For those who've asked: Five Reasons I've Been Told I Should Have Been Fired

I've been asked about the five reasons I have heard from congregation members that they were given for why I should have been fired from my current post as pastor. (Note: I have still not been fired, but am living in limbo/in exile, awaiting firing or acceptance of my resignation--submitted on January 16, 2019).

5 - That I preached too frequently on death/dying/bereavement/grief/mourning. (In my defense: I preached on those themes no more frequently than those topics appeared in the passages as I preached passage-by-passage throughout the whole of Scripture. If I were preaching topically, though, I would still cover the reality of mortality, and other topics related to the very real life of human persons, on a regular basis.)

4 - That I preached on topics and with vocabulary that exceeded the education of several (sometimes all) of our congregation members. (IMD: I felt like I was defining terms and explaining topics adequately. But I may have failed to do this sufficiently in the course of each already-too-long sermon.)

3 - That I challenged the congregation to pray with one another at church as good practice for praying for their friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and other neighbors in our communities. (IMD: Yep. This is a thing pastors should do. And I did. I was unaware, though, that two of the most generous financial supporters were especially opposed to these opportunities being provided. That's on me.)

2 - That I would eventually require that portions of my salary previously withheld be repaid once the congregational finances stabilized. (IMD: Nope. I had recommended my own salary reduction to balance the budget in the year prior to our chairman prohibiting me from attending services and/or meetings of the church as well as from initiating any contact with the members thereof. So, sidenote: if you wonder why I haven't reached out to you--if you're a member of our congregation--reach out so that I can respond to your initiation of contact. I'd like that.)

1 - That my side-job to replace some of the lost income "involved pornographic photography." (IMD: Nudity, yes. Pornography, no. But just as with beauty, apparently some other definitions are in the eye of the beholder as well. Those involved in this accusation, though, claimed also that nobody ever beheld anything I was accused of having shot.

But to be very clear: a Scriptural perspective and pastoral responsibility demands that we not only espouse body-positivity and encourage an egalitarian/feminist approach to balancing relationships. As an example to Christian artists in the congregation and community, I believe we should live-out our beliefs through our imagery as a matter of integrity. The subjects depicted in those portions of my photography are uniformly creative collaborators helping to make important points about a number of topics.