My Resignation

After much prayer and reflection, I have made a private decision I need to make public here today. Effective immediately, I am resigning as the Leader of our church. Why am I taking this drastic measure? The answer is simple: The challenges of leadership here are simply more than I can currently handle. It is difficult for me to admit, but I have been in over my head for some time now. I am inadequate to lead this church. I simply cannot do it alone or be in charge any more. For a long time, I have carried the burden, the debt, the decisions, the pain, and the weight of trying to lead this church to greatness.

I thought for a long time I could do it. I thought I could turn it around. I have that I could help our church grow and reach more people. I thought I was capable of leading our team and our leaders in accomplishing our mission. I have worked hard to discipline and grow myself as a leader, preacher and visionary for our church. More so than ever before, however, God has shown me that I am not the man for this job. For reasons like this, I have made the decision to resign.

All that being said, I have no plans to leave the church. I just don't want to be the leader anymore. My plan is to continue to serve here, and you will see me around. I may not be as visible, but I will be here. Don't be alarmed by this course of action. When new leadership is securely in place, I covenant to you as a church family: I will follow His leadership.

In fact, I have no intentions of resigning from my actual position as Lead Pastor of our church. I am confident that God called me here for a purpose. I know for today that God has called me to be Lead Pastor of this church. Therefore, I am not resigning from my position as Lead Pastor.

I am simply resigning of any desire to be THE LEADER of this church. That is not my rightful place as Lead Pastor. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and I am accountable to live under His leadership and authority. I confess to you that this has often not been the case. I have usurped His authority. I have disobeyed His commands. I have done what I wanted to do at the expense of what he has told me to do. For that, I am sorry. I have already repented to God. Today, I repent to you.

Another caution: this will not be my last resignation. My tendency will be to try to take over God's role in our church from time to time. I will unconsciously try to steal His glory and His position again. So I plan to make resignation as leader of this church more a daily practice in my life and ministry.

In fact, I think it will be important for all of us to remember that Jesus is the Leader of our church. No matter how long we have been at this church or how long we have been Christians, I would be remiss not to admonish us all that none of us deserves to be in charge of His church. Honestly, there are some others among us who think they are. Others of us wish we were at times. For that, all of us need to repent.

This letter serves as notice that every single church leader that calls our church home needs to tender their resignations, as well. None of us have a right to lead this church. None of us can hold on to leadership if we want our church to be successful. We all must resign from leadership. We have all held on to status, position, and control too long. This is not our church. It belongs to Jesus. We all will resign regularly as long as I am the Lead Pastor.

As you tender your resignations, let me encourage you by saying that every time I resign, the craziest thing happens: an amazing transformation happens in my life. I feel liberated. My burdens feel lighter. I feel a sense of incredible relief. I feel relieved to know that I don't have to be the change agent for people. I feel relieved to know that I don't have to envision the future for our church. That's His job. I feel relived to know that I don't have to make things happen through brilliant strategy, leadership, or clever preaching. Life change and church growth is His job. I wish I would have never taken that job away from Him. He is so much more capable than I am.

I'm sorry I ever took that role away from Him, as well. I have resigned. I'll keep on resigning, too. Why? So God can do immeasurably more than I could ever ask or imagine in and through my life; and build HIS church THROUGH me! If that sounds desirable to you, would you join me in tendering your resignation today?

14 Comments »

1. Wow, Shawn. Timely, powerful words. Thanks!

   -Matthias

   Comment by Matthias - Sep 21, 2011 @ 05:42 PM

2. It might be an easy step to resign, but it is the people who would not let you go. Jesus might be the leader, but for the people it is easier to deal with you than to cope with Jesus. So the church members rarely will let you go.

   Comment by Yermak - Sep 21, 2011 @ 11:06 PM

3. Beautiful. I resign too. Can you remind me in 60 days that I quit that job nobody gave to me?

   Comment by Dave - Sep 22, 2011 @ 04:06 AM

4. Shawn, it is amazing that I am not on Facebook often, but stumbled in this morning to find your message and of course I had to see what you were up to.  This was a profound thought for all of us to ponder.  I often pray for God to give me the insight to not get in his way.  But, I am not good at listening.  This was a great reminder that we should not try to be leaders of our lives or anyone else’s and just get out his way.  Think what an awesome world it would be if we all could follow the example you have described here.  Thank you, Shawn, for constantly reminding us of who is truly our “Leader”.

   Comment by Sharon - Sep 22, 2011 @ 04:33 AM

5. Thank you for this great reminder and I am sharing this with my elders this Sun.!!! God bless!!! Looking forward to your book coming out!!!

   Comment by Terra - Sep 22, 2011 @ 05:46 AM

6. pathetic grandstanding…shameful hyperbole
   don’t tell me about it, live it.

   Comment by Heather - Sep 22, 2011 @ 06:15 AM

7. Yeah… I run somewhere between Terra and Heather on this one….. there are many, many called to lead their churches as under-shepherds under the authority of the Shepherd. If they are following Him, then they are to lead….not be in control….. it seems like there is a lot of move any more to make grand humble statements that always seem to have 3/4 truth and 1/4 “something doesn’t quite seem right with this”. If you are called to be a leader in the church, LEAD as you FOLLOW. If you have that influence, (as Andy Stanley would say) leverage it for God.

   Comment by Tom - Sep 22, 2011 @ 07:18 AM

8. That you. I wish i had read this several years ago before I burned out as worship minister of mmy previous church. Now listening to God and the different directions He has for me. Found a wonderful church with supportive friends. Struggles, yes! Not even doing what I expected to be doing but I am doing what God wants me to do.

   Comment by Jill Porter - Sep 22, 2011 @ 01:01 PM

9. What a classic and though provoking article!  Thanks for challenging my days.

   Comment by pete - Sep 23, 2011 @ 02:54 AM

10. Great word—but to be a leader, called to do what God wants, we need to be servants.  God did not call anyone to be the ‘head’ of an organization apart from servanthood. Jesus was the greatest example for us, and he served, even unto death.

    Comment by Rose - Oct 07, 2011 @ 06:40 AM

11. Great word! I wasn’t sure where you were going with that and loved the way you spun it.  Lots of leaders/pastors bailing out these days.  good to hear that someone is just giving back the reins to where they belonged in the first place.

    Comment by Rich - Oct 19, 2011 @ 12:40 PM

12. Amen!

    Comment by Yoon Park - Oct 20, 2011 @ 08:25 AM

13. Thanks for your openness and truth!

    Comment by Stan Parker - Oct 25, 2011 @ 03:39 PM

14. Thank you for this reminder!  Do you mind if I borrow it?

    Comment by Cecil - Oct 31, 2011 @ 12:20 PM

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