I had a thought on retirement as it relates to our Fellowship. Because we do not understand retirement we fear it, like it's the end of our lives. And because as new converts we believed that Jesus was coming back next week we put no value in future plans. Until we suddenly realized that the future we did not plan for is upon us.
Pastor Mitchell did not retire from the ministry. But his ministry definitely changed at the end. He was still traveling and preaching and working up sermons and doing the things that he loved to do. But he had long ago turned the day to day operation of the Prescott church over to pastor Greg and that freed him from the pressure of daily pastoral ministry. Perhaps even at the end of life pastor Mitchell gave a pattern for the transfer of leadership and "retirement" from the daily care of the home church.
Not every church can do what pastor Mitchell did. But hasn't that been true throughout the long history of our Fellowship? We adapt the vision to our circumstances and to our local expression and do what works where we are. But for leadership churches and larger churches this will work. Let your pastor do what he loves and support him in transferring daily responsibility to a subordinate or future leader.
Last night Pastor and sister Rubi were not in church and everything went well. Pastor Martinez preached a fine message and everyone did their job.
The local church counsel can assist their pastor in implementing this for the healthy and painless transfer of pastoral leadership to the next generation.
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