biblical eldership means practically, we're agreed on philosophy of ministry, and we're clear on my responsibilities and priorities as the teaching pastor. I don't believe I am the "vision caster" of our church, so we work together as an elder team to determine what the emphasis and direction of the church should be. I don't feel like I need to put my stamp on the church. Changes are happening, but I'm seeking to do so slowly, wisely, and with the full support of the elder team.
Honestly, most of the changes are happening organically because people who have faithfully served for many years are "retiring" from ministry leadership and new leaders are emerging to take over. When that leadership change occurs, it allows me the opportunity to change or influence the future direction of the ministry.
Then again, lots of young guys I’m aware of would have done better with more humility, patience, and deference to the elders.
Yes, and amen.
There is something to be said for experience, and something to be said for youthful energy, and it's a shame when either one is neglected. I also like Tom's point that he is working collaboratively and not seeking to put "his" stamp on the church. OK, to a degree, he will, but that kind of humility makes it a lot more likely that someone who "retires in place", as Dan noted, will not become a problem of divided loyalties and the like.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
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