Dear Retired Pastor: Off with the Slippers, On with the Boots
By Mike Minter, TGC.
Anyone who leaves a position he or she held for many years is bound to experience some nostalgia. Retired pastors can feel adrift with no measurable purpose, especially after years of being the person to whom so many looked for guidance and biblical truth. You may be longing for the place and significance you once had.
After having pastored for 47 years at the church my wife and I founded, I understand. I welcomed retirement, but it was also unknown.
What now? I wondered. Kay and I had moved from northern Virginia all the way to a suburb of Nashville. Would this new chapter be one of rest or work? The answer, it’s turned out, is both.
Here are four lessons I’ve learned as a retired pastor.
1. Retirement gives the gift of time.
Retired pastors need physical and emotional renewal. They need time to reflect, give thanks, and pray about what’s ahead.
But they also need time to enjoy their families. Perhaps you need time to serve your spouse. My wife, Kay, has sacrificed for me and our church over the years, and retirement has allowed us to enjoy one another in a different way than when life was back-to-back with ministry activities.
Surprisingly, Kay and I are doing more ministry together now in retirement than we were able to when I was pastoring full-time. If you have grown children or grandchildren, use this newly available time to invest in their lives as well. This is the season to put Deuteronomy 6:4–7 into action.
2. Retirement is a blessing, not a limitation.
After you’ve rested and replenished, it’s time to think about what’s next. What surprised me is that getting back into the ministry saddle in a different capacity has been life-giving for me. That’s the stage I’m enjoying now at a church in Franklin, Tennessee.
I’m doing occasional mission work in the Amazon jungle with Justice & Mercy International. When I’m home, I’m training and encouraging young local pastors. I have a flourishing Sunday school for those over 60—they probably get tired of me telling them “We have work to do!” Teaching has always been my sweet spot, and without the responsibilities of being the lead pastor, it feels like I’m having more direct influence than ever before.
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