What pastors wish church members knew
Many pastors admit they feel spiritually depleted. Other pastors confess they greatly fear becoming spiritually depleted. This is a real problem because pastors are the appointed leaders who help develop and sustain a congregation’s spiritual health.
Pastors admit they diligently try to monitor and protect their personal faith because they know their spiritual dryness will hurt their congregation and ministry. One pastor admitted, “As my own spiritual condition goes, so goes the ministry and the life of the congregation.”
So what causes pastors to “dry up” spiritually?
Most pastors work long hours each day and are available to their congregations around the clock. They answer the 3 a.m. crisis call while everyone else sleeps.
Pastoral work involves member visitation, hospital cals, counseling sessions, church administration, sermon preparation, etc. Some pastors have staff to help them. Others do not and must do most all the work themselves.
Pastor Lance Witt, founder of Replenish Ministries, wrote, “It’s no longer safe to assume that people in ministry have healthy souls. … Ministry, which we would assume would enhance our relationship with God, can actually become a threat to our relationship with God.”
A pastor’s work is “others-oriented.” He constantly gives his time, energy, advice, ears and heart to those who need him. Sometimes a pastor’s “spiritual well” runs dry. Pastors must “go back to the well” and refill their spiritual “pitchers” often to avoid spiritual dryness. They must spend time in prayer and God’s Word to keep their spirit renewed.
“It’s way too easy to just go through the motions instead of basing your ministry on a growing relationship with Christ,” wrote Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, Calif. “In fact, your ministry will have no impact if you’re not developing a more intimate relationship with Christ. … A dry relationship with Christ will kill your joy in ministry.”
Warren encourages pastors to spend time with God.“When we get busy in ministry, we often let our time with God suffer. But we must guard our time with God very jealously. Serving God without spending time with Him is fruitless.”
Ways you can support your pastor:
– Pray without ceasing for your pastor. Let him know you are praying for him. Ask him how you can better pray for him.
– Understand your pastor needs scheduled personal solitude to spend time with God, pray, study and meditate on Scripture. Encourage and respect his times of solitude.
– 4As a church, encourage your pastor to take spiritual retreats. If possible, give him the gift of a spiritual renewal getaway.
Denise George is the author of ‘What Pastors Wish Church Members Knew’ and numerous other books. Denise and her husband, Timothy George (founding dean of Beeson Divinity School), are members of Shades Mountain Baptist Church. For more information, visit www.authordenisegeorge.com.
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