There are certain conditions in the church that increase the likelihood of a pastor’s departure well before it takes place….When a pastor leaves a church, whether through firing or voluntary departure for negative reasons, it is rarely a single immediate factor that led to the exit. There are typically negative conditions that created the environment for the departure.

I have written rather extensively on this blog regarding the short tenure of pastors in churches. Of course, many pastors leave churches for very positive reasons. They sense a call to another ministry opportunity. Or they retire from a church with a new phase of ministry in mind.

But too many departures of pastors are negative. Sometimes the pastor is fired. On other occasions, the pastor leaves under adverse conditions.

Oftentimes, we look at the immediate precipitating factor of the departure and conclude that to be the reason for the exit. But, in reality, there are certain conditions in the church that increase the likelihood of a departure well before it takes place. Here are five of those conditions:

1. False promises made prior to the pastor’s arrival. Depending on the polity of a church, those promises are made by an individual or a group….
2. Lack of clear expectations established. …“What frustrated you the most about your previous pastor?” This one simple question will provide a lot of insights regarding expectations.
3. Lack of accountability of the pastor.Every person in an organization needs some level of real accountability….
4. No advocacy group for a pastor.Too many churches have no group that is specifically supportive and prayerful for the pastor….
5. Lack of full disclosure by the church.

[Editor’s note: This article is incomplete. The link (URL) to the original article at Church Answers is unavailable and has been removed.]