Healing, 30 Years In The Making
I recently had a profound conversation that has left a mark on my heart. As the President of Pastoral Transitions, I get the privilege of hearing many stories of service, transition, and resilience. Each one is unique and deeply moving, but this particular conversation highlighted just how essential our mission truly is.
I met a man at a conference, an ex-pastor with a story that exemplifies the power of healing, even if it takes three decades. He shared how he had dedicated over a decade of his life to growing a small congregation of 200 into a thriving community of 1,200.
His love for his church was evident, his commitment unquestionable.
Then came the blindsiding moment. After returning from a much-needed family vacation, he was abruptly let go. The justification? "The church is going in a different direction." That was all. Suddenly, he went from leading a vibrant community to unloading caskets off of forklifts into trucks, a job he held onto for nine long years.
He described that season as one marked by depression, struggle, and an agonizing plethora of unanswered questions. As he shared this, I couldn't help but observe the irony. While he was wrestling with a sense of internal death, he was, quite literally, moving caskets.
As we sat together, 30 years after his heartbreaking transition, I saw in his eyes a man still grappling to make sense of that season. I felt moved to tell him,
"You know what should have happened 30 years ago? You should have been honored for your service. You should have had answers as to why. You should have been able to say goodbye to the community you helped build."
Tears welled up in his eyes. It was a moment of long-overdue validation.
His story underscores the importance of our mission here at Pastoral Transitions. We're passionate about creating a supportive, transparent environment for ministry leaders during transitions, ensuring that no pastor is left blindsided, unappreciated, or unsupported.
Every ministry leader deserves to transition with dignity and grace. We can't go back in time, but we can change the future of ministry transitions. Let's commit together to ensure that the next generation of leaders experiences a healthier transition process, one filled with honor, clear communication, and the genuine love of Christ.
Stories like this affirm why Pastoral Transitions is so necessary, but we can't do this alone. We need allies, advocates, and partners to spread our message and join us in this mission. Learn how you can become part of the solution by becoming an affiliate with us and let churches and ministries know about our redemptive work before it’s too late. Together, we can change the narrative, and future, of ministry transitions.
Matt Davis served as a Teaching and Executive Pastor for more than two decades in Orange County, California. After going through his own pastoral transition out of ministry, Matt learned the difficulty of this season. He helped start Pastoral Transitions, a ministry committed to helping ministry leaders navigate pastoral transitions with grace. As President, he seeks to bring healing a reconciliation to churches and their people.
