Broken Faith: A Qualitative Analysis of the Impact of Involuntary Termination of Pastoral Staff on Organizational Trust and Personal Spirituality
Broken Faith: A Qualitative Analysis of the Impact of Involuntary Termination of Pastoral Staff on Organizational Trust and Personal Spirituality
Robert B. Huizinga | 2018
Abstract
Involuntary termination is the removal from employment unilaterally by the employer, where the employee was able and willing to continue providing services. Previous data showed that termination had negative social, psychological, and physical impacts on followers, and these impacts spread through the follower’s family. When funding dictates, pastors must be removed from their position to maintain the financial viability of the church. The purpose of this study was to understand how involuntary termination of a pastor, who was a spiritual leader and follower in the same spiritual organization, influenced their spiritual life and their trust in their local church, or even the ecclesia overall. Using a phenomenology of faith, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 participants with data collected on 13 terminations. The average age was 54.3 ± 11.7 years and an average time in ministry of 16.7 ± 8.5 years. All churches were congregationalist in nature. Analysis showed both denominational and team leadership organizational stressors. A senior pastor as authoritarian leader was associated with a lack of organizational checks and balances, a lack of denominational authority, a non-functional organizational structure, and a lack of overall leadership maturity. A circle of 2 or 3 (a small minority of leaders who change the course of the organization) reflected the highest density in antecedent and consequent events. Participants felt wounded by the church and reported looking to God for justice. Theological interpretation of the termination was not negatively impacted; the event was part of God’s sovereign plan, and God was asking for a change in their life. However, the termination was painful, as participants felt betrayed either by the church or by members, with churches challenging their theology or morality. Participants noted a decrease in organizational trust, either in the local organization or in the denomination. The most frequent PTs involved a change in feelings of trust in the church, a loss of trust in leadership, and a loss of trust in congregational governance. Involuntary terminations may happen, but church leaders should ask how they enact involuntary termination so that it authentically represents the love of Jesus Christ.