WHEN A PASTOR RESIGNS (CHAPTER 1)

Before exploring the reasons why pastors resign, let's delve into the concept of the pastoral call. When pastors resign, a common question arises: "If a pastor is called to shepherd people, why should he resign? Is it not God who called him?"

To address this question, let's examine the various examples of callings in the Bible. In the Old Testament, we see individuals called by God for specific tasks and missions. For instance, God called Abraham to leave his family and relatives for a place He would show him (Genesis 12:1-4). Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 3). Jonah was called to prophesy to Nineveh (Jonah 1), and Samuel was called to be a prophet and leader (1 Samuel 3).

In the New Testament, we see the call of the apostles, including Matthew, Peter, Andrew, and others. The apostle Paul was called to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9). Additionally, the Bible records that believers are called to salvation, which is a response to God's call to sinners to attain freedom from sin, death, and hell (1 Corinthians and Ephesians).

From these examples, we can see that God's call is personal, between God and the individual. However, others usually confirm this call. In each of the quoted scenarios, the person was convinced that God was calling them for a particular mission. This call is not limited to the Old and New Testaments; 21st-century pastors also confirm that their calling was a personal conviction, later confirmed by other believers.

Pastor D shared his experience, saying, "When it was time to tell my parents about my desire to serve the Lord by becoming a pastor my dear mother said, 'We already knew that one day you will become a pastor.'" Notice with me that Pastor D had a personal conviction first before others could confirm it. Pastor E also confirmed that his conviction grew, and others noticed his teaching and preaching gifts, leading to his call to pastoral ministry.

In conclusion, a calling is a personal conviction by which God persuades someone to take up a particular responsibility. This responsibility may differ depending on God's mission for the person. Some are called to be mothers, others to be elders or vocational elders, and others to be evangelists. A pastoral calling is a conviction of God upon a man to take up the responsibility of shepherding souls.

Based on the above narration, it will now be helpful to discuss the reasons why pastors resign. Stay tuned for the next post on September 20, 2024, where I'll explore the reasons why pastoral calls may come to an end or why pastors resign.