In my personal library I have manuals designed to give pastors help in conducting weddings and funerals. One manual includes additional suggestions for baptismal services, Lord’s Supper services, parent-child dedication services, and various other dedication and installation services. I have no manual that offers guidance for negotiating the mine-strewn landscape of the pastoral ministry. This little book is not a “how to” manual on pastor/church relations. Neither is it a sure-fire remedy for the deadly epidemic of pastoral terminations now raging. It is designed to draw attention to a needless tragedy being played out almost daily that affects adversely the lives of pastors and churches. Pastoral terminations are not minor events from which pastors and churches move on easily and quickly. Injuries are inflicted that often involve years in recovery, and deaths of ministries frequently occur. Decisions to terminate have serious, lingering, and sometimes fatal consequences.  

                My chillingly close brush with pastoral termination and my years of reflection on that dark experience in no way qualify me as an expert in pastor-church relations. I have tried to follow my chaplain friend’s principle of avoiding giving advice and have been careful to offer suggestions that can be considered and implemented or dismissed. My hope is that these pages have offered some help and encouragement to pastors who courageously struggle on through a long night of pain and wait for the music of renewed, joyful ministry to begin again.  

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Eli Landrum received the Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and earned the Bachelor of Divinity and Doctor of Theology degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as a church staff member and as a pastor for 14 years. After 23 years, he retired as an editor at LifeWay Christian Resources. In retirement he has written extensively for LifeWay. He lives with his wife in Nashville, Tennessee.