The End of a Ministry Season

And now for a word from the religion desk.

I mean that literally. I write this from the desk in my church office, a place where countless sermons, lesson plans, emails, and newspaper columns have been written. These are the last hours I will ever spend at this desk.

After 20 years of pastoral service at Lakebay Community Church, I am moving on. By the time you read this, I will have preached my last sermon, the church members and I will have said our goodbyes, and Lakebay will be deep into their search for their next pastor.

To everything, there is a season.

This is a time of change across the local church landscape. It began when Pastor Mark retired after three decades leading Chapel Hill in Gig Harbor, followed by Pastor Michael’s move from Harbor Covenant Church and Pastor Gino’s retirement from Harbor Christian Center. Since then, Pastor Tim finished his time at WayPoint Church, Pastor Seth concluded his ministry at Key Peninsula Lutheran, and Pastor Paul stepped away from the KP Baptist Fellowship.

Now I, too, am leaving pastoral ministry and transitioning to a different career. By my count, that is over 125 years of ministerial service giving way to a new season of leadership.

The larger ecclesiastical world is in flux, too. In recent decades, the familiar format of traditional worship has given way to stylistic innovations in churches within the Seeker-Sensitive and Emergent movements. Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and political disagreements have created deep fissures across the Christian landscape. Contentious debates about the nature of scripture, creation, and the return of Christ continue to dominate religious discussions.

Just this month, the Southern Baptist Church is voting to exclude women from pastoral leadership, a decision some (myself among them) decry as unbiblical and unjust. Many watch in alarm as Christian nationalism takes root in pulpits and the halls of our government. The future of this institution that is the Church remains cloudy.

From my interactions at the local and national levels, I am aware that the church does not have a stellar reputation. Issues of power and control, coupled with financial and abuse scandals, have left a legacy of scars, wounds, and mistrust. Religious trauma is a real and growing issue, and, if we’re honest, the church is guilty of causing great harm. I have sat with too many people in too much pain to pretend otherwise.

So, after 20 years in this place, after 35 years of pastoral ministry, why do I still believe in the church? It is a good question, worthy of consideration. The hurt of power-hungry religion cannot be denied, but I bear witness to other truth, too.

I have seen lonely people find friendship in the pews of their congregation and addicts find camaraderie in dark and smoky church basements. I have seen hungry families stock their pantries with the assistance of church-based food banks. I have witnessed broken marriages restored amongst the support of their faith community, and I have seen abuse victims find freedom and safety with the aid of local church ministries.

Some of the best days of my ministry career included calling utilities to pay off the bills of single parents struggling to make ends meet, or paying medical bills for children in treatment for life-threatening disease. I watched in awe as church communities gathered around families in deep grief at the unexpected death of a loved one. I have celebrated with lovers young and old, pledging love and faithfulness in the bonds of marriage. I bear witness to the church at its best in places of hardship and joy, and it is beautiful.

We face a dilemma in our nation: institutions like the church are declining, and the good they do in their towns and cities is not being replaced. The financial donations and volunteer work, community support, and disaster relief are not being picked up by other groups. The need is plentiful, but the workers are few.

I am leaving the pulpit behind and moving on to other things, but I still believe in the immense good that local faith congregations offer their neighbors. My prayer is that a new generation of men and women take the mantle of leadership and lead our churches into a fresh season of humble and faithful work, seeking the good of this peninsula we call home.

I am grateful to have been a part of this work and for the opportunity to have served so many of you all these many years.

Award-winning columnist Dan Whitmarsh is a licensed therapist who served for the last 20 years as pastor of Lakebay Community Church.