This topic contains 42 replies, has 16 voices, and was last updated by 
David Hayward 1 year, 3 months ago.
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Hi everyone who’s reading this: Do you know any ex-pastors that might join this site? I look forward to joining with others.
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This topic was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by David Hayward.
I know some who I will mention this site to.
I’ve passed your site on to several ex pastors… some have joined.
sweet. thanks starfielder!!
I am a theologically trained Pentecostal, who worked as an associate Pastor for a small independent congregation in Stanley, NB. The reason I was not working with the denominational structure of my training is that there was a need for youth pastors with music ability. I had no interest in either.
I left the pastoral position as I realized it was not my calling. I chose to return to university and upgrade my BTh to a BA leading to BEd. The BEd has not happened and will never happen, as I found my true passion to be in partisan politics with the NDP.cool AtheishAnglican. nice to meet you. And thanks for sharing!
my pleasure. I have been observing and posting on the public site, under my name Doug. On signing up for the member site, I thought I would embrace where my journey has brought me. My actions are the only expression of my belief that I can verify. So I love the whole term atheish. I’ve never fit in with the consumer church. I’ve found more affinity and friendship with atheists. I’m at the happiest I’ve ever been. Still attend church weekly and am active in the services, using my gifts of hospitality. but hold loosely to the whole endeavor, care more for the community than the bricks and mortar.
I’m the happiest I’ve ever been too.
Hi everyone, I’m four and a half years out of professional, paid, pastoring. I got dropped on my ass and it hurt like hell, but honestly it has been the best thing ever for me, my wife, children, spiritual journey, and continuing ministry.
My story is painful and comical, but I don’t have time to write it all down here. I’m grateful that David has started this site and look forward to creating new and deep friendships here.
will you take some time chad to give us at least a little synopsis? i’m curious!
Chad, So glad you’ve joined us here! I hope you’ll share more of your story. It’s worth telling. (And you’ve had quite an adventure.)
I certainly will tell more of my story. What I meant to say is that I don’t have time ‘right now’ to share it all on this site. I have a really busy 3 weeks coming up, but will definitely come back to interact with this group both to share and learn.
David, thanks for your friendship and for creating this site.
Starfielder, thank you for encouraging me to join now. I am glad you are here!
Chad, good luck on all your creative endeavors. You have become a talented photographer. I’m loving your new project! You are inspiring! Go Chad go!
Okay, quick synopsis:
I grew up in church from the age of 4. Went to private, Christian schools my whole life. My church background included several years at a Baptist styled church and then an Assembly of God church.
I joined YWAM a month out of high school and did a couple of mission trips to the Philippines with them. I went back when I was 22 to go to their University of the Nations where I received my B.A in Christian Ministries with a Church Ministries major. My wife and I spent two years as youth pastors in a local, Hawaiian, Assembly of God church during this time. I declined to get ordained by them as I couldn’t sign their statement of beliefs. They just licensed me locally.
Upon graduating we moved back home and I went on staff at our home church. I took over small groups, college, and singles ministry and was the back up teacher for the sr. pastor. I left after two years when the pastor was emotionally abusing the staff and wouldn’t take any input. We had a 1 year old baby, were pregnant with our second, and had no idea in hell what I’d do for a job. The pastor told me it would be ‘unethical’ for me to get another ministry job in the local community. Since I had again declined to be ordained by the AofG, the pastor used it as an excuse for why I was no longer on staff – I had weird theology.
For two years i worked as a technical writer, writing user manuals and getting started guides for HP printers. We started going to the Vineyard church at this time. I worked with the staff on a leadership manual the sr. pastor was writing and they ended up hiring me to take over leadership development at the church.
I served for 12 years as pastor at the Vineyard. I ran leadership programs, education, small groups, an elementary school, and a nine month discipleship school for college students throughout my time there. I also held regional and national responsibilities for the denomination. I did accept their license and ordination.
After 3 years of running the discipleship school I was told I would no longer be retained. They told me it came down to finances, but that has never sat well with me. I was told I needed to be pastoring 500 people instead of 50. The sr. pastors expectation of me was that I would build a college, when my expectation was that each year I’d get a new set of college age disciples to work with for nine months. He wanted a reproducible program. I wanted to change the world.
The day after he let me go the executive pastor called me to his office and told me there would be no severance package (three months of pay and my laptop) unless I wrote a letter of resignation and made it look like it was my idea to leave. I walked out without a word, incredulous that they had played good cop/bad cop with me. I refused to play and they ended up paying the severance, I think in fear that I would go public.
When I was let go the sr. pastor had the expectation I would just get another ministry job in the Vineyard. What he didn’t understand were my priorities, which is my family. There was no way I was uprooting my four kids and my wife to a new town just so I could be a pastor. I went back to technical writing and the pastor didn’t know what to tell the church – so he told them nothing. I just disappeared.
My wife and I have declined to start our own church or gathering because we don’t want to invest in a ‘thing’ just people. It feels like we have a hostel. We are not a destination, just a resting place on people’s journeys. People come over for discussion, community, a meal, a nap, and then go on their way. It just feels right to us.
A friend asked me a couple of weeks ago if I’d like to start a church with him. My response was, “Why would I want to ruin a perfectly good relationship for something like that?” He laughed, but I was serious too.
The last four and a half years have brought more growth in my family and me than ever would have happened if we were still in the same shell. Though leaving the organized church was not my idea, and though getting booted was extremely hard, it seriously has been the best thing that has happened to me and I am grateful.
Chad, Thank you for sharing your journey on with us. I’m really sad at how you were treated… but I am so glad our family met you along the way. I’ll never forget sitting outside our tents at CBS and you telling us your story. Remarkable!
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This topic was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by
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