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And you can learn something.I am a slow learner but I learn. My dad was a pastor, his thrust was always the youth and pushing for YOUTH in his church. He laughed, it keeps me young.But dad got old, he reached his 60's and thought he was supposed to retire. Two weeks after my dad retired, he was miserable. He had no hobbies, his life was HIS church. He was lost.SA Lankford was a wonderful minister, he also retired. He was one of the happiest men I ever met in retirement. He knew he wanted to travel and preach in small churches thru out America, he did. My wife and I traveled with him from Florida to Alaska. What a blessing.What I am 'suggesting' is that you as a minister, pay attention to your age. You will be old before you know it. Please for your own peace of mind, be prepared for retirement or DO NOT RETIRE, have a plan.I am glad to know that in retirement Carl Hart has filled in in several pulpits awaiting pastors. Bro Powers (of Inverness, FL fame) is a blessing to a Florida church as an 'assistant pastor'.Not every retired pastor can count on that, so be prepared. Have a past-time, golf (if you can afford it), fishing is good, painting, writing, hiking is good, travel is great but very expensive without an RV. Even with an RV it is expensive anymore.Just a thought from someone who is experienced in life. I ask you to look at your friends who have retired, are they happy? Why not?Love you guys, this is from a guy who follows spring, and loves people. Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

Take the word of experience, I have retired three times. You are going to be surprised how fast you reach 65! Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

I have noticed that retirees that are musicians or musical really enjoy a hobby with music, pickers have a ball 'jamming'. Every park we stop in has Jam Sessions.It is nice because the older retired musicians KNOW the songs that the rest of us old folk grew up with. (smile)It is when the person retires to just sit on the porch, and think no further, that they get in trouble.Glad you are doing what you like to do! Good on you! Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

With those years of retirement under his belt, he is a happy retiree. It is a miserable life to 'hate' retirement, many folk do. I have about 20 years on my last retirement, I still enjoy it. Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

Words of wisdom. I would also add that young ministers need to make wise financial decisions with that in mind also. It breaks my heart to see my peers approaching retirement with little or nothing to fall back on.

You are correct. I know four ministers right now in Florida and 1 in NC, pastorig in their mid 70's who CANNOT retire from pastoring and the church's love them, but would love to have a younger man with the fire of youth.BIG SMILE: I will be 78 next year, I have one more building lot. I still think I can single handedly build us another home, I say so, and my wife just smiles!.... Have you ever heard the song, I wish I was eighteen Again,......................... yep you all will, for one reason or the other! Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

I was amazed when I saw Cojak's post here because for some time I have been wanting to PM him (you) for advice as a senior minister-Christian. I am in an extremely busy season but it has been on my to do list.I mentioned Cojak because he and others show natural and spiritual maturity through their posts. My greatest help throughout my ministry life comes from elders in the ministry, usually beyond the 60 year-old bracket and seriously up to age 102! I spoke with a 102 year-old Pentecostal woman about 20 years ago who spoke for 20 minutes. She planted multiple churches from tent revivals back in the day. Yes, I am fully aware methods change, am very far out of the box and if it isn't sin, illegal, immoral or unethical I am open to it. However, I prefer to receive from tried and tested men and women of God who paid the price, walked uprightly and have a track record of pleasing God rather than man. I could drop some names but many of the people I received from are unknown to man but well known to God. Please learn the value of taking an elderly person (I am always in pursuit of the oldest Pentecostals I can find) to breakfast, lunch or if in a nursing home visit them. If they have a sound mind learn and if mentally faded out be a blessing to a well deserving saint. Over the years I have seen so much talk among pastors who are intrigued with the latest young self-promotional pastor/evangelist who knows how to rile up or gather a crowd. Lately I am about ready to say, Enjoy the book while he/she is at the top because a fee fall is coming to those who promote themselves. I cannot tell you how many times I was accused of being critical of a brother when I mentioned, I pray God forgives me if I am wrong but my spirit doesn't bear witness with this person and their methods you keep talking about. I do learn from teens, young and middle age adults by spending time with them and asking questions.I am not just talking about learning from ministers either. Our culture in America is so ego-centric as to thinking we know everything. Over the years I traveled as a missionary/evangelist in the States and overseas. Many cultures haven't followed the American churches way of imitating the world and business by promoting and following the young good looking faces. I still remember getting off of a plane and being met by the National pastor who greeted me with, Now you will have more influence here since you lost a lot of hair and are going bald since your last ministry trip. Oh the great wisdom I learned when seeking out the oldest person in the village and relaxing with that coffee/tea time. One not only learns spiritually from the elderly Christians but I also learned much about ministry/culture overseas from the unsaved elders that couldn't be taught in missions training classes.