Moving On provides hope and guidance to the nearly one in three ministers, across denominational lines, who either have or will experience forced termination. First and foremost, Moving On is a resource for those in ministry who have experienced the grief of forced termination. Such an experience kills ministries and destroys relationships. Simply put, forced termination is death. Death of dreams. Death of calling. Death of identity. Part One of Moving On takes the reader through the elements of grief, offering hope and encouragement along the way. Part Two explores the topics of prayer, parenting, and response as they relate to the journey of grief. As Debbie Tudor, owner and senior therapist of Rockwall Counseling has said, Moving On is “part devotional, part Bible study, and part support group.”
Are you a minister or clergy couple who has been terminated? If so, then Moving On is for you. It’s about a journey, my journey, to move through intense grief to discover life on the other side. If events beyond your control have derailed your ministry, then you’re learning to cope with shock, betrayal, anger, pain and overwhelming loneliness. Right now, you may be wondering how you’re going to survive emotionally, spiritually, financially, and even physically. Quite frankly, you may find yourself questioning how a loving God could have allowed such a thing to happen. I certainly did. If you find yourself on this journey of grief, I pray that this book gives you a glimmer of hope you will survive. The journey ahead will be one of great pain. There’s simply no way to avoid the grief. But when you read the final page, I pray you will say, “She was able to move on. I will be able to as well.”
Moving On is also a resource for people who actively participate in a local church. If you are a layperson serving in church leadership, then Moving On is for you. As Pastor James Shupp says, “Moving On is a valuable contribution to a conversation that needs to start between the people who sit in the pews and those who stand in the pulpits all across America.”
And finally, Moving On is a resource for anyone who knows a minister who has been terminated. If the individual was your minister or a close friend, you probably feel helpless. You hurt for them and their family. You want to help but you don’t know what to do or say. Moving On provides a tangible way to help. Whether you found yourself caught in the eye of the termination storm or you have no idea what events led to your minister’s dismissal, you can still be a source of encouragement. Giving a copy of Moving On to a minister or clergy couple who is grieving allows you to say, “I love you and I care about you.” Trust me. Those are words they desperately need to hear.