Truth #1: Pastors work really hard
You’ve likely heard the joke that pastors “work one day a week.” That’s like saying firefighters work when there’s a fire—not when they’re responding to car accidents, teaching fire-prevention seminars, conducting fire drills, inspecting equipment, staying physically conditioned, and so on.
Just as we don’t think about all the things firefighters do, we often don’t have a clue about the demands of the pastor’s role or the impact those demands have on family.
Let’s find ways to thank our pastors for the hours they spend casting vision, preparing sermons, visiting hospitals, managing staff, trying to counsel and keep couples from divorcing, equipping teams, handling drama, leading strategy meetings, talking to skeptics, shepherding new believers, and answering distress calls at 3 a.m. And that was just last Tuesday.
If it’s possible, consider leading your church to bless your pastor with a sabbatical season, or at least several weekends away for rest. If the church budget is small, investigate different ministries that serve pastors. For example, the recent pastors’ retreat I mentioned was sponsored by Harvest Foundation, which provides no-strings-attached destination retreats with free lodging for pastors and spouses.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In