A Surprising Example from the Football World
In a recent interview on The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, football coach Jürgen Klopp said something that stood out to me. As he spoke about his decision to leave Liverpool, Klopp shared that he wanted the coach who comes after him to do well.
It’s a simple statement, but a deeply revealing one. In the competitive world of football, many leaders want to be remembered as the greatest, the irreplaceable ones. Success often feeds pride, and pride doesn’t let go easily. But here was Klopp — a man who had become a legend in Liverpool — saying that his desire was for the next coach to succeed.
That kind of thinking is rare. And as I listened, I couldn’t help but think about the church — and about pastors.
A Successful Tenure and What Comes After
There are many faithful pastors who serve the Lord with dedication for years, sometimes even decades. They preach the Word faithfully, shepherd the flock through joys and sorrows, and build a church that grows in unity and love. That’s what a successful tenure looks like — faithfulness, growth, and fruit that remains.
But what happens after such a pastor moves on?
Some pastors retire, some accept a new call, and some step back because of health or age. In these transitions, the question becomes: What happens to the church when the pastor leaves?
Too often, pastors don’t think deeply enough about that question. They focus so much on their present ministry that they forget to prepare their people for what comes next. Some even fear that the next pastor will undo their work or overshadow their memory. And so, instead of making way for new leadership, they hold on tightly.
The Temptation of Legacy
There’s a subtle temptation that comes with ministry success: the desire to be remembered. It begins innocently — a pastor wants to be appreciated for years of hard work. But slowly, it becomes something more: a quiet craving for honour, for legacy, for being known as the best pastor we ever had.
Some pastors even struggle to step away completely. They remain in the church after their time is over, not to support the new pastor, but to keep their influence alive. Others make comments that remind the congregation of the “good old days” when they were still leading.
But the church of Christ cannot move forward if the focus remains on past leadership. The pulpit is not a throne; it’s a stewardship. The people we serve belong to Christ, not to us. Our calling is to prepare them to keep following Him long after we are gone.
The True Test of Leadership
Good leadership is not only about how we start — it’s about how we finish. A pastor who has led well will also let go well.
In Acts 20, the apostle Paul gives us an example. As he spoke to the Ephesian elders, Paul reminded them of his faithful ministry, but he also prepared them to carry on the work without him. He said, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace” (Acts 20:32).
Paul didn’t build a ministry that depended on him. He built one that depended on Christ and the Word. That’s the model we should follow.
A faithful pastor will train others to lead, invest in younger men, and help the church think about a healthy transition. He will speak openly about what should happen after he leaves. He will pray for the man who comes next — even if that man leads differently, preaches differently, or connects with people in a new way.
The Humility to Release
It takes deep humility to celebrate the success of the one who replaces you. Klopp’s attitude toward his successor reminds us that confidence and humility can go together. He wasn’t insecure about what he had accomplished, and he wasn’t jealous of the one coming after him. He simply wanted the work to continue.
Pastors should have the same heart. The goal of ministry is not that people remember us — but that they keep following Christ.
In Philippians 1:18, Paul rejoiced that Christ was being preached, even by those with mixed motives. That’s a radical kind of humility. He didn’t need to be the one in the spotlight. He simply wanted Jesus to be known.
That’s the kind of joy every pastor should have — the joy of knowing that the gospel is still advancing, even when we are no longer the ones leading the charge.
Preparing for Continuity
A wise pastor doesn’t wait until the last minute to think about transition. He starts early. He involves other leaders in decision-making. He encourages younger men to grow in preaching, teaching, and leadership. He invites others to share responsibility, so that when the time comes to step away, the church doesn’t collapse.
It’s also important for congregations to learn this mindset. Churches must remember that their ultimate loyalty is to Christ, not to a particular pastor. It’s good to honour faithful servants, but not to depend on them in unhealthy ways. A mature church will grieve the departure of a beloved pastor, but it will also look forward in hope — trusting that the same Lord who raised up one shepherd will raise up another.
Leaving with Joy, Not Regret
When a pastor finishes well, he can leave with peace. He can look back and thank God for His grace, and look forward knowing that the church is in good hands — not because of human strength, but because Christ continues to build His church.
There’s real beauty in that. It shows that the gospel we preach has taken root in our own hearts. It reminds us that ministry was never about our name, our voice, or our platform — it was always about Jesus.
When Jürgen Klopp said he wanted the next coach to do well, he gave us a small picture of what gospel humility looks like in another field. It’s the ability to step aside with joy, to cheer for the one who comes next, and to keep loving the work even when we’re no longer leading it.
The Legacy That Lasts
In the end, the greatest legacy a pastor can leave is not a large building, a well-known name, or a popular ministry. It’s a faithful church that keeps loving Christ after he is gone.
If the people continue to treasure the Word, to serve one another, and to live for God’s glory — that’s the kind of legacy that truly lasts.
So, when the time comes to let go, may pastors in Africa and beyond do so with peace, joy, and faith. May they pray, like Paul, that Christ will be exalted whether by their presence or their absence. And may they be content to fade into the background, knowing that the spotlight belongs to Jesus alone.