I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV)
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. (Acts 20:24 NIV)
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 NIV)
Have you noticed that sometimes, as leaders approach retirement from their employment, they can begin to “coast”? Perhaps they simply smile and nod at things that once would have prompted them to intervene. Maybe they begin going through the motions—watching, waiting, and counting down the days until retirement.
When that leader serves in a church, the consequences can extend beyond the leader himself. The church may begin to languish and simply “tread water,” following the example set by its pastor.
I don’t think Jesus ever went through the motions.
Granted, He was decades younger than many pastors who are approaching their retirement years. But chronological age is one thing; the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us is another.
I hope that the men and women leading Christian churches have experienced the Lord and His leading deeply throughout their years of ministry—and that they continue to seek Him today. I hope they take seriously the Apostle Paul’s teaching about the responsibility of leading and caring for God’s people.
Most of all, I hope their hearts remain tender toward God, responsive to His leading, and deeply committed to His people.
Let us pray:
God,
We thank You for the men and women You have called to leadership in Your Church, and for those who have faithfully served You in these roles for many years—even decades. Thank You for their dedication to expanding Your Kingdom and for the ways they have led, cared for, and ministered to Your people.
Today, we pray especially for those who are considering or approaching retirement from their leadership roles. We ask that Your Holy Spirit would guide their decisions with wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. Make clear to them whether they should retire, when the time is right, and what that transition should look like.
We also pray that You would keep the fire of Your Holy Spirit burning brightly within them. Help them to continue leading with dignity, integrity, purpose, and faithfulness for as long as You have called them to serve. Guard them against the temptation to simply coast toward retirement. Instead, keep their hearts engaged and their eyes fixed on Your Kingdom work. Give them renewed energy and purpose as they continue to lead and serve the people You have entrusted to their care.
Pour out Your Spirit, wisdom, strength, and grace upon these leaders. Help them to finish well, faithfully serving You and Your Church until the work You have given them is complete.
We pray this in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgmentas the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. (1 Timothy 3:1-7, NIV)
An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:6-9 NIV)
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2-3 NIV)