This is from a reader — because, you know, I get emails —
I’ve been in the position of terminating employees and being terminated. I know the pain it causes in people’s lives. I’ve also been reading your posts on becoming more like God.
I’m having difficulty reconciling a right-sizing termination of a church employee with the love commands Jesus spoke of and the compassion and love we are to have for each other in the body. For many reasons I have a hard-time seeing Jesus sitting down with a follower and saying due to fiscal responsibility we no longer need you as an employee and having them feel the pain, despair and embarrassment that comes from the right-sizing termination.
“Right sizing” is, of course, in this case a euphemism for a layoff. I’m sure we can all agree that there’s not necessarily any sin in terminating a minister for poor job performance. But what if the problem isn’t the minister at all? What if the church’s contributions have declined due to a poor economy or a failed local industry? Or what the leadership of the church decides the church is overstaffed and the money should be redirected toward helping the poor or mission work?
I’m sure there have been readers on both sides of such circumstances. What does the Bible say? Is it ever okay to fire someone when he’s doing a good job?
If you have to lay off a minister, what is the right way to handle it?
As you consider that, remember —
* In many states (including Alabama) ministers of the gospel do not qualify for unemployment pay.
* COBRA coverage does not apply to churches in most states, so your laid off minister will typically lose his or her health insurance — or else be forced to pay very high, non-deductible premiums for inferior coverage under a conversion policy.
* Call it “right sizing” or a “lay off” or whatever, it’ll look a lot like a firing on his or her résumé.
* Your laid off minister probably moved himself, his wife, and his children from another city to take the job. He’ll almost certainly have to move, sell his house, and buy a new one — if he gets another job.
* The search process at his next church will not be quick. Elderships and search committees move at glacial speeds.
