The Two Most Common Firing Situations (and How To Handle Them)

by Maggie Richter

Firing a staff member is tough. Firing a ministry staff member is even tougher. Maybe you’ve walked this person through varying stages of life, or raised him or her up to be a leader in the church from an early age. Regardless of the history, one of the hardest things a church leader will have to do is fire a staff member, especially when it’s out of the blue.

Don’t let the difficulty of the decision prevent you from doing what is right for your church. Below are two of the most common circumstances that church leaders find themselves in when firing a staff member, and the best practices for handling each.

Situation 1: The underperforming veteran staff member

Maybe your leadership team has recently discovered some areas of ministry with stagnating or non-existent growth. This could be for various reasons, but it is often the case that one person is causing that stagnation and generally underperforming in his or her work. This person may have served on staff for a long time and seen the church through countless mountains and valleys. However, this is not cause for keeping him or her on staff if it’s at the church’s expense. This is the tough call that church leaders often need to face during seasons of growth.

Because this person has served such a long time, there might still be old, outdated systems in practice that are halting the long-term development of the ministry. Of course, it’s wise to consider changing these systems before replacing a staff member, but it’s possible (and common) that the two are connected.

If, after evaluating the situation, you find it’s still necessary to let this person go, remember to do so with grace. Schedule a meeting with this person and a third-party “witness” to facilitate the conversation and combat any potential discomfort. Be as direct as possible in the meeting by communicating clearly and concisely.

BEING AS HONEST, DIRECT, AND FAIR AS POSSIBLE IS KEY TO NAVIGATING THE CONVERSATION WHEN FIRING A STAFF MEMBER.

In addition to the initial meeting, schedule a time to meet with this person’s team members to discuss what’s happening and the ministry’s next steps. It is also important to be honest with your congregation about the situation, remaining gracious and transparent throughout the process.