How to Know When it is Time to Retire

Somewhere in North America a pastor, we will call “Gregory,” had not felt the energy he had as a younger pastor for more than a decade, but felt it was his duty to continue pastoring his three churches.  Now that Gregory has reached 80 years of age the stress of ministry is eroding his health.  The joy of ministry is long gone, but what else can a pastor do?  

One Sabbath, Gregory preached his sermon and feeling poorly, he headed to his car to go home and rest. Gregory never made it to his car, but suddenly collapsed in the parking lot, abruptly ending his journey on earth.

Throughout my ministry as a pastor/missionary/administrator I, as you, have lived the many realities of the ministry journey from call to retirement.

  1. Awe of call and education

  2. Wide eyed expectations of great things

  3. Reality of slow-motion ministry, and weariness of attacks

  4. Celebration of big and small things accomplished by God

  5. Rejoicing in God’s mission/vision and Kingdom growth

  6. Retirement 

If you are still young, get the best guidance available to prepare financially so you will eventually be able to retire comfortably. Preparation is essential, but beyond the scope of this article. Here, we want to ask the question, “How do you know when it is time to retire?”

The New Testament does not give an expiration date for Christian pastors, but we may gain some insight from God’s counsel to Moses concerning God’s priests.  

“Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘this is what applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall enter to perform service in the work of the tent of meeting. But at the age of fifty years they shall retire from service in the work and not work anymore. They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to fulfill an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. In this way you shall deal with the Levites in their obligations’” (Numbers 8:23-26).

As you can see there are two principles we can glean from this passage. 

1. There is a time to retire.  We are not letting God down or shirking our duty to God by retiring. God apparently is eager for you to have life after ministry. 

2. Ministry after retirement does not go away, but shifts into a new slower phase of support for pastors in ministry.

I believe that God does not require pastors today to serve as long as they have life and breath.  There is so much support that a retired pastor can provide for the church. There is meaningful ministry that you can provide after retirement. You can decide what you will, or will not do more readily. 

Perhaps your next God given ministry is to your family or extended family. There is so much more connecting or reconnecting to one’s spouse to accomplish.  There are children and grandchildren to love and enjoy and be an inspiration and influence for God and good.  After all, family is your most important “mission field!”

If you are approaching retirement age you may need to evaluate and determine the right time to retire.  Working beyond when it is time to retire can damage or even destroy your ministry legacy. Working beyond when it is time to retire can stymie or even stall God’s plans for the church.

Here is a suggested list of considerations as you face the question, “Is it time to retire?   

  1. Am I at retirement age?

  2. Do I sense of God’s leading to the next stage of life?

  3. Is my spouse urging me to retire?

  4. Are the next stage of life and the unknowns frightening to consider?

  5. Are trusted counselors/mentors suggesting it may be time for me retire?

  6. Is my health or wellness issues focusing me inward instead of outward in mission?

  7. Has my ministry become a chronic stress, burden, with no prospects for the future? 

  8. Have I run out of energy to dream big with God and see mission/vision through to reality?

  9. Am I continuing in full-time ministry only because of poor retirement planning, as a job, or for the income?

  10. Am I going through the motions with little or no fruitfulness?

  11. Am I seeing adversaries everywhere instead of the possibilities for God?

  12. Do I find myself working to protect the church from itself, or limiting leadership growth in others?

If you are at retirement age and sense you do not have the energy for ministry for the church, you should step aside for a while and evaluate if it is time to retire.  You should not continue pastoral ministry for your own purposes or because, you need the money.  If poor planning has you financially unprepared, it is time to get counseling, and trust God for your future.  

If fear of the next stage of life has you standing still like a “deer in the headlights,” let me share with you the joy I have found in retirement.  My greatest joy has come through spending time with my spouse, family and hobbies and projects long set aside because of ministry demands. I have found joy in serving the church without the stress of leadership. And I have connected to God better than ever before.   

David Ripley is a pastor, administrator, and church worker who retired after more than 36 years of service. 

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