If you’re a pastor, how do you discern when it’s time to leave a church? This question has been on my mind, not because I’m planning to leave the church I pastor, but because I recently came across this quote from Peter Martyr Vermigli in his 1568 commentary on Romans: “Like Elijah, many ministers want to abandon their calling, but as long as they are not forced out, they must not abandon their congregation in any circumstance.”
While I’m not sure I’d go quite that far, I do agree with Vermigli’s underlying conviction: a pastor should not lightly abandon his calling to a particular congregation. Leaving a church is a weighty decision, one that requires careful thought, prayer, and discernment. With that in mind, here are three poor reasons for leaving a church, and one good reason to consider it.
Don’t quit because you’re discouraged.
Pastoral discouragement is normal and is often a bad reason to quit.
If you’re in pastoral ministry, discouragement will come. It’s inevitable. You will be disappointed by your own efforts. You will be disappointed by criticism. You will be disappointed and hurt by the people you love. A lot will depend on your circumstances and temperament, but you will often feel discouraged. In general, these feelings are temporary and are not a good reason to quit.
Don’t quit because you don’t see results.
Measuring results in ministry is notoriously difficult. At times, the fruit is visible: God blesses, and you witness conversions, baptisms, and clear signs of growth. But sometimes fruit will seem sparse. It’s often hard to pinpoint why a church is experiencing either a season of growth or a time of struggle.
Our calling, however, isn’t to control the results but to remain faithful in fulfilling our pastoral duties. There will be seasons of evident blessing, and there will be seasons of hardship. In both, we’re called to stay rooted in the ordinary means of grace—preaching the Word, prayer, and shepherding God’s people. Resist the temptation to take credit during the fruitful seasons, and persevere through the barren ones.
Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 2:6 that we need the work ethic of a farmer. Farmers labour diligently, whether the harvest is abundant or the crops fail. They know the value of persistence, even when results are delayed or uncertain. Likewise, we must learn to press on, trusting that God is at work even when we don’t see immediate results. Faithfulness, not visible success, is the measure of our ministry.
Don’t quit because you want a bigger ministry.
I’m convinced Francis Schaeffer’s wisdom, drawn from Luke 14:7-11, is right: “This is the way of the Christian: he should choose the lesser place until God extrudes him into a position of more responsibility and authority.” Schaeffer highlights the unique blessings of smaller ministries: they often foster greater quietness and peace before God and serve as a safeguard against the dangers of ungodly ambition.
It’s not inherently wrong to step into a larger ministry with greater responsibility and authority when God clearly leads. But our default posture should be one of faithfulness where we are, even in a small ministry, rather than striving for something bigger or more prominent. True greatness in ministry isn’t found in size or status but in humble, faithful service to the Lord.
Don’t quit because you’re discouraged, because you don’t see results, or because you want a bigger ministry. When should you quit?
Quit when it’s either inescapable or wise.
Sometimes you have no choice. Your health is bad, your energy has diminished, your wife needs your care, or you’ve had a moral failure, or you’re facing an intractable rift among your leaders. In these cases, you probably have no option but to leave.
Sometimes it just seems wise to leave, and your wise friends agree. You are clearly called elsewhere, or it’s prudent to pass the baton to a younger leader.
D.A. Carson offers helpful insights on some of these scenarios in a Themelios article, providing a thoughtful framework for discerning when it’s time to move on.
Leaving a church is never an easy decision, nor should it be. Pastoral ministry is a sacred calling, and the bond between a pastor and their congregation is one of deep significance. While there are times when leaving is unavoidable or wise, the default posture of a pastor should be one of steadfast faithfulness, remaining rooted in the work God has entrusted to you until he makes it clear that it’s time to move on.
Ultimately, the question of when to leave a church is less about circumstances and more about the heart. Are you seeking to honour God, or are you driven by discouragement, ambition, or a desire for something better? Faithfulness in ministry means trusting God to work in his time, through his means, and for his glory, even when the results are unseen or the road is difficult.
If you’re wrestling with this decision, take time to pray, seek wise counsel, and examine your motives. Remember that God’s call is not always to the easiest path but to the one that shapes us into the image of Christ. Whether you stay or go, let your decision be marked by humility, dependence on God, and a desire to serve his people well.
In the end, the measure of your ministry won’t be found in numbers or accolades but in your faithfulness to the One who called you and who loves you.