Learn to Rest

There’s a time to pastor and a time to rest.

Thirty-three years ago, in January of 1991, my wife Sue and I moved with our four children to Burlington, Vermont. After nearly two years of recruiting, Christ Memorial Church was born on September 13, 1992. It was a time to pastor.

In the fall of 2021, after leading the church for over thirty years, I turned over the reins to my successor. It was a time to rest.

But how does one stop doing what he has loved for over three decades and spent most of his life preparing for? How does one who witnessed the birth of something so glorious walk away? How do you fight the good fight for so long and then retreat from battle?

Simply put, you don’t. Not when you know countless souls are still headed for hell. Not when you hear of churches struggling with barely a pulse. Not when scores of church buildings are being converted to condos and delis and town meeting halls in your neighborhood, and throughout New England and the Northeast. You don’t when there is still juice in the tank to serve.

How can the proverbial old dog learn to rest? The key is in not retreating completely. It’s to not kill the engine of life, but to downshift one’s responsibilities, as in parenting. When Sue and I host grandkids for an overnight, by the time they leave, we look at each other and say, “How did we ever do that 24/7 with our five kids?”

Senior pastoring is a young man’s game. The physical vigor, the mental stress of leading, vision-casting, counseling, and preparing sermons is demanding. At some point, you have to let that go. Just like you don’t completely stop parenting, you don’t completely stop ministering. It just looks different.

So I’ve downshifted my responsibilities. I’ve let go of being a lead pastor and the daily stress of managing a local flock. But what does it look like to downshift? To rest? Here are four things I’m trying to do at this stage of ministry.

1. Serve Christ’s Church

This is done both formally and informally, but my goal is to bless the church with what I’ve learned over a lifetime of ministry. Though no longer senior pastor, I continue to serve at Christ Memorial as a minister-in-residence—counseling, preaching, leading a community group, teaching Sunday school, and serving as a mentor and resource to the other pastors.

In addition, I’m blessed to continue as president of The New England Training and Sending Center for Church Planting and Revitalization (NETS), a ministry of Christ Memorial for the last 24 years. This keeps me quite busy, preaching at NETS Network churches, recruiting at seminaries, mentoring pastors in the field, training and placing church planters and revitalizers in New England and beyond, and ministering to churches throughout New England, the U.S., and abroad.

I’m also pursuing ministry avenues I didn’t have time for as a senior pastor. In April, NETS will launch a podcast for pastors called Pastor Pastor. I’m working on my first book, a goal I’ve had for over a decade, and have other book ideas in the queue. There’s much to be done, even at rest.

2. Study God’s Word

Again, this is both formal and informal. Though previously accepted into two Ph.D. programs, I could never matriculate due to pressing responsibilities at Christ Memorial and NETS. The month after I resigned, I began Ph.D. work at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and am on track to finish next year. It’s been rich and rewarding, caused me to stay in the game with my Greek, and began resurrecting my Hebrew. I’m hoping to add to the body of knowledge on progressive sanctification from the position that takes Romans 7:13–25 as an unbeliever, a perspective that has significantly shaped my shepherding.

My own time in the Word and prayer has also increased, especially in the Psalms. It has greatly ministered to my soul to see my Savior throughout the Psalms in new ways. And the freedom to linger a bit over Scripture and chase down questions that time did not permit in the past has been a blessing.

3. Engage Family

God has blessed Sue and me with five believing children, all happily married. He’s also blessed us with seventeen grandkids, fourteen girls and three boys. Retiring from the pastorate means Sue and I can drop everything when they visit (like just now, when our two-year-old grandson came by) and can take the grandkids for more overnights. We recently bought a used 28-foot RV that will sleep four kids. We’re looking for ways to be a bigger part of their lives, as well as to bring the families together.

Sue and I spend time together in the evening. As senior pastor, my evenings were taken up with ministry. We’re currently watching the TV drama West Wing, complete with popcorn and analysis (and catching up on emails). God has shown me great favor with a dear wife and growing family, and now there’s more time to enjoy them.

4. Pursue Other Interests

My commitment to the church these last three decades meant spending less time pursuing other activities I enjoy. With the purchase of this RV, Sue and I plan to tour some national parks and historic landmarks in Vermont and New England. I recently became a trumpet sub for the Vermont Jazz Ensemble (my dad was a professional trumpet player and I played in college). I’m hoping to land a permanent spot in the group, Lord willing.

And 31 years ago, God blessed us with a large fixer-upper home. Now, after three dogs (and a dog-breeding business), one cat, several guinea pigs, and five kids, we’ve begun in earnest to upgrade this old house.

During COVID, we redid the kitchen, much to Sue’s delight. Now we’re looking at remodeling the second floor, the only area that has remained largely untouched. Sue has contentedly done without for decades. Having paid for wrecked cars, college degrees, and all or part of five weddings, we now have some discretionary funds. I’m eager to bless my faithful ministry partner with a new master bedroom and bath.

Sue and I are learning to rest with responsibilities consonant with our age and energy levels. Although enjoying what God has given is certainly not wasteful (1 Tim. 4:4–5), as John Piper said, we must not waste our retirement. May our heavenly Father be pleased with the sacrifice we offer as we serve him diligently in this final chapter of our lives (Rom. 12:1–2).