WHY IS THE WORLD WOULD A SUPER CHURCH PASTOR LEAVE?

When Chuck Swindoll left his church to give his time exclusively to be a national figure we all thought it was just a fluke. We knew that once in a while a super church pastor leaves his church for other than moral reasons. Then this year John Maxwell followed Swindoll over the hill. Some of us raised our eyebrows and began to ponder why both of these very "successful men" left their super church pastorates. Now with Dale Galloway joining the walkout, its worth seriously asking what might be happening. Why would a pastor leave a super church where he seems to have everything you could dream for? That is what I've been wondering. Some possibilities:

1. Pastoring a super church is exhausting work.

Pastoring a big church might mean a big salary, big fame and a big staff, but it also means big criticism, big problems, and big headaches. The assumption that they've "got it made" is inaccurate -- a myth the rest of us make up about them, like peasants dream about how good it is to by king. It is more common than you'd think for super church pastors to privately confess they often yearn for the days when they pastored that church they used to have of 125. These guys have left hard work. Very hard work.

2. They are turning 50.

Maybe they're tired. Two of them said as much in their resignations. Guys in their 50's can't run at the same pace they did at 40. All three of these guys have been burning the candle at both ends. Maybe they're getting worried about the wax.

3. John Wesley mentality

There are simply some men whose ministry can't be limited to any one place -- the world is their parish" so they increasingly act like it.

4. Finances.

Certainly this is can't be a primary factor any more than you took your present ministry for money. But money sometimes is an ancillary consideration. If a guy makes a bundle of money and buys a fancy house as a pastor you get severely criticized (as Swindoll did). But if you operate a business -- even a religious one -- and make a bundle, you are simply thought to be smart. Maybe one or more of these guys wants to become financially independent before he retires. Its a possibility.

5. The grind.

Pastoring grinds one down slowly. Preparing new messages every week. Making hard decisions. Raising money. Making plans. Pacifying people. Visiting hospitals (well, maybe not hospital visitation in these cases). And dealing with th