Featured Preachers Quitting

Excellent, balanced, and well thought out response. I can't tell you how often quitting has entered my mind.

 

This is by far the position I find myself in the most. The way my family has been treated by certain individuals over the years - most of whom have long since left the church - and the hurt they have gone through - it makes me feel "guilty" that I couldn't prevent it, even though I am convinced that I'm doing what God would have me do.

All kids make their own decisions, but like I said, certain people made my daughter feel so unwelcome that she left the church for several months, promising never to come back among these "so-called" Christians.

Did it make me want to quit? If you want to hear pleasantries and polished speech, I will say that I never, repeat, never stopped trusting in the Lord. If you want to hear me in my weakness and humanity, I will say I felt useless to my family, useless to the church, useless to effect change even as God's vessel.

I didn't quit. Things aren't necessarily always easy, but God has provided me an ability to cope. I think in a way that the experience of hurt somehow makes the pastor more suited to ministry, not less.

But it sure doesn't make it fun.

 

It is.:thumbsup:

 

Seems to be a worldy thing to quit . People think because you get to be a certain age, it's time to retire. A person may retire from a particular position, but the calling remains and he better keep on trucking till God calls him home.

The preacher will always be a preacher. He may not be able to get around as well, but he is still a preacher as called by God.

 

It' does indeed get tough sometimes. It's kinda like this board where you wonder what brought that on, but you just, as you said have to keep trusting in God even when people act funky.

 

Thanks. Yet another post by someone who 'gets it.' I haven't quit. And by the grace of God I won't. But I have a hard time attacking and condemning my dear brethren who have finally given up after years and years of pain and hurt and opposition and people turning their backs.

 

For me, my conscience is not for sale. I would have to go with my new beliefs. I think the person in your scenarios was called to preach, but the call to discipleship and spiritual growth come before both in time and in precedence. But being called to be a preacher and having a place to preach are 2 different things. :laugh:

I am now 62 and sometime in the next 10 years or so i will think about retirement from pastoring this church. But I will still be called to preach, just not in the same location or with the same frequency.

 

If one desires to serve as a bishop, he should join the Catholic Church.

 

Of course, but I can certainly understand what happens when a guy has just 'had enough.' I am not going to sit in judgement over them because I know how close I have come more than once.

 

Sin is a big one. Also just because God calls a man to preach does not mean it is for life. He may want it for a season and than want something else.

 

Nice OP.

What Biblical evidence can you give for your thread? Is there any Biblical support? And, why do you ask?

 

Let me rephrase. I meant called to pastor, which is obvious by the rest of my post.

 

I think if you knew the Scriptures better you wouldn't have said this.

 

Sure he does... he's Southern boarn & bred. :smilewinkgrin:

1 Timothy 3:1-2

King James Version (KJV)

3 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

 

Absolutely right.

And it's not just pastors who feel this. I don't know of anyone who has stayed in the same kind of job for years and years without wanting to quit or even taking a leave of absence. They are just as called to their "secular" jobs as we have been to the ministry.

 

You are mis-interpreting understanding why with excusing. I understand why men quit or take a hiatus from ministry. I don't say they are excused from obedience. I just understand why they do.

I see that you are retired. How many years did you work before you retired? Were you working where God wanted you to work?