Don Hatcher says he’s always been a breakfast kind of guy. Throughout the years of his pastoral ministry he said definite benefits have come from meeting up with other pastors for breakfast.
“When I came to Barbour Baptist Association, I wanted to eventually make these benefits available to my pastors,” said Hatcher, who has served as Barbour’s associational missions director for the past six years.
They’re doing it now on Monday mornings and though it can be hard especially for bivocational pastors to set aside the time, it’s worth it, he said.
These are the benefits — and the reasons Hatcher would encourage pastors to meet regularly if they aren’t doing it already.
1. Fellowship
“Most pastors enjoy a healthy fellowship with their church members, but the truth is they need to supplement the church fellowship with fellowship with their peers in ministry,” Hatcher said. “It is different in that it is unguarded. As a close-knit group pastors can be candid about their struggles without fear of condemnation.”
2. Honesty
This one may seem strange, Hatcher said — because there’s not a pastor alive who doesn’t go through seasons when he would rather no one ask him, “How’s your church doing?” It’s easier to just say “fine” than to answer truthfully during times of low attendance, budget crunches, lack of baptisms and internal conflicts.
But at breakfast “there are minimal facades,” he said. “We are all on the same page. We know how our peers feel when going through a difficult season. We know because we have been there. Why lie about it? Let’s just get it out — be honest about it without fear of criticisms.”
It’s an opportunity for pastors to get their peers on board as their encouragers and prayer partners.
3. Camaraderie
Most pastors really are lonely, Hatcher said. “They know the lines have to be drawn that prevent getting too close to their church members. They also know that people with whom they interact with outside the church family are not usually interested in ‘cozying up’ to a pastor.”
Camaraderie gets people together who have the same aim, he said. “When pastors and ministers gather for our breakfast meetings they know that each guy present is in the same ‘business’ and therefore has the same aim.” (Grace Thornton)
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