Guidelines for Pastors and Congregations in Times of Conflict

The following guidelines expand on work done by Synod 1998 (cf. Agenda for Synod 1998, pp. 152-156; Acts of Synod 1998, pp. 392-96) and Synod 2010 (cf. Acts of Synod 2010, pp. 915-16). Though originally intended to offer guidance during the process of separations, the counsel given by these synods is expanded upon here in the hope that God might provide healing in some situations of conflict and thus prevent separations between pastors and congregations. To this end, all parties are encouraged to note the following resources and suggestions that aim toward restoration (A, 1-4; B, 1-4; C, 1-3) rather than assuming that separation is inevitable.

A. Responsibilities of the pastor

     1.  Promptly inform the regional pastor and church visitors when signs of conflict arise, and maintain regular communication (see Church Order Art. 42).

     2.  Conduct oneself so as not to disrupt further the peace and unity of the congregation, and work with the council to discern the reasons for the conflict (see B, 3 below).

     3.  Identify a personal advocate who can assist in the process. This individual may or may not be the regional pastor. The personal advocate may also be a different individual than the liaison designated by classis to help facilitate communication between all parties (see C, 4, c below).

     4.  Be amenable to career counseling and/or personal counseling, and to the guidance of church assemblies and their representatives.

     5.  Update the Pastoral Profile and contact the Ministerial Information Service (Thrive) if relocation becomes necessary.

     6.  Help formulate and sign a separation agreement with the council if there is a separation (see B, 5 below).

     7.  Cooperate with any oversight committee that might be established by the classis (see Church Order Supplement, Art. 17-a).

     8.  A pastor who moves to another region shall inform the releasing council and classis, as well as the classis in the new region into which the pastor has moved. The councils and classes involved shall communicate with the pastor to discern whether a transfer of membership and ministry credentials would be appropriate, depending on whether the pastor is under oversight by the classis (see Supplement, Art. 17-a, b, 5-6). 

B. Responsibilities of the council

     1.  Seek assistance from the classical church visitors and regional pastor when signs of conflict begin (see Church Order Art. 42).

     2.  Be willing to work with designated person(s) (e.g., Thrive staff, classical regional pastor and church visitors, mediation specialists) toward reconciliation. This includes accepting both the time and cost required by such intervention.

     3.  Along with the pastor, determine the reasons for the conflict and/or separation (see also A, 2).

          a.  This step requires accountability from both council and pastor.

          b.  Depending on the causes of the conflict, councils should determine whether a leave of absence for pastoral purposes (Art. 16) may be an appropriate response to the problems that have arisen. In situations of special discipline, the procedures of Articles 82-84 should be followed rather than those of Article 16 or 17.

          c.  The council should, in consultation with the church visitors, define the relationship of the pastor to the church during this process, including the extent to which normal ministerial duties would continue.

     4.  Inform the congregation of decisions that are being made about the relationship to the pastor. This should be done in a timely manner, in consultation with the pastor, and members should be apprised of the process (see Art. 37).

     5.  If a decision is made to release the pastor from active ministerial service in the congregation (Art. 17-a), the council shall prepare a separation agreement with the pastor, addressing the issues noted in the separation agreement template adopted by synod (see Separation Agreement Template).

     6.  Present to the classis the specific reasons for the separation. This involves the dynamics and behaviors of both the pastor and the council/congregation. Since the separation commences with the official decision by classis, this may necessitate a special meeting of classis to process the separation in a timely manner.

     7.  Consider engaging the services of a specialized transitional minister (STM) who has been trained to guide the congregation in processing the reasons for any conflict, working toward interpersonal healing, and preparing for a strong relationship with its next minister. In some cases, classis may direct the church to delay calling another pastor until such transitional work is completed.

     8.  Provide a compensation package (see Art. 16-b and 17-b) that includes the following:

          a.  Cash salary—a minimum of thirteen (13) weeks from the official decision of classis is ordinarily required, with the specific details determined in discussion between the parties. Any recommendation must be approved by the full classis.

          b.  Parsonage occupancy or housing allowance. 

          c.  Provision for continuation of medical- and dental-insurance benefits.

          d. Provision for continuation of Ministers' Pension benefits.

          e.  The church served at the time of separation is responsible for the severance compensation.

Note: This package may not apply in every circumstance of separation, such as when a pastor leaves for purely personal reasons (see Acts of Synod 2010, pp. 915-16). It may at times also be appropriate to use a date other than the date of the classis meeting in calculating the duration of a severance payment, particularly if the release is requested after a lengthy leave of absence. Denominational resources are also available to assist with determining an appropriate amount of severance, in accordance with the principles established by Synod 2024 (Agenda for Synod 2024, pp. 105-108).

