When Churches Fire Ministers...And Keep Punishing Them (opinion alert)

In my years in ministry, I've seen my share of ugly in the area of staff members dismissed (fired, forced to resign, etc.) by senior pastors, elders, personnel committees, or (unfortunately) deacons. The commonality in all the cases I've witnessed: the dismissals were forced by the senior pastor. I'm not talking about termination for cause (because of a crime or sex related or another egregious act). I'm talking about relational or some disagreements or theological differences within the realm of orthodoxy.

Sometimes these ministers are dismissed for good reason, but sometimes the reasons are petty (and usually the petty ones are silenced from the congregation and public). Sometimes these dismissals are amicable, and sometimes they are heavily contested. The commonality among the contested ones regardless of the reasons: the motives of the contestants are always considered evil and divisive, and the others (the ones generally complaining about the evil and divisive contestants) are considered the innocent victims (at least that's how they see themselves). The contestants are not always the dismissed ministers, but regardless of their role in the complaining, they are always given the blame for the dissidence. 

In two different cases I'm well aware of, the minister was dismissed several years before, the dismissed ministers found new opportunities locally (so they didn't move), and the senior pastor continues to hold a major grudge against them for reasons that existed when they were on staff, as well as reasons that sprung-up after the dismissal. Anyone that attempted to correct these senior pastors would receive threats and tongue-lashings coming their way from the pastor, his wife, or other supporters. The dismissed minister had no recourse for the further attacks, and anyone who remained friends with him was asked to leave the church. This happened in two different midsize Southern Baptist churches in two different US states.

Oftentimes in churches throughout the US and beyond, one of the worst offenders at grace and forgiveness is the one preaching it in the pulpit.


Sometimes, I think the SBC could be helped with a more episcopal or presbytery model. Sometimes I think that, not all the time!

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