Dear Editor,
When a pastor retires what does he do? He may have been the faithful preacher, pastor and friend of a congregation for ten, 20 or more years, but when he steps down what does he do? He may be delighted to be retired, but maybe not.
Some pastors when they retire may be unable to move away somewhere else. This can be for a variety of reasons, financial or family or some other reason. The new pastor could become self-consciously aware that the old shepherd is still among the flock and may feel insecure. As a result he may try to minimise his influence among the flock by making sure he does not preach or lead in church again.
Other men may not be so threatened and may be delighted to have a mature pastor on site that they can go to for advice and prayer. I must also add that the retired pastor may forget that he is retired! This can cause difficulties for the new man, and the retired pastor should heed the signs.
