From time to time someone will ask me something along the lines of: “How do you know when it’s time to move on to another Church, ministry or opportunity?” I’ve wrestled with this question a number of times along the way.
Here’s how I approach it.
Two quick “filters” before I share the indicators that it may be time to hit the road:
You shouldn’t leave just because things get tough. “Obstacles are not always indicators” that it is time to move on, because ministry is not always easy. In fact, it’s usually pretty tough. If you are involved in ministry of any kind, you can pretty much expect to encounter obstacles and challenges every week. That’s just how it goes. I will go so far as to say that obstacles are usually (though not always) terrible indicators of direction in this regard.
Also, you shouldn’t be in too big of a hurry to leave. I think many people hit the road way too soon in ministry. Usually it takes at least 2 to 3 years in one place just to deal with the “messes of our own making.”
But just as it is a mistake to leave a position too soon in ministry, it is also a mistake to stay too long.
Sometimes God makes it unmistakably clear that He is calling you to someplace new. Other times, …not so much.
In those “fuzzy” times, here are some possible indicators that God may use to inform you that it is time to transition to a new ministry. Keep in mind that this is not a formula, and your results may vary…
1. You have a growing passion and heart for a ministry or opportunity that can not or will not be realized in your current situation.
This is when that passion or heart just won’t go away. No matter how hard you try to envision or implement it where you are, it just doesn’t work, or is continually blocked for some reason. Like the Apostle Paul’s “Macedonian call, (Acts 16:9-10)” it can only be fulfilled in one way: Going to Macedonia.
2. You lack vision, passion and love for the people in your area for an extended period of time.
This is not just the “Monday blues,” but a difficulty seeing what God may want to accomplish in your current ministry. If all you can come up with are “canned” goals from someone else’s ministry, and you can’t love the people with a desire to see them become all that God wants them to be, it may be time to go.
Of course, you may just need a vacation. But if after prayer and rest, you can’t seem to muster up love and vision for the people and place of ministry where you are, the “time to go” light may be flashing.
3. Your family begins to suffer beyond the normal risk/sacrifice ratio required for ministry.
There is a delicate balance between one’s responsibility to provide for one’s family and the necessity for one’s family to make certain sacrifices for the sake of the call. When the balance tips in the direction of not being healthy for your family, it may be an indicator that a search for a new place of ministry is in order.
It’s much easier to move into a new ministry than to get a new family.
4. The advice and counsel of Godly, trusted people outside of your ministry suggest you consider a move.
Sometimes an outside perspective from someone who has nothing to gain but the joy of seeing you succeed can bring insight you might never discover on your own. If you are wrestling with the issue of staying or moving on from your current ministry, find wise advisers who can keep things in confidence and give you their take on things. (Be sure to have a good wisdom filter in place when you do so.)
But when these good people suggest that you consider the possibility of moving “out of the blue” as it were, without any prompting from you – it may indicate that it’s time to consider packing up and heading out.
5. You can no longer honestly follow or support the leadership.
Obviously, this assumes that you are not the lead guy. But if you find that there are “one too many” things that you can’t see eye to eye on with the leadership, it’s most likely time to get going.
The longer you stay, the more unhappy and ineffective you, the leadership and the church will become. Better to part ways in a God honoring way than to allow things to boil.
6. You’re at an impenetrable brick wall.
Basically, this is when you have no support, are not received well, or your opportunity for success has passed. Nothing seems to work. There is no progress and no impression from God that you need to stay the course and keep hammering away.
I believe these times are similar to the situation that Jesus described to His disciples in Matthew 10:14, Mark 6:11 and Luke 9:5 – Essentially, if no one listens to you and you are not welcomed, “shake the dust” of your sandals and move on.
Again, all of these possible “indicators” are just that – “possible.” Please understand that they could also simply be distractions from your calling or mission, or “red light indicators” that something in your life, family or ministry is in trouble and needs attention.
As with all things, praying, fasting and seeking God’s direction continuously can help bring clarity and focus to your situation.
Don’t waste your life banging your head against a brick wall. If God wants you to stay He will give you that conviction, but if not – the fields are white for harvest and there are people everywhere who need Jesus.
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Johnny Leckie is a Christ Follower, Husband to Leona, and Father to Matthew, Melissa & Michael. He is also a Church Planting Pastor, Musician, Artist, & Blogger. He’s a big fan of Coffee & Bacon and is currently planting a Church in Aurora, Colorado called Compass Church. He is the founder of MinistryBackpack.com.
Thank you for the wisdom and experience. I would ask if you could expand on how to know the timing of when to leave and how to do so in a way that honors God and does not damage the church or hurt the people. If I leave, I want to do it in a way that would not be like a bad divorce. Thank you.
Hi, Bret! Thanks for your patience in waiting for a reply. The timing on when to leave and how to do it in a God honoring way would be a great subject for a follow up post to this one. Thanks for suggesting it! My short take/response is that if you are not the lead Pastor, and you sense that you are approaching the time to move on, it is probably time to share this privately with your Pastor. The best plan for the timing of leaving can then be thought through with the one who will still be there after you are gone. If you are the Pastor, I would think in terms of seasons: Are you in a season of growth? Are you in a season of building, or in a capital campaign? Are you in a natural transition time in the calendar, i.e., New Year or Summer? It’s best to not leave at a time that would cause hardship in some way to your church, particularly during a fund raising campaign or after taking on large capital debt. In terms of hurting the people – no matter how you leave, some people will still be disappointed and hurt. It’s a bummer, but that’s just an unavoidable part of the situation. Even the Apostle Paul left them crying at the seashore! But that doesn’t mean that it’s not time to go. A lot also depends on how loving and gracious you are personally toward the church that you have been serving, and the ministry to which you are going next. “God is calling me to…” is much better than “I’m just leaving.”