How long should a pastor stay?

How long CAN a pastor stay in a church? Answer: As long as God wants him to.How long CAN....? John Wesley moved a pastor every 2 years. Tozer was at several churches for a short term before his 31 year stay, but he had alot of problems with his church. J.Edwards was kicked out after a short term...AFTER revival.Wesley was afraid that the pastor would become inaffective after 2 years, because the people would know the pastor would preach at them knowing he knew their faults.Are pastors inaffective after a certain time?

Well I guess I will step in on this one. I have been looking at the form for a while but I have never posted anything before. For me how long should a pastor stay? Should be answered “till death do you part” or until the pastor can’t do it any longer because of either physical inabilities, age, or because he is not qualified to be a pastor any longer based on biblical requirements. Being a pastor is primary a relationship. We need to think of pastors and their flock in biblical words like fathering, brothers, friends, family relationships we should look at pastors as someone we have a discipleship mentoring relationship with and not a hired employee of the church. How could you fire a Brother or fire a Father?? You cant. Pastors should be totally committed to their families and the body should be in relationship like a good father with their children. Everything is Christianity is based of eternal relationship with God plus maintaining good relationships with your closes family members. On the other side how can a pastor leave his family to further his Career is this just a JOB to him???? Or is it a calling of covenant commitment that God ORDAINED and laid hands on him to serve his family “the body of Christ???Well I said enough for now.FellowShip

If he is called by God to be there, he cannot leave until God says so. This calling is not a subjective thing, but something that is testified to (for the most part) by the body of believers around that individual.If God says stay, you stay...no matter what the cost, if and until he says to "Go". (And don't think you can stay all the while looking for the day when you can leave. if that's the case, you'll be there a long time).