C. Responsibilities of classis

     1.  Church visitors should be available to assist or may take initiative if necessary when there is an indication of conflict or other relationship difficulty. They may be involved in reconciliation or mediation, or they may recommend that there be others who can assist the pastor and congregation in this process—for example, a committee from the classis or outside resource persons such as representatives of Thrive or mediation specialists.

     2.  Concurrent with the work of the church visitors, the regional pastor should be called to provide emotional support and guidance for the pastor. The regional pastor, often one of the first persons aware of tensions, can serve as a gatekeeper and adviser for the pastor in the process of mediation.

     3.  Church visitors should continue to provide support and guidance for the council and congregation. They may assist the council in communication with the congregation.

     4.  If a separation of the pastor from the congregation is recommended, the classis shall do the following:

          a.  Assist the council in determining whether a separation is appropriate. If it is appropriate, give guidance as to whether there should be a release or a suspension (see B, 3, b above).

          b.  If necessary, call a special meeting of classis to process the separation in a timely manner.

          c.  Assign an individual (not the regional pastor) or team to serve as a liaison between the pastor, the congregation, and the classis in the process of the separation. Such a liaison should be acceptable to all parties involved (see A, 3 above). Because a classis is a gathering of churches (Church Order Art. 39), it is not necessarily the case that the pastor should expect to be present for the entire discussion of the request for release. Just as a classis discusses a pastor’s admission to ministry without the individual present, so also it may be inappropriate for the pastor to remain for a discussion in which he or she is particularly involved (Art. 34).

          d. Determine the framework for discussion at the classis meeting. Sensitive matters should be addressed in executive session, and the classis interim committee should seek to keep all parties informed about who will be present at various times, and who may be authorized to speak. Such arrangements may be particularly important in situations where the pastor and council do not agree on particular terms of the separation agreement. In such cases, the classis church visitors should work with the council and the pastor to form an agreement that is agreeable to all. Should no agreement be realized, then the council may proceed with its proposal, but the rules for appeal (Art. 30) may be invoked by the pastor after the classis has rendered its decision on the council’s proposal.

          e.  Approve a separation agreement between pastor and council, and record in the records of classis specific reasons for the separation in keeping with the regulations of Church Order Article 17 and its Supplement (see B, 5 above).* A revised separation agreement template was approved by Synod 2024.        (Agenda for Synod 2024, pp. 156-159).

              Note: Copies of this agreement should be given to the pastor, the council, the classis, and the Thrive office.

          f.  Encourage the pastor and/or the congregation to seek continued help in learning from this situation and facing their responsibilities. In some cases, this may require appointing an oversight committee for evaluation and assistance to plan and monitor progress toward eligibility for call and/or readiness to extend a call. (This will often require specific recommendations and continued involvement; see Supplement, Art. 17-a, b-c.)

          g.  Recommend, when appropriate, specific follow-up for the congregation, such as a specialized transitional minister (STM) to help with healing and preparing for the future. 

D. A pastoral note

It is important that ecclesiastical due process be followed in the separation procedure. When Synod 1996 asked that the preceding guidelines be prepared, it did so against a background of concern for the possibility of healing for both pastors and congregations. When signs of conflict or disagreements arise, it is crucial that the pastor, council, and classis take prompt action to deal with these issues. When there is early intervention and open communication, reconciliation is a greater possibility.

If the pastor and council or congregation are not able to mediate differences, it may be advisable to bring in outside resource persons. If a separation does occur, it is important to recognize that there are continuing needs. The members of the congregation require continued support, opportunity to grieve, and guidance for future planning. The separated pastor and the pastor’s family should not be forgotten as they leave the congregation and seek another call. The congregation and classis should covenant to provide continuing ministry and care for them, assisting in any way possible to encourage personal healing and further opportunities for ministry.

*The following is a list of possible reasons for an Article 17 separation, and includes material from the 2024 Church Order Review Task Force report (Agenda for Synod 2024, pp. 99-100):

• A pastor might need to step away from ministry for a time while elderly parents require extensive care.
• A pastor may choose to be a stay-at-home parent.
• A pastor might leave to pursue further education.
• A pastor’s giftedness and the church’s ministry context might not align. “No minister can be expected to be able to serve any and every congregation” (Acts of Synod 1982, p. 586).
• A church closure or disaffiliation, or downsizing of staff, may mean that a pastor’s ministry position ends.
• God may be leading a pastor to consider a new vocation (Note: If the pastor eventually chooses to enter a new vocation or if the pastor chooses to enter ministry in another denomination then the process for release should be guided by the provisions of Church Order article 14 b, c, or d).
• A pastor’s spouse’s career or education path may necessitate a move.
• Conflict in key relationships may have led to a decline in trust.
• Pastor and/or council may have been unable to meet expectations associated with the working relationship.