A 1996 survey published in Your Church magazine revealed that “(23%) of all current pastors have been forced out at some point in their ministry.” Given this statistic (and others like it), it is important for pastors to have a “strong, healthy, growing relationship” with their congregations if they are to make it through conflicts successfully. Hester offers several relationship-building methods that pastors can use to help them handle conflicts when they arise. A few examples of this are (directly toward pastors): love your people, admit you are wrong and have sinned when it happens (and ask for forgiveness), pursue win-win solutions, participate in a support group with “healthy minded pastors,” and be humble and not distant from your people.
I have heard stories about conflicts within churches, but did not realize that pastor-congregation conflicts are so prevalent, particularly to the degree that termination and forced resignation are as common as they are. As those entering the pastorate soon (or already in it), this is a sobering reality. Not only do we need to utilize the tips Hester provided, but also be prepared to navigate conflict in a healthy way when it arises.
Call it.
ReplyDelete“One-third of all pastors (34%) serve congregations who either fired the previous minister or actively forced his or her resignation.”
ReplyDeleteYikes! This makes me think about some statistics I recently heard in another class (Marriage & Family with Dr. Tim Chafins). Though sources vary some, statistically, over sixty percent of second marriages end in divorce (regardless of faith affiliation). The number climbs for each subsequent marriage. If we apply these same divorce statistics to churches (as Hester has applied the marriage metaphor to pastor-congregation relationships), this is indeed a staggering thought. The amount of baggage each church carries from its prior “marriage” to its previous pastor is mostly likely as heavy a weight as the baggage carried by each party into a divorce – potentially even heavier since there are so many people involved. The weight on the removed pastor as he or she steps into a new congregation is also burdensome. In Marriage & Family class, we discussed the higher survival rate for second marriages that undergo counseling right from the start (though the rate is still grim). This makes me wonder what steps might be helpful for those many churches and pastors seeking to transition into a “new marriage.”