Ten Commandments for Pastors Leaving a Congregation

Lovett Weems recommends a book to help pastors who are ending ministry with a congregation or moving to a new pastoral assignment.

Lawrence W. Farris has written a superb book to help pastors who are approaching the time of leaving ministry in a particular place. Using the model he applied to his earlier book for pastors who are new in a congregation, he explores “ten commandments” for pastors preparing to leave. The topics are right, and the chapters are consistently filled with wisdom. This is the best book I have read on the subject of pastoral leaving.

The commandments outlined by Farris are:

• Thou Shalt Know When It Is Time to Go
• Thou Shalt Explain Thyself
• Thou Shalt Not Steal Away
• Thou Shalt Affirm Thy Congregation’s Ministry
• Thou Shalt Try to Mend Fences
• Thou Shalt Help Thy Successor Have a Good Beginning
• Thou Shalt Be Gentle with Thyself
• Thou Shalt Attend to Thy Family
• Thou Shalt (Usually) Stay Away Once Thou Hast Left
• Thou Shalt Grieve

Lawrence W. Farris has made transitions himself as a Presbyterian pastor. Farris is also author of Ten Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation, Eerdmans, 2003, and Dynamics of Small Town Ministry, Alban, 2000.