Author Description

This is a book for ministers and lay leaders. It is my story of a lost ministry in a church that was in every way I could imagine the best place in the world for me to be a pastor. <p> I have attempted to tell the story in a way that allows you to live it with me and to feel the joy and the pain I experienced. And I have attempted to analyze what happened, to make sense of it, and to take responsibility for my part in it. <p>I am one of the estimated one in ten ministers who eventually left the ministry after a forced termination. But I still feel a deep affinity for individuals who dedicate themselves to lead congregations, to be present and available, to help, to guide, and to inspire. <p> It is my hope that this book will in some way help churches and ministers avoid the trauma I experienced. And if you are a minister who has already experienced a similar loss, it is my aim that this book will provide some comfort and support as you work through what happened. <p> Tim Sledge <p>Note: This book is based on excerpts from my spiritual autobiography, <i>Goodbye Jesus</i>.