Commentary: 'He must increase, I must decrease'

Todd Gaddis

Pastoral succession can be a tricky course to navigate, especially when large churches, big egos, and long tenures are involved. But rather than dwell on the risks, I’d like to highlight a recent success story. 

A long-time friend of mine, on the verge of completing three decades of senior pastor service in a thriving suburban church, felt led to move on to a new season in life. Being the Spirit-led, wise man of God he is, he gave notice to his congregation several months in advance. And then, rather than lobby for a hand-picked successor, he worked with the church through the process, attending meetings and providing insight when called upon. 

During that transition period, he made every effort to “raise expectations” and “lower anxiety.” He proclaimed on a regular basis that the best years of the congregation were ahead, not behind them, which, unfortunately, is not the case with many of our churches. 

This brings to mind what I consider to be one of the most profound statements in all of Scripture: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). These, of course, were words spoken by John the Baptist as Jesus launched into public ministry.

Donning clothing of camel’s hair and feasting on locusts and honey, John the Baptist was a legend in his own right. Masses of people from Jerusalem, Judea, and all around the Jordan were flocking to him, confessing their sins and being baptized (Matthew 3:6). If he were alive today, he would be in constant demand as a conference speaker, a bestselling author with millions of digital followers, and his own podcast. And yet, he willingly stepped aside for the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me” (John 1:29,30).

When one of John’s disciples, Andrew, encountered Jesus, the first thing he did was go to his brother Simon Peter and bring him to Jesus. Although Andrew went on to become a faithful disciple, Peter gained greater notoriety, becoming part of the Lord’s inner circle, preaching a Spirit-filled, harvest-producing sermon at Pentecost, serving as a major leader in the early church, and authoring two books of the Bible.

And then there’s Barnabas and Paul. Barnabas came to the faith first, and yet it was Paul who went on to write 13 books of the New Testament, becoming one of the greatest Christian leaders of all time. When Barnabas saw tremendous growth at the church in Antioch, recognizing his limitations, he found and brought in Paul (Acts 11:26). Even before that, when fearful believers were skeptical of this former persecutor of Christians, it was Barnabas who vouched for Paul, securing his spot in the fold. 

Now, back to my friend. It’s been well over a year since the new pastor took over. And, as he promised, great things continue to happen. My friend has popped in at the church a time or two, but otherwise keeps a low profile. He’s moved on to other ministries, as well as enjoying travel, children, and grandchildren

No one is more thrilled about the good things going on at his former church than him. I watched recently at a meeting where he and the present pastor heartily greeted one another, mutually celebrating the good things going on. That said, he’s hanging out on the sidelines now, cheering everyone on, as God continues to build upon what he faithfully poured his life and love into for thirty years.

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Todd Gaddis is a semi-retired minister living in Athens. He continues to serve as an interim pastor and can be reached at jtoddgaddis@gmail.com.