DISCOURAGED PASTORS Jim Elliff There are plenty of pastors with generous smiles on their faces each Sunday who, deep down, are very disheartened. Pastoring a church is hard work. For one thing, it is usually thankless. I know there are some churches that seem to remember their pastors with such fanfare, but most do not ever esteem them. They dont work for just the members ultimately, so they can get over it, but never hearing those words, Thanks for what you do, pastor, is discouraging. But you can remedy this one, cant you? Perhaps right now is the best time to write that email or note, or to make a phone call. Some pastors get discouraged because their people expect a Dr. Internationally Known Mountain, when what they really are stuck with is only Brother Molehill. Expecctations are at an all time high these days of exceptional media coverage. Every pastor is happy when a member listens to sermons every day, but he knows he doesnt measure up to the gifted pastors these people hear most of the time. Some are discouraged because they are physically worn out. It just takes a few sensitive members to help him remedy this problem by pulling him away from normal tasks for a break. A member who makes special efforts to show love to his or her pastors will never be forgotten. I used to have a man who took me to lunch each week just to talk. He would usually say somethink to encourage me and even slip me a $20 bill. He helped me immensely to keep perspective. Perhaps you can pull your pastor away for that fishing trip or golf outing. Such things are like a drink of cool water on a dry, dusty day. Paul said of Philemon, Youve often refreshed me. Be like that. Some are discouraged because they cannot resolve long standing conflicts in the church. Churches have conflicts becuase they have people. Even the early churches had them. But pastors take these very hard. He longs for conflict resolution. Well, there may be other reasons pastors are discouraged. They arent perfect and can even bring more on themselves than is dealt to them by the churchs health. What can you do? Perhpas more than anything else, just become your pastors friend. Friendship has a healing aspect to it. Open your home and care for them. Think of the pastors wife and kids. They need you also. I doubt that you could possible know what a intentional love can do for those God has, in his providence, put over you in the Lord. Do what friends do--take them extra vegatables from the garden, invite them along for your trip to the Mexican resturant in town, buy that scarf that you think the pastors wife will like. Youre not buying friendship, but nourishing it. Let them do this [the management of the church] with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable to you, the writer of Hebrews said. But I know you church members pretty well. When you get to thinking about it, you can do some pretty amazing things for the pastors God has given you. Get started right now. Esteem them highly in love. (Jim Elliff)
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 03:35:26 +0000
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