Student Ministers: How to Survive a Forced Termination

Written by Paul Turner

Recent statistics indicate that youth ministers were "let go" more than any other staff position in the local church. here's how you can be prepared for "survival" in these four key areas of your life if you find yourself in this difficult situation:

Keeping Your Cool (Growing in Christ Series)

1. Financial Survival
Rainy day funds can provide financial security for you in difficult life situations. Plan for future emergencies by saving three to six months of your monthly expenses. In the event of a period of unemployment, emergency savings will afford you some breathing room to regroup and find new employment.

If you're terminated from your ministry position, make sure to negotiate potential severance pay and to get all agreements in writing. Secure information about insurance benefits and annuity plans. It's also wise to get counsel from a lawyer to protect both yourself and the church.

Financial Planning Resources:

Dave Ramsey - www.daveramsey.com

Crown Financial Ministries - www.crown.org

Ron Blue - www.ronblue.org

2. Emotional Survival
The emotional support you and others need in this situation will vary. If you've been involved in illegal or immoral behavior, Christian counseling would definitely be needed - but even if you haven't been terminated for that reason, seeing a professional Christian counselor would still be a good idea.

Family: As you seek emotional support, perhaps through a professional Christian counselor, your family may also need counseling as well. No matter what, you must see beyond yourself to see that your family's needs are met. Do all you can to prevent abandoning your family. Enough hurt and harm will have been done without adding to their hurt.

Friends: The majority of your friends will not know how to react to you or know how to support you in a time of crisis if illegal or immoral behavior is the reason for your firing. Allow your friends not to know how to handle the situation. They'll probably be working through their own emotional struggles as a result of the situation if this is the case.

Yourself: If you are fired for reasons other than illegal or immoral behavior, if may be harder to pinpoint your feelings or emotions. You may have the tendency to withdraw, be angry, or to think about getting even. Remember that more damage can be done if you react in an unhealthy manner. Moving on without choosing to stir up trouble or build support will be difficult, but moving on is the best practice.

Others in Your Church: People may rally around you and try to get you reinstated. While reinstatement may be possible, the damage is already done. It is usually hard for you and the church to fully re-engage.

Being cut off from those you have invested time and ministry in can be overwhelming. And trying to minister from afar can cause confusion. Open wounds will never have the chance to heal. You may think you have the right to keep things stirred up, but you also have the responsibility to be godly and to allow the Holy Spirit to minister through your example in the difficult time.

3. Physical Survival
If you've been fired, you'll probably be extremely angry or depressed, and both can manifest themselves physically in some unhealthy ways. Counteract some of those effects by getting moderate exercise and making sure to eat properly. Ask someone to help hold you accountable to eating and exercising properly.

4. Spiritual Survival
Spiritual survival is not the last thing to consider in a forced termination, but it may not be the first thing you think about. Personal prayer is the place to begin searching for what God would have you to do during this time. Even though it's hard, pray ...

... for those whom you feel wronged you;
... about your own attitude toward those who have wronged you; and
... that God would not allow any feelings of anger or depression to get a stronghold and lead to bitterness in your life.

In the cases of illegal or immoral actions leading to your termination, confess those sins and pray ...

... that God would transform your heart and mind to abandon those beliefs, values, and actions that led you to sin;
... for God to replace your sinful actions with actions that bring Him glory and honor;
... for forgiveness from God and from those you have sinned against;
...for God's direction as to what you should do and for your obedience to His leadership; and
...to remember that God still highly values you. He is a just God and requires that you and I live obediently.

Regarding asking forgiveness: If the church does not allow you to address the students or congregation, write a letter that can be read on your behalf. Whether they decide to read that letter to the congregation is not your decision and out of your hands.

Paul Turner is the editor in chief of Leading Student Ministry magazine. Paul is diligent to equip student ministry leaders for faithful and effective ministry.

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