By Thom S. Rainer
Tens of thousands of pastors and other church staff members are becoming retirement age each year. We have not seen anything like this phenomenon. These church leaders are reaching retirement age, but they still have many years of active ministry and life left in them. How will they respond? How will churches respond?
We are watching this trend with fascination at Church Answers. Let’s look at some of the key issues unfolding.
- Some churches are fine with older pastors remaining in their roles. Others are not. We see many churches where the members don’t think twice about having a 60-something or 70-something pastor. They see their pastors as fully capable and fully energetic to continue leading. Other churches are ready for the older pastors to move on. This latter disposition is exacerbated when the church is struggling and/or in decline.
- Too many retirement-age pastors don’t have options because of financial realities. I’ve addressed this issue in an earlier post. Though my observations are anecdotal, well over half of the pastors with whom I have conversed are woefully prepared financially when they hit their mid-60s. It’s usually a case of churches failing to care for pastors and pastors failing to plan for themselves.
- The most common option for pastors leaving their role is to become interim or part-time pastors in other churches. The opportunities for this ministry are increasing regularly. At any given point, we could have over 50,000 churches seeking an interim pastor. Indeed, we created Interim Pastor University to train and differentiate those pastors moving into these roles.
- More pastors are moving into the role of church consultant or coach after leaving their pastoral roles. Some of these pastors have 30 to 40 years of experience as a pastor. Their wisdom and experience can be incredibly helpful to churches. Our fastest growing ministry at Church Answers is Church Consultation University, created to train and certify leaders in this new role.
- It will not be unusual for pastors to retire from their churches and have 20+ years left of vibrant ministry. These pastors may have chosen to go a different path, or their churches may have forced them out. Don’t let life expectancy numbers fool you. Once someone makes it to 65, the likelihood of them staying active to 85 is good. These can be some prime years of ministry for these former pastors.
- The timing for this wave of “retired” pastors could match well with the need for part-time, interim, or revitalizing pastors. The demand could meet supply IF churches would look beyond the traditional profiles. Of the roughly 350,000 Protestant churches, about 349,900 want a pastor who is 35 to 49 years old and has 30 years of lead pastor experience (sarcasm intended). It’s time for many churches to look to the growing supply of older pastors who can still lead well.
The trend of retiring pastors who are not retiring from ministry will continue to grow. It will be fascinating to see how churches respond.
Posted on January 20, 2020
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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22 Comments
I officially retired a year ago to become care-giver for my sick wife. Technically no longer holding any official position in ministry but I am still actively preaching at least twice a month and mentoring/consulting with some pastors. At 60 today, I agree that we still have more than 20 years of ‘active ministry” ahead of us. Thanks for your article.
I am 65 and have begun my 40th year in full-time ministry. I have heard God speak to me about leaving my full-time position and pursuing other things. I believe I still have a lot to give but not necessarily as Senior Pastor. I know I am called and will continue to serve until 6 strong men carry this body out! I know my name is not a “known household name” but I’m willing to fill in, do short-term Bible Studies, preach revivals , teach, start up visitation ministries, e.t.c. How do I get my name out there without sounding off or “bragging” of what I’m still capable of doing. At the end of June 2020, my last pastorate lasted 21 1/2 years at one local church.
After retiring as a senior pastor I now have 15 years experience as an interim/consultant. All of the churches in which I have served have been in great need of revitalization/ renewal.
However the mindset most recently has changed regarding the interim/consulting ministry. Many millennials are not supportive of “older “ men in the pulpit. Yet most seminaries are very outdated in providing this training to their younger students.
I agree that many churches definitely need the watchcare, patience and experience of older pastors. But it must begin by challenging churches to recognize and utilize retiring pastors.
Tom:
I retired 2 years ago at age 63 after 35 years of full-time pastorates due to health limitations. Having since moved to a more rural location I have already served one church in a 1 and 1/2 year supply situation, our association as an interim DOM for 8 months and numerous other local churches as a supply pastor. There is plenty of opportunity available for such ministry if one is able, willing and makes the appropriate connections. As I tell inquiriers “I may be retired but I’m not dead yet”!
I’m a few weeks short of 70, and recently discovered I have 3 blood clots. It was like God saying, “slow down.” This is most difficult for me. Fortunately, my wife had a great job, and what little I had put away is working it’s way down. But, I’m more than willing to go on but I now know I can’t do the pace I was. Being in urban ministry complicates all this. Few are interested as a place to serve as pastor. I’ve been looking for help, but hardly any interest out there. (Quite a flip from 30 years ago when there was huge interest.)This is not a 9-5 job, and without passion for the people and the community, not much will happen. I’m looking for ways to cut back because I think I must. Lots of prayer right now (and for the last 2 years) for more workers. I guess my take is that if the suburban model is in trouble, the urban model is even more so in difficulty.
