Resigning from Ministry: A Youth Minister’s Perspective
In the article , Matt McCage discusses the difficulty of stepping down from ministry when others depend on you:
“Is this really happening?†That was the thought running through my head that dreadful Monday night almost year ago—the night I decided to resign. How did ministry come to this point? Did I miss the “exit†sign on the journey? Did I make a wrong turn somewhere only to find myself at a dead-end? Was there anything I could have done differently that would have saved teenagers and their families from the pain of having to look me in the eye as they searched for some type of answer by asking me, “Why?â€
He goes on to say:
My mistake was thinking that was the end, but it wasn’t. Walking away means allowing the new youth pastor the opportunity to love the students now and make them his own. It means gently severing relationships with high school students as to give him a fair chance to serve them and build his relationships. I have to remember, I am the one who left. Did I follow God’s direction? Yes, but I am still the one who left. I’m the one who has chosen to walk away and walk away I must.
I thought Matt did a great job opening up to discuss what it is like for a ministry leader to leave. Sometimes those remaining may think it is easy, or that the leader is abandoning the church. But as Matt points out, it is tough for both sides.
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