I’ve noticed a pattern in the church world that really troubles me. When a new pastor takes over a church, one of the first things they often do is purge the staff. The older team members — the ones with wisdom, experience, and perspective — are let go, and they’re replaced with younger, shinier faces.
On the surface, I get it. Leaders want their own team, people they connect with. But here’s the problem: when you clear out those who carry depth and history, you create a massive gap. You lose the wisdom that anchors a ministry.
I recently saw this happen at one of the largest churches here in Southern California. A leadership change came, and almost overnight, the majority of staff over 40 were laid off. The result? Not just a younger team — but an emptier one. The church now lacks institutional knowledge, lacks wisdom, and honestly, it feels like a ghost town. The atmosphere is different. What once carried stability and depth now feels hollow.
And the truth is, that’s not just a staffing decision. That’s a leadership failure.
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