Just a thought
It seems to be epidemic right now and I’m not sure all the “why’s” but hardly a week has gone by the last six months or longer that I haven’t heard of a preacher being “fired”, “let go”, “allowed to leave”, or “given the opportunity to find another place” (incidentally, those all mean the same thing). I imagine elders are trying to spare our feelings but it seems rare that when we are “invited to move” (You know the old joke: I keep getting invitations to move...as soon as one comes from someone outside our congregation I may take it) that we either get the message and/or are told why. So, “we think you are more boring than watching turtles mate” becomes “we just need someone to help us get our spark back” or “our attendance is down and it has to be someone’s fault (other than ours, of course)” becomes “we just think it is time for a change”. It’s like a bad high school breakup - “It’s not you, we’ll still be friends”, when they mean, “I can’t stand being around you and wish you’d drop dead” (No, I’ve never experienced this, what makes you think otherwise :))
I’ve already discussed some “moving” questions in my last post but one more thought on that before I go forward (no, not like in Sunday during the invitation song). Most churches seem to love the “tryout” sermon. Or at least seem stuck on it. It is wrought with all sorts of potential for failure. It ends up being more of a beauty pageant than anything else (I heard one lady say, “he was a good enough preacher, but I didn’t like his teeth.” His teeth? Really. Man, I wish Paul had said, “preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, brush your teeth…”, so instead of a man’s ability to expand on, explain and exegete the scriptures we end up relying on the guys ability to comb his hair, groom his kids and have ONE good sermon. What preacher doesn’t have ONE good sermon? This is disaster waiting to happen. After all, you’ve heard my best sermon, it’s all down hill from here. I heard one guy say, “I don’t preach my best sermon during a tryout…” And I wonder what else he lies about! I mean, wouldn’t it be just stupid to not preach your best. It’d be like an photographer saying, “Man, I’ve taken some super pictures, but I don’t think I’ll put them in my portfolio.” Here’s the suggestion: Call the guy, ask for sermon tapes/CD’s/DVD’s of three specific dates over the last four months (i.e. August 27, September 22, October 5, November 7) and then listen to those. If he wasn’t there one of those dates, that may be good too, you may hear what others say about him when he’s gone. If he wasn’t there any of those dates, that would be helpful to know too. And then after you hear him and after you interview him bring him in, or just make a decision. Never, NEVER bring a guy in for a tryout that the elders would not want to hire. And, elders, get as much input as you want but you do the hiring. After all, all those folks who “want to be involved in the process”, run into the face-boarding like roaches when the light comes on (what a gross illustration, but it works, you know who you are!) when it comes time to fire him. It doesn’t matter who hires him, if a change has to be made, you elders will be the ones to do it (Did I say one point? My post has officially been hijacked).
Now, where was I before we were I so rudely interrupted myself? Yeah, we were talking about the “elders firing preachers” epidemic. I want to suggest to you an alternative: Train the guy you got! Why not give it another six months to a year AND improve the preacher you’ve got?
Here’s some thoughts:
1. Call the guy in, tell him what you are thinking but that you love him and want to work with him. Ask him if he wants to stay and commit to working with him. Tell him what he is or is not doing and be specific, don’t be vague we won’t get it. “We think your preaching is boring”, “We believe you’ve gotten lazy on us”, “We think you have to many illustrations”, “We think you’ve gone sour and negative”.
2. Offer help: We want you to go to 2 seminars on preaching or public speaking in the next six months. We want you to read a book a month on the art of preaching. We want you to be mentored by ____ once a week and discuss the public proclamation of the Word over lunch. We will pay for this. Let me tell you, it’s a WHOLE lot cheaper and less traumatic than a preacher scandal. While I am in no way the model, I do try to attend at least one seminar every year (not lectureship, I do that too) to improve the skill of preaching, because I want to be better at what I do. I find someone who is excellent at standing in front of people and delivering a message, and sap him of what he knows. Frankly, I don’t want his theology, I know what I believe, I want to know how he communicates, how he puts his material together, how he studies, how he connects.
3. Listen to him: Find out why he’s gone negative or why he’s lost heart, or why he’s whatever. You may learn a little about yourselves and your leadership that you may not want to know, but sometimes we loose heart and energy for a work because the leadership has not led, or has stepped on every idea we’ve brought for church heath or we have just gotten fearful and that has made us not ourselves. He may be hurt because what you told him you would do during the interview (i.e. courting) process is not what you are doing. He may be dealing with a family issue that he has been afraid to tell you about. He may be struggling with a sin that if he gets it off his chest and you will love him through it he can be transformed by the grace shown him. He may be ready to move and this meeting may help him talk about it. He may be carrying so many people’s burdens that he feels he can hardly go on. He may just be worn out to exhaustion and need a break of some sort.
4. Be patient. Give him 48 or 72 hours to think your proposal over when the meeting is over and then listen to his suggestions.
5. If you have to release him try to make his leaving as pleasant as possible - no scrap that one - if you fire him it doesn’t matter what you do the experience will be rough! But do treat him as a Christian and go over and above how you’d treat someone who is “just an employee”, he’s more than that, he’s a brother and don’t destroy his spirit or ability to influence people at another place. Just ‘cause it didn’t work out THERE, doesn’t mean he won’t do great work at the next place. And yes Captain Obvious that would mean as long as he is not teaching error or living in sin.
I’m sure this whole thing is fraught with glaring errors and some of you will let me know, but it is just some thoughts that have been circling around in my head. As, always, I do look forward to your comments.
Do me two favors if you will:
1. If you are not an elder please forward the link (URL) to this post to your elders. They may or may not read it and the comments that it will generate but if they don’t this message will not really get to who needs it maybe the most. Even if - especially if - things are good where you are right now, forward it.
1. If you got this link from someone else and would like to be notified when I update my blog send me an email (dale@edge.net) and I’ll add you.
OK, now it’s your turn. Fire (oops, bad choice of words) away.