I
wonder if my experience might help you understand the heart of your
pastor. In so doing, my hope is that you
will take time this month to extend a word of kindness, a show of appreciation,
during October, which for 17 years in the USA has been “Clergy Appreciation
Month.”
I
have worked a few jobs. I have been a lumberjack, worked a ranch, in a garment
factory, as a dishwasher, cook, counselor, social worker, business owner,
landlord, administrator, university educator and more. I have worked 9-5, swing
shift, rotating and overnight shifts. I know for a fact, first hand, that every
job has its challenges, charms, curses and blessings.
I
have also pastored. It is hands down the most varied, challenging, difficult
and delightful role in my personal experience. It is uniquely challenging. It
is the only job where I have worked no less than 60 hours a week routinely but
have been accused of being a slacker who really works but few hours a week. It
is the only job where drawing a salary (in every case, much less than the
average salary of the church’s board members) for solid, competent work was
viewed as potentially unspiritual. It is the only job in which every fault or
flaw not of my own but of my wife and children have been critiqued, often
openly and painfully. It is the only job
in which I have been asked to be humble and bold, lead with vision while being
asked to serve all, embrace and love everyone with warm grace while challenging
everyone equally with sometimes harsh calls to repentance, create a sense of
unified purpose and adherence to standards of conduct while being sensitive to
the needs of the harshest detractors and unrepentant sinners. It’s all quite logically and practically impossible!
There
have been seasons when it seemed every word, every direction, every sermon was
critiqued and every motive challenged. As
the pastor’s biggest critic is usually him or herself, I have felt the weight
of constant self-evaluation and reflection upon integrity as one called to
proclaim the very Word of God, knowing that people, even when critical, are depending
upon the pastor getting it “right” so that they may be encouraged, challenged,
inspired, changed not by the personal opinions of the preacher by the good news
of the gospel. Most difficult of all is sharing the gospel as continually and faithfully
as I know how, in the church and outside of the church, through word and deed,
and seeing how often the love of God is rejected, disputed and mocked – and seeing
the resulting pain in lives that could be healed and full of joy through simple
trust in God’s grace and obedience to His loving commands.
But
then again, pastoring is uniquely wonderful.
To journey with human beings through every stage of life, from birth, to
growth, to youth, to marriage, to family, to sickness, to health, to
professional struggles and gains, to the losses incurred through the ravages of
time, to death, to comfort, to eternal hope.
No other vocation affords this blessing.
To be the midwife who catches the newly “born again” when the Holy
Spirit moves and to see the amazing changes of healing and hope that
occur. To champion the poor and
disenfranchised and see the homeless housed, hungry fed, abused healed,
enslaved freed, jobless employed, hopeless hopeful and communities transformed.
To take hits for leading through biblical truth and see over time the power of
persuasion soften hearts and make room for the holy. To be frequently awed by the power of the
Spirit to answer prayers prayed with tears and faith as people experience miracles
skeptics say don’t exist. To see enemies become friends. To see goodness happen.
There are challenges, but when called to pastor, it is difficult to imagine any
other form of service. Pastoring is fantastic.
GeorgeBarna, demographer, researched pastor’s work habits and experiences. He writes, "Most pastors work long
hours, are constantly on-call, often sacrifice time with family to tend to
congregational crises, carry long-term debt from the cost of seminary and
receive below-average compensation in return for performing a difficult job.
Trained in theology, they are expected to master leadership, politics, finance,
management, psychology and conflict resolution. Pastoring must be a calling
from God if one is to garner a sense of satisfaction and maintain unflagging
commitment to that job. Fortunately, we have thousands of men and women who
have responded to that call and serve God and His people with energy and grace.
May they be encouraged by an outpouring of love and gratitude this October -
and beyond!"
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