Thank you for the article. God’s people need this wake up call.
I often call my retirement, “redirecting.” Six years ago, I left pastoral ministry to become a certified church consultant along with some of my other ministries. In addition to my consulting work, I supply preach at a number of small rural churches and I work with our denomination by helping churches in the pastoral search process. I have also had the opportunity to lead a number of workshops including, “The Small Church in a Changing World” and “When the Pastor Leaves.” The nice thing about these various ministries is that I have a lot of flexibility and I am not tied down to a month full of meeting after meetings or church obligations (In my consulting, when I face a church issue, I get to go home at night!). This “redirecting” has also allowed my wife and me to travel extensively, something we both love to do but were somewhat limited to do when we both had “real” jobs. I thank the Lord that he provided enough resources so that we can pursue these ministries and activities. While I am no longer a pastor in the traditional sense of the word, I feel that God has expanded my ministry beyond what I was doing before.
Most preachers I’ve known never really retire. Sure, they might “retire” in a technical sense, but they keep preaching and ministering as long as they’re able. I remember when Dr. Gray Allison retired as president of Mid-America Seminary. People often asked him what he did now that he was retired, and he replied, “Everything I’ve always done, except the junk.” That is, he was still preaching and teaching, but all the hassles of running the seminary were now in the hands of the new president. That’s exactly how I’d like my “retirement” to be!
At 68 my wife and i plantrd a new church. Now at 72 still going strong and plan to continue a while longer.
I am 47 and I hope to retire. My church has a pension and I would like to go to church with my wife. I hope that is possible but I look at my church and the 12 churches around us in driving distance. and I know that my denomination is not putting out pastors
Hi Thom, I “semi-retired” in 2014 at at the age of 65 after 31 years of full time ministry as a Senior Pastor. My first pastorate was 18 years and then I helped plant a church with the C&MA in 2002 until 2014. These last 6 years have been rewarding. I was an interim for a year at one church that is now doing very well. I worked close with our district church development leader to close a church so that it could become a replant a year and a half later. I then helped with a church merger, a dying C&MA church with a Southern Baptist church plant who leads the church. I’m now the part time pastor at a small declining Evangelical Presbyterian Church who could no longer afford a full time pastor. I’m working 20 hours a week helping them to revitalize the church. I love to communicate the Word of God and help people grow in grace. On our sign out front it says “Come as you are, No perfect people allowed.” I’m one very blessed minister of the Gospel.
Thank you for the great word, Steve.
I am retired from full-time pulpit ministry, but I keep busy. I live in a rural area with many small churches, and have made myself available for pulpit supply. I remain active in my church, and publish a devotional column in some local weekly newspapers, and share those thoughts on my blog. To me retirement from our calling to ministry means only that our ministry takes on a new direction.
Well said, Jerry.
Your words are right on. I have been in ministry a total of about 15 years, and I am 61. I spent some time in the world of Christian Higher Ed, so I have a bit of retirement, but not enough to just stop doing all work when I hit retirement age. Currently I pastor two churches 10 hours each; and when I retire from everything else I hope to continue pastoring these until I can’t do it anymore. It is not a matter of needing to do so for financial reasons. That part is true; but I just can’t see NOT ministering as long as I am able.
Thanks so much!
I retired at 62 to do mission work with World Bible League in Africa and the IMB in Israel. We have done 9 full time Intentional Interim’s.
I was prepared financially because as a 19 year old pastor my Assoc. Missionary told me to get into SS and the Annuity Board and STAY THERE. I paid $33.33 every month for years. No church helped with SS or AB.
My wife was a teacher which made us able to live on the two salaries.
We are now 85 and enjoying a comfortable life. Out of debt and funeral services paid for!! Ready to go!
Love I’m 59 and have been in the ministry 38 years still strong and excited about new transitions in my life. I have embraced the church culture change and love coaching my successors. Not easy but necessary. A lot of personal changes are in store for my life in this new decade. I’m looking for the fruit of my years of labor and want to sow into the next generation while I have the opportunity.
I’m currently the lead pastor and our church must relocate I’m using it as a opportunity to replant with new leaders structure and systems prayers welcomed