Philip Fulmer and Preachers being Fired
It was a sad day in Tennessee because of the firing or forcing out of Philip Fulmer. He has given 35 years to the university as a student, player, assistant coach and head coach. He has wonderful track record over the long haul as the dean of SEC coaches. But yesterday, Fulmer was fired out of the university because the team was not winning. It was sad watching the press conference because of Fulmer’s emotion. It was plain to see his love for the team and the players. I will be sad to see him go.
But there is optimism within the state because of his dismissal. He was not winning this year. He was having a terrible year and the expectations of Tennessee are incredibly high. We are excited about the future of Tennessee football. I believe Fulmer was an excellent man and coach for numerous years, but the game has passed him by. It was not totally his fault, his offensive coordinating was not getting the job done as well as his quarterbacks, but Fulmer took the fall this time. He hired Dave Clawson.
This brings us to the question or the idea of the post. All of us have witnessed long tenured ministers being dismissed from thier jobs because the leadership did not feel that they were getting the job done. Like Fulmer, I would have liked to see Fulmer go out on his own terms, but he was forced out like a lot of ministers in old age. Typically a minister will be relevant to the leadership if there is no serious personality conflicts and mostly if the attendance and the contributions are still up. When these numbers fall, typically the pulpit guy will be the fall guy. Sometimes it could be the pulpit guy’s fault, but sometimes it is just as much of the leadership’s fault as well. It is sad to see men who have given an entire life to one congregation being pushed out because of “not producing the numbers.” There has been a lot of tears because of the personal investment in the congregation, but at the end there is little appreciation for the past because of the mindset of what you have done for me recently. There has to be a better way than college football.
Related posts:
- What Will Get You Fired?
- The Problem with Preachers
- Praise to Preachers
- Hiring Preachers and Being Stagnant
- Preachers and Lunch Appointments
About The Author
How do you handle this stuff in a church?
It seems like such changing of the guard is often done in knee jerk reaction in hopes of bringing a quick remedy to the situation. Of course we all know that quick fixes often on bandage the problem rather than allowing the problem to heal. Perhaps if congregations and leadership would step back to really examine the problem and get the real pathological diagnosis, then the current leadership could work together in solving the problem. Though in the end, it may still be decided that it is best for certain leaders (Evangelists, Shepherds, Teachers, etc…) to change their roles or even resign their role, it also may mean that the problem could be solved without such leadership transition. And that would help promote more stability in the congregational leadership.
This is a lesson I am only learning now and one that if I would have given more thought to before, I may have not decided to resign from the congregation I was serving. Live and learn I suppose…
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BTW, I like the webpage change!
Grace and peace,
Rex
I know there are a ton of variables involved but at some point, “Those who live by the attendance will die by the attendance.” If preaching/football success is based upon “championships/numerical growth”, it will always come down to “What have you done for me lately?” and “You’re just as good as your last game/sermon.” (Do not revert to the ol’ we’re not growing cuz we’re “sound”) Maturity and accountability may prompt ongoing assessment of several “church health symptoms” beside attendance.
Matthew,
I suspect the pressure ministers face as they get older is extremely high. As you pointed out, there is no job security so the law of risk and reward starts to play in ones ministry. The older minister who has no real financial security and can’t survive very long without a paycheck will recoil into a protectionism position and as we know this stance is not conducive to church growth. On the other hand, if the minister is so bold as to try new outreach and push for growth as we all well know this can cause some instability as well. Rarely does a church go from a position of maintaining or declining straight into growth, before real growth occurs there is often a purging effect. Will the older minister risk his job, family, and home in this situation? One option would be for ministers to be organized solely for the purpose of retirement, health insurance, and possibly unemployment. I’m sure that many would take issue with this but I see no real issue to ministers maintaining a professional organization purely for financial security. The church as a whole would benefit from financially secure ministers.
Just a thought.
That is great insight into the dynamics behind stagnation of growth. I can see this happening in a lot of congregations.
Wow – your analogy is the same my mom used many years ago – preachers/coaches and what have you done for me lately?
