Recently in this blog, we said pastors should be terminated abruptly if they are guilty of flagrant indecency, proven immorality, confirmed illegality, and serious heresy.

Several friends wrote to ask about pastors who are not guilty of those serious breaches, but are simply deadbeat preachers.

One said of her pastor, "He's not guilty of any cardinal sins, but he simply stands by collecting a paycheck when the congregation has dwindled down from 250 to 50. All the programs and ministries are no longer functioning. Many changes were forced upon the people, changes they did not want."

Her pastor receives a hefty salary while watching the church die around him and doing nothing about it.

She added, "When asked about all the people who were leaving—three-fourths of the church!—he says, 'Well, they shouldn't be here if they don't want to be.' And these are people who have worshiped there 40 and 50 years."

She wanted to know what I had to say about that situation.

Unfortunately, she's not alone. I've heard from several about such pastors who are dead weights on the congregation.

I have two thoughts: a) A lazy do-nothing pastor should be ushered out of the ministry as quickly as it's determined that he is beyond helping. b) However, the blame for his continuing in the pulpit and hastening the church's demise should be laid at the feet of the lay leadership. They clearly decided not to deal with the man.

In most cases, the members who remained are the passive ones willing to let the pastor do whatever he chooses and as little as he pleases.

So, what does a church do with a deadbeat pastor?

Dr. Mark Rutland's

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