Because They Have Given So Much . . .

By now, most of my readers know that I am a semi-retired Baptist Pastor. Actually I am officially fully retired but because I don't think one ever retires from God's calling I refer to myself as "semi-retired."  In becoming "semi-retired" I have joined the ranks of a very special group of men and women. The one common denominator that we have in our lives is that we have experienced a very definite and precise call from God to what has now come to be called "vocational" ministry.

Personally, I have never thought of myself as a "professional" or "Vocational" minister. I have always thought of myself as a "preacher of the Gospel."  I remember clearly the night as a teenage boy I yielded my life plans to God's plan for my life. It was at the Boulevard Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas.  Estol Williams was preaching, probably from Romans as he spent two years preaching through that book, but I don't really recall. I really wasn't listening. Instead I was reading in John 12 and when I got to verse 32 which reads, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me," I knew what I was to do for the rest of my life . . .  I was to lift Jesus up. For me that meant nothing less than becoming a preacher of the Gospel.

Now I know that what I just said has nothing to the context and meaning of the passage. Clearly Jesus is speaking of His own death by crucifixion. In fact John shortly after verse 32 confirms this. However, on this day, God used this verse to speak to my heart about my lifes' work.  So that day my focus changed from becoming a historian to becoming a preacher. I pursued that calling like a laser beam and have never thought of myself since as anything more or less than a preacher of the Gospel.

So strong was this calling that whenever I went to a church I was quick to tell the "Pulpit Committee" (now refered to as Pastor Search Committees), Deacons and congregations that they did not pay me to preach. I wanted them to understand that when it came to preaching I worked for God not them. I preached for free. They paid me for all the other stuff involved in being a pastor of a Baptist Church.  The pulpit was my domain and my priority.

I went to school earned a BA degree, a M.Div. degree and a D.Min. degree and have been a student of the word of God all my life all to the end that I might understand and proclaim God's word and will to His people and to those who did not know him. Along with that preaching and teaching there were countless hospital and home visits; enumerable  meeting and conferences attended; countless marriages and funerals performed; people counseled and comforted, and a multitude of people met and countries visited.  The one thing I failed to focus on was my own old age. What does a God called preacher of the Gospel live on once he is no longer able earn his keep.  Here's what I have discovered. I am not alone in this. Most of the preachers I know who retire struggle to provided even the most basic of life's needs. 

When I talk to most lay people (non-clergy) about preacher's retirement they seem to think we were all pastors of a mega-church. I am here to say NOT!  Most of us never served in a large church. Someone once said, "God must especially love poor folks because He made so many of them." I'd paraphrase that a bit and say, God must really like small and medium size churches as He seems to have so many of them."  Most "preachers" never serve in a large place and by far-and-away most preachers never have a salary that permits putting anything aside for retirement.

I remember the first church I pastored my entire salary package (base pay, retirement allowance {$15 month}, insurance of all kinds allowance, and book allowance) came to $9800 per year. Since I didn't opt out of social security (one of the smartest things I didn't do) that came out of the $9800 as well. Glad they had a parsonage (manse). I'm betting most preachers my age could tell the same story.  It was a struggle but, after all, God called us to preach not retirement planning. In fact most of us thought we would die in the pulpit. Many of us have even said that we would like to spend our lives preaching and then have God call us home in the middle of a sermon.  By the way, that has happened to a few preachers over the years but will not happen for most of us.  No, most of us will because of health issues, or age, or some other circumstance actually have to retire. It is then that we realize, "I should have done something to prepare for this." Well, some of us did.

I stayed in Social Security, opened a Plan-A retirement account with the Annuity Board, and later migrated to a 403B account with Guidestone.  The Social Security is not much, the Plan-A was safe but small, but the 403B account took some major hits in the last few years. Twice it was hit hard as the result of financial institution speculation and Wall Street's machinations. So after 25 years of contributions and earnings the action of people other than myself left me with a greatly reduced retirement account. It would have been worse but God put an investment banker in my life who gave me some good advice. I took it and got half my retirement account back over a three year period. Unfortunately it means my retirement income is about 1/2 what it would have been but thankfully it is as a preacher friend of mine says, "adequate."  We get by.

I knew when God called me he would provide for my needs. And, you know what, He has. He put us through College as a young couple, Through seminary and nearly 40 years of ministry. Over the years we have learned to depend upon the Lord (could there be a song in that). He has faithfully supplied all our needs and a great many of our wants. And like I said, our retirement income isn't what we planned or expected but it is adequate to our needs. Can't say much about the wants though.

Not every pastor is so fortunate and because they are not I want to make a few suggestions for your consideration and action:

1. If you are a member of a small to medium size church (any denomination) talk to you pastor about his retirement. If your church does not provide a retirement allowance ask your leadership, "Why not."  Get informed.

2. Contact your denominations retirement organization. Most denominations have one. For Southern Baptist it is  GuideStone Financial Services.  They can explain all the various retirement options available to your pastor.

3. Get involved in Mission Dignity.  Since 1918, GuideStone Financial Resources (Formerly the Annuity Board of the SBC) has been on a “Mission” to provide “Dignity” to retired Southern Baptist ministers, workers or their widows.  As I stated above many served small, rural churches that paid only modest salaries and couldn’t afford to contribute to their pastors’ retirement. Often, these loyal soldiers of the cross had to work extra jobs just to make ends meet.

Mission:Dignity currently helps more than 2,000 people with extra money needed for housing, food and vital medications. It has also ensured a well-deserved dignity, independence and, often, the ability to continue serving. These are men and women who have faithfully served God’s people and now find themselves struggling to meet even basic needs.  Give them a call and see how you can make a difference.  Visit Mission:Dignity of FaceBook.

Addendum:  Since I posted this I have received a fouth suggestion . This one is for those who belong to the large and/or mega church. It's something their own church does but I suggest is something any church can do. Churches can make Mission:Dignity a part of their missions budget. Anothr thing he mentioned was that some of the Sunday School Classes adopt a particular retired minister and send them a monthly stipend directly. It occurred to me when I heard this that even if you are cash strapped you could get a group together and cut their grass every week or so. That's about $30 a month they could use for, say medicine or maybe just day out with lunch. As my Dad used to tell me, Son, don't just stand there do something."