Archive - Confessions of a Retired Pastor

The Way We Honored My Mother Made Me Think

Why is it easier for us to come together to celebrate a life after it has ended than it is to come together to build wealth while we are still living?

Apr 1 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

March 2026

When Bereavement Hits Home

Dignity and compassion should never depend on status

Mar 27 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

When a Bigger Church Called—and I Stayed Where I Was

Not every opportunity that makes sense is meant to be accepted.

Mar 25 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

A Confession: The Moment I Knew it Was Time to Retire

There is a difference between having a plan and knowing when to execute it.

Mar 20 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

A Confession: I Thought I Was Overqualified for My Church

Transformation is not something you impose. It is something you build.

Mar 18 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

Who Pastors the Pastor?

Even the shepherd needs a shepherd.

Mar 13 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

Tempted to Go Back to Work

Sometimes the most powerful ministry a church can offer is not another sermon. Sometimes it is a second chance.

Mar 10 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

How My Retirement Affected My Wife

Retirement from pastoral ministry is rarely an individual experience. It is a family transition.

Mar 6 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

The Guilt of Not Missing the Pulpit

Sometimes relief is not a sign that something was wrong. Sometimes it is a sign that something was finished.

Mar 4 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

February 2026

My Title Was Not My Identity

Titles inevitably change. Roles eventually end. But a person cannot depend entirely on a role to tell them who they are.

Feb 25 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Operation PUSH, and the Road I Didn’t Take

It can be hard to know whether you made the right decision until many years after the decision is made.

Feb 21 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

The Joy of Anonymity

Confessions of a Retired Pastor

Feb 14 • DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

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