I recently finished Evangelical Pharisees by Michael Reeves. It was timely. In it, Reeves confronts the creeping religiosity that masks itself as righteousness but bears little resemblance to the grace and truth of Jesus. One quote struck me like a punch to the chest: “Pharisaism thrives where gospel centrality is lost.” That sentence has echoed in my mind as I’ve watched a troubling pattern unfold in the Church I love.
Over and over again, I hear from pastors who have been cast aside—not because they were unfaithful to their calling, but because they were deemed no longer “a fit” for the vision. Elder boards often use phrases like, “He’s a good man, a gospel-preaching pastor, but he no longer aligns with our vision.” And my heart breaks.
Because here’s the thing: if your church’s vision has veered from the proclamation of the gospel, then yes, I suppose a gospel-preaching pastor no longer fits. But if the vision is still supposedly rooted in Christ, then something is deeply broken. You may no longer have a pastor problem—you may have a leadership culture that resembles the very religious gatekeeping Jesus so often rebuked. Reeves’ term for this is fitting: evangelical pharisaism.
This isn’t anecdotal. This isn’t rare. I am watching it happen to many of my friends and colleagues across denominations. And while denominational leaders often say, “We cannot interfere in local church matters,” this spiritual shrug leaves wounded shepherds to fend for themselves while their churches quietly move on, often with a new “visionary leader” in tow.
I lament that this article even needs to be written. I lament that Standing Stone Ministries must exist because pastors need shepherds after their own churches have failed to be one. And yet, I am compelled to this work. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 that we are to comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received from Christ. That is why I do what I do.
I know too well the ache of realizing I no longer served the utility of a church. In that instance, I made the decision to step away before what felt like an inevitable separation. It hurt. But Jesus met me in that grief, and now I walk with others through theirs.
To those who have been told you no longer fit: your calling is not up for a vote. The Chief Shepherd still sees you, still values you, and still has need of you in His Kingdom. And you are not alone.
To church leaders who have participated in or allowed this to happen: I lovingly urge you to repent. Whether or not you ever reinstate a pastor you’ve cast aside, you must seek relational reconciliation. Call them. Meet with them. Confess. Ask forgiveness. The Body of Christ cannot afford to be fractured by unrepented sin disguised as strategy. Jesus is still building His Church—but He does so with truth, humility, and grace.
Let’s be a people who value faithfulness over usefulness—and who never lose sight of the One we are called to follow.
If you or someone you know is struggling under the weight of ministry, we want you to know—you are not alone. We are here to walk with you, because healthy leaders build healthy churches, and the Kingdom depends on both.
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