Ultimately, the whole retirement debate is about the faithfulness of God.  Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all your basic needs will be supplied by him (Mt. 6:33).  We must be wise in our planning, but also we must never lose sight of this promise.

Whenever I broach the topic of retirement for preachers, I usually hear the refrain that retirement is not biblical.  Maybe so, but most people (including preachers) do need to slow down as they grow older.  At some point, you just can’t keep up the pace anymore. Sometimes ministers find that their physical body simply cannot take the mental stress that it once did. Some get sick and others just burn out. Therefore, it’s good to have a retirement plan just in case you have to leave the pastorate as an older man. We are not all like Moses.

A man of the cloth never totally retires.  If you leave your pulpit, there may be plenty of funerals, weddings, and opportunities for supply preaching. Once a preacher, always a preacher!  I continue to worship in my former church where I was the pastor for thirty-one years. It may not always be advisable to do this, but it has worked well for me.  The new pastor and I get along well.  It is hard for me to leave the people that I loved for so long.  It just seems cruel to separate.   Considering that retirement is a major decision in life, I thought it might be helpful to mention at least three things that I have learned after being retired for several years.

Work as long as you can.  There is nothing quite like being productive and being paid for your work. A laborer is worthy of his wages.  The longer you work, the more you will enjoy retirement. After retirement, make sure you have plenty to do. Just because you are not in the pulpit every Sunday does not mean that you are useless.  If you stay local where people know you, there will be numerous opportunities for ministry.  While you are young, learn a skill you can use in retirement.  After retiring, find yourself a part-time job.  Pursue your hobbies. Go back to school.  Write a book.  Don’t feel guilty because you are not driving to work every day.  After a few years of retirement, I can finally face my day without feeling lazy while I watch all my neighbors go to their jobs every morning.

Save as much as you can.  Make sure you have enough money to retire.  Many men in small churches are not able to save enough for retirement.  Their wives stayed at home and raised the children.  Their employer contributed very little if anything to their retirement plan. They don’t have wealthy parents.  To make things worse, beginning with my generation, men began to opt out of the Social Security System.  Without social security supplements and Medicare, you will need a lot of money stashed away.  Even if you are in the social security system you probably need a retirement fund of a half-million dollars to live a modest lifestyle.  If you opted out of the social security system, you will need considerably more money. This is because of longer life-spans, low interest rates on investments, and a volatile stock market.

Now of course there may be other alternatives.  Be careful about depending on a potential inheritance.  Maybe you expect your children to take care of you.  This may be an option, but it may not.  This may cause more conflict than you expect. For example, some adult children can barely take care of their own families.  Plan to be as self-sufficient as you can for as long as you can.

Exercise as much as you can.  Certain diseases are just not preventable.  Some of them come through the genes.  However, over fifty percent of diseases occur because people have an unhealthy lifestyle.  Their diet is harmful, and they do not exercise.  For most of us, the metabolism slows down with age and we face atrophy.  The gait becomes sluggish and the eyesight becomes dim.  To help counteract this, try walking everyday or go to a gym.  Purchase some light-weight barbells and lift them regularly.  Do a few sit-ups or touch your toes fifty times every morning (except Sunday).  The body is going to deteriorate, but you can slow down that process and feel better by following a simple exercise regimen. This works for young pastors too.

Ultimately, the whole retirement debate is about the faithfulness of God.  Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all your basic needs will be supplied by him (Mt. 6:33).  We must be wise in our planning, but also we must never lose sight of this promise.

Larry E. Ball is a Honorably Retired Minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and is now a CPA. He lives in Kingsport, Tennessee.