Nathan E. Lewis

Occasionally over the past 20 years of my pastoral ministry, a member of our congregation will invite me to an exit interview. Some of the conversation goes like this: “God is calling me to change churches but I don’t want to lose your friendship. You have been a good pastor and I am hoping that you will still drop by and smoke a cigar with me.” In the past I would respond by saying: “There are many good reasons for you to change churches, so don’t read any bitterness or jealousy into my response. Go in peace, but I will have to give my pastoral care and friendship to members of my congregation and those people who are lost yet in my web of relationships, so that I might give to them the gospel. All that to say that I will no longer be able to drop by to smoke that cigar with you. Why don’t you ask your new Pastor to drop by and visit with you in your home?” I kid you not, the most usual response is: “You’ve got to be joking. My new Pastor is the Minister of a church of 5,000 members and so I could never expect him to come visit me and spend time with me personally.” (more…)