I am a 53 year old pk. My dad died 2 years ago after giving over 65 years of his life preaching the gospel. His last located preaching job (preacher’s home,etc.) ended when he was 70 in 1982. SOME of the congregation felt like someone younger could take the congregation to a new level. It was a small congregation in a small town – when we moved there – maybe 15 in attendance – over 100 in attendance when he was fired ten years later. No one wanted the job when he took it – nobody ‘big enough’ wanted the job when he was fired. And now the congregation has about 15 members again.
My dad didn’t miss a Sunday. When some country congregations in the area found out that he was available, he was called to preach for them the very next Sunday. During a 17 year span he preached every Sunday for three different area congregations. He and my mom bought a little house for the first time ever and God blessed them with good health and they were able to pay for their home – and as my mom said ‘no one can tell us to move!’ They didn’t have much money, but they were happy with their work. On paper, they never should have been able to afford a home, but as I said, God blessed them. He baptized people, he performed weddings and funerals, he visited the sick…he ministered to people.
When he was 87, the last little congregation told him that they were hiring someone younger – they cried, he cried. His mind was still sharp, but his voice was getting weak and they were so afraid for him and my mom to be driving after dark on Sunday nights. He knew they were right, but it hurt him so. He had given his life to preaching and serving congregations and no matter how gently it is done, it hurts not to be wanted anymore in a position in which you have labored for so many years.
So he and my mom decided to worship at a larger congregation only 17 miles from their home (very rural part of Arkansas). Once again, he was involved. They used him regularly as a Bible class teacher and to fill in when their local minister was out of town. But as he grew older his voice grew weaker and he just wasn’t able to be heard during class. So then he was regularly asked to lead prayers – his voice was strong enough for that. One little girl told her mother ‘I like it when Bro. Benson prays because I think he really does know God.’
Then when my dad was 90, my mother had a stroke and he began to care for her which really weakened him and he died at age 93.
I was the youngest child, born later in their lives and so that somewhat extended his ‘worth’ among congregations – the preacher doesn’t look so old if he still has children at home
Sadly, many congregations don’t give the older ministers the respect and honor due them. They do tend to be just tossed aside. In all fairness, sometimes I think that the congregations just don’t know what to do with these men. But I do think they will have to answer for the way these elderly men have been treated. It would be nice if some wealthy benefactor would establish a retirement home for ministers – maybe congregations could pay into that retirement home as part of the minister’s salary – somewhat like social security….just thinking….
He always felt like each soul was precious and each soul saved was worth any pain that he might be subject to by any congregation.
A very emotional topic for me…sorry for being so wordy…
Thank you for sharing your story. I wish it was not true, but sadly it is true for too many.
I realize a lot of issues are involved but at least on the surface, Bonnie, your dad fits my concept of a lot of faithful preachers of yesteryear. I know there are stereotypes of preachers from your dad’s generation that do not stand up well against stereotypical young preachers of today. While your dad may not have been treated well and some practical things needed to be done differently, I can’t help but think of the unnamed, faithful to their-calling, out of the spotlight preachers used by God in a Hebrews 11 way. By the grace of God, he has received his reward.
This reveals how messed up our score card is. In the seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor there was never one mention of poor attendance, low contribution, or not enough baptisms. There are many preachers who are doing well to turn the hearts of the Christians around in the congregations in which they preach with only average measurement on the afore mentioned score card items. On the otherhand there are preachers who have led their congregations to extinction all the while thinking that they were preaching the truth. I am sorry but preaching the truth according to Jesus does lead a congregation to extinction. I know of a church that just closed down that had the same preacher for 43 years. The truth is he and the eldership should have been dismissed a long time ago. Age has little to do with the issue. Most people who are opposed to hiring a young preacher really just don’t want anybody to rock the boat or challenge them. So many young preachers today are written off, becuase they represent the fear that they will come in and ask why and suggest that we re-study and make change.
Joe,
Not disagreeing with much of your sentiment but could you clarify, “preaching the truth according to Jesus does lead a congregation to extinction.”