If I’m unwilling to do the work, then it’s time to retire. I see too many pastors who want the paycheck, prestige, and honor, but are in cruise-control and are phoning in their sermons and counseling sessions. These are just some of the things I presently take into consideration as I think about what things will lead me to retire.

One of the more difficult questions to answer in a pastor’s life is determining when it’s time to retire from ministry. When should a pastor retire? This is a tough question for several reasons, but mostly because it all depends on a number of circumstances. Thus, there is no one set answer for this question; it ultimately calls for wisdom. I cannot personally answer this question with a great degree of certainty because I am nowhere near ready to retire. So, I can’t speak from personal experience, but I can address the question from Scripture, from observing others who have retired, and my own motivations and desires.

First, what does Scripture have to say about retirement? The short answer is, not much. The Bible does not specify an age for retirement. But one thing the Bible constantly reminds us of is, our union with Christ should ultimately define who we are. Our activities, as I said in last week’s post, should not define who we are. Our vocations and circumstances in life might regularly change but our union with Christ does not. Find your sense of self-worth in Christ, not in what you do. This is the most important scriptural truth we must remember when we begin to think about retirement.

Second, just because you retire does not mean you are no longer able to serve in Christ’s church. I know of many ministers who retire and continue to serve the church through pulpit supply, at presbytery or classis, or even at the synodical or general assembly level. In many respects retired ministers are a great asset to the church. I know of retired ministers, for example, who have served as interim pastors for churches that do not have a minister. In such a capacity, they have been a huge encouragement to a needy congregation. But even then, just because you retire doesn’t mean that you have actively to serve.

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