Fitness Assessment is NOT Pastoral Care

When my trial to retain my minister’s license ended, I was given a year of “pastoral care” as part of my clearance with my (now former) denomination.

The local denominational official in charge of executing this year of “pastoral care” decided it meant the year would conclude with a vote on my fitness–more or less–to continue holding my ministerial credentials.

That vote did not have the authority to do revoke my credentials; however, it could potentially cause trouble for my future employment within the denomination.

I am amazed at either the self-deception or simple disingenuous communications of those who tried to convince me this was “pastoral care.”

Is the Human Resource department engaging primarily in employee care when they put that employee under observation and votes on whether the employee ought to retain his job at the end of the year?

When a church or denomination has employment power and then puts a divorced minister on a “care” plan, this is not “care” but discipline by another name.

The primary agenda of assessing fitness compromises any officials ability to support and truly care for a hurting, innocent pastor well.

Would you feel safe to share deep feelings with someone who might use such honesty to pull your credentials and get you fired? I suspect not. That is why such scenarios are not “pastoral care” scenarios.

A true care plan would rather include a third party caregiver who does not report back to the denomination or church in any way.