Six Reasons Why Many Pastors Will Not Leave Their Churches

There is a lot of conversation about pastors dropping out of ministry or, at the very least, leaving their current churches. Yes, there are good reasons for these conversations. Among the reasons is the toll COVID has taken on these leaders and their churches.

But I have been hearing from pastors who are determined to stay at their current churches. In fact, some are more determined than ever to stay right where they are. Here are the six most common reasons we are hearing from pastors. 

  1. The pastors are called to their churches. This reason was the dominant explanation we received. God has not released these pastors from where they are currently serving. In many cases, they have sensed an even greater affirmation from God to remain at their churches.
  2. Their families love their churches and their communities. Most pastors have families. Their spouses and their children are not only happy where they are, but many are also making a gospel difference in their churches and their communities. In many ways, their call to stay is as firm as the pastors’ call.
  3. The pastors love their communities. A call to serve in a local church does indeed begin with the congregation itself. But a call is also a call to live in, serve, and evangelize the communities to which they belong. The communities become the sticky factor for many pastors.
  4.  The pastors don’t have a stepping-stone mentality. More than any point in my lifetime, I see the fading of the greener-grass syndrome among pastors. Bigger is not necessarily better. And though the possible extra income and staffing could provide relief from their current situations, these reasons are not sufficiently compelling for pastors to leave the churches they serve.
  5. Many of the pastors have great relationships in the church. One pastor told us his friendships in the church were the closest he has had in his life. Another pastor shared that many of his church members pray for him daily. He could not imagine leaving the prayer coverage provided by these members.
  6. Sometimes, the pastors have no credible alternatives. This reason is not as positive as the others, but it is a reality for many pastors. They have no other churches inquiring about them. Or their training is totally in vocational ministry, and they have no other marketable skill sets. At least they perceive that they could not do other vocations. 

To be clear, we still see the next few years as a time of heavy turnover among pastors. But we also wanted to be clear that not all pastors are looking to leave.

Many are indeed more determined than ever to stay.

Let us hear from you.

Posted on January 24, 2021


With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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40 Comments

  • Thank you for this, Dr. Rainer! I feel this speaks for myself as well as many other pastor friends. Our calling has not changed, and God has us where he wants us. This post is timely and much appreciated.

  • When I accepted the pastorate of my small church last summer, they hadn’t had a pastor in quite some time. Covid was rampant, and we lost two faithful members (husband and wife) almost immediately. I promised them that I would not search for another position and had no intention of leaving them unless God led me to it or my health failed.
    I meant it then and I mean it now.

  • Another reason to stay is that the church is “…healthy, growing, and full of love, ” Eph. 4:16b NLT. Which may mean the pastor is providing effective leadership in spite of those who are grumbling about changes. Summon the courage to be disliked.

    A reason to leave is that an assessment and consultation has revealed that the church is either in the preservation or life support phase (thank you Tony Morgan) and the pastor doesn’t have the skill sets to lead the church out of that phase.

  • For 5 years I have fought against 30 year old troubles , and mainly suffered ” defeat ” if you will. But I have some people there who’s heart I cant bear to break, it is more than I can bear to think of at times.
    Mainly because I had my heart ripped out by a Pastor , though it was for a far different reason , and I remember that hurt.

  • I agree. At least from my context the phrase from John 6:68 pops up – to whom shall we go?

    While there may be other places to go from here (and there will be), now is not the time. One of the things I find inviting is to see the commitment to the gospel message in our Parish during the pandemic. While the times have been tough, the lay members of the Parish have been committed to the ministry that they could do. To me, that was a sure sign that God was at work and, even if I were looking for another call, that meant that it’s still “not yet” for me.

    Anecdotally, I think most pastors/clergy who have made it this far into the pandemic are in it for the long haul. At this point of the pandemic, many of my colleagues have said that the only way they are leaving is for the money to completely run out.

  • Captain Obvious says on

    This is taking observational blogging to an extreme. As someone who has enjoyed your blogs and podcasts for years. It has been hard to find useful content from this site over the past few months.

  • i have been at my current assignment nearly 30 yrs. Several reasons I havent left- never had a clear call to leave. Seveeral times there have been movements among some in the church to move me, but God has left me here. There have never been any real opportunties to leave. Serving in small rural churches can be seen by some in our denominational world as a hindrance – i.e. those who can’t serve in small out of the way places. I’ve heard that at regional and national levels in the SBC

  • May I ask if you have any thoughts on a stay or go situation? What happens or should happen when there is a very small group (5) who wants a clergy to leave and the congregation does not?
    Thank you!

    • Thom Rainer says on

      I would not begin to offer a suggestion without knowing a lot more details.

    • As Dr. Rainer said, there are a lot of variables in play here, but you might want to check out a book called “Leading Your Church Through Conflict and Reconciliation”, edited by Marshall Shelly. It has a great chapter called “Wars You Can’t Win”, which addresses situations such as yours. The upshot is, if you have a faction that’s determined to get rid of you, and the rest of the congregation won’t stand up to them, you may be in an no-win situation. Of course, that’s ultimately for you and God decide, but if you are in a no-win situation, it’s no disgrace for you to cut your losses and move on.

  • I think that #6 should be closer to the top of the list. In this time of uncertainty, staying put is the only alternative. I know a pastor who has been at his church for to long and the numbers continue to drop over the last 15 years. All he says is, “retirement is not in my vocabulary.”

  • I think that #6 should be closer to the top of the list. In this time of uncertainty, staying put is the only alternative. I know a pastor who has been at his church for two long and the numbers continue to drop over the last 15 years. All he says is, “retirement is not in my vocabulary.”

  • Jon Nutter says on

    I’ve been serving my congregation for twelve years and can affirm all six of these reasons and still believe a significant number of pastors may be forced out for the inability of the congregation as a whole to respond effectively to the new realities “post-pandemic.” My sense of calling to my community has sustained me thru difficult times in the past but my age and stage of ministry makes me more open to transition than I have ever been.

  • God has gifted me with serving troubled churches for over 25 years (and some associational DMs). While many would run from such calls, I’ve learned that God can do amazing things through pastors with a backbone. Keep on keeping on preacher!

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