Preachers Who Quit Preaching
From time to time we read articles concerning preachers who quit, or at least quit preaching full-time and go into some secular work. Most of the articles are somewhat critical, either implied or otherwise. In my memory I have never seen an article in defense of these preachers. Perhaps there is no real good defense, but in many cases there are very real reasons. As a preacher who has given some thought to quitting for these same reasons perhaps I can, in part, explain if not defend the thinking of preachers who do quit.
First we must understand something about how and why most of them began preaching in the full-time field at all. Usually these brethren are not "professional preachers" — that is, they did not choose preaching as a career early in life. They came from other occupations or professions for which they had prepared themselves, and in most cases were successful. In most cases they were encouraged by the brethren to go full-time because of the "need" of some small church or churches for their service. It's amazing how badly some churches needed my limited talents twenty years ago that would not think of having me hold them a meeting today.
Most of these preachers had preached "part-time" for years before going into full-time work. I know such men who had for years moved businesses, changed jobs and occupations in order to help begin a sound work in some destitute com-munity, or to help keep a small beginning going. Few of them during those years either asked or received anything for their efforts. Now those "needy" churches have grown up, and during their growing up period the preachers who helped them were growing older. Those same preachers are now on the undesirable side of fifty and there just doesn't seem to be the need for them any-more that originally persuaded them to go into full-time work.
Preachers who begin as "week-end" preachers and finally go into full-time work to help some weak church seem to get "stuck" or "typed" as one who only works with small, financially needy churches. Invariably he is supported (?) by several churches who seem to have very little interest in how well he is supported. Few men who work in depressed areas are supported well enough to make any preparation for the years when the brethren will no longer be interested in their services. Many churches which are self-supporting think nothing of paying their local preacher two-hundred dollars a week would refuse to help support a man in a non-self supporting church to that extent; most of the preachers in needy areas are getting little more than half that amount.
I know that preachers aren't supposed to think about "pay," or "preach for money" — he doesn't, but he has to have some just the same. He has learned over the years that he is about the only one giving any serious thought to the matter. Even the brethren with whom he labours show little concern for his needs. Every such preacher has heard the concerned expression, "Brother_____ we sure hope that you can find the support you need, we sure would hate to lose you." Never has a group of brethren said to me, "Bro. Lynch, We are contacting some churches to find you the support you have to have."
Now before someone gets the notion that I am complaining let me say that in the main my brethren, over several years and several states, have supported me to the point that I have "gotten by;" for this I am grateful, no one should expect more than enough. I do not regret a one of the years that I have given to preaching, whether part-time or full-time, I would do it all over again given the time and opportunity. If I ever quit preaching it probably won't be because the brethren failed me, but because the years and health have failed me. I never preached for the brethren anyway.
In closing let me say to those who write articles on "Quitting Preachers:" If you haven't missed a pay-check in ten years; got behind in car payments in the same length of time; had to scrape to pay a months rent; worn the same suits (usually 2 or 3) for three years, you probably aren't too well qualified to pass judgment on preachers who "quit preaching" for these above reasons.
— 5603 Arboga Rd. Maryville, Calif. 95901