As we were getting ready to retire we were buying our first home. (We had lived in a parsonage all these years.) Soon it came back to us that we were getting a divorce. That I was such a nice guy I was buying Nancy her own house and that I was moving to Tennessee.
Where there are people there will be gossip, even in church. It was so crazy we had a good laugh!
Whew! Having been a pastor for 46 years I have seen and experienced the things I believe that a pastor needs.
One thing is to stop gossip. A good dose of truth is the death knell of gossip. Don’t find a few facts and invent how they are related.
A second thing is to encourage your pastor with a note about how some part of his/her ministry has specifically helped your growth. Pastors are literally giving their lives so that you can grow in Jesus Christ. Did you catch that? They are literally giving their lives to help you grow in your Christian life. Respect that.
Another thing that is not often thought of is setting aside funds for pastors to see a counselor or spiritual director once a month. Pastors need a safe place where they can unload about the stressors and strains of ministry. Ministry involves situations every day that must be kept confidential.
Pastors can’t admit to confusion, doubt, sin, and grief to others without members judging him/her and putting the position at risk. A public persona develops, and the real self is hidden from view. This creates internal anxiety that effects pastoral leadership.
It is hard for pastors to find a safe place to resolve some of these issues.
Solid Christian counselors or spiritual directors can be safe places to work out these spiritual issues.
Pastors need to grow in their faith. Daily demands can lead to a pastor neglecting the quiet times of being alone with God. A 20 or 30 minute daily Bible reading and prayer time is not sufficient. Times of silence take time to hear the still small voice of God. Contemplative disciplines are needed to experience God’s leading and grace.
Intellectual stimulation is important to further Bible knowledge and spiritual growth. For example, I have one study Bible that is the ancient history study Bible. The commentary on the scripture comes from the church fathers of the 2-4th century. These quotes from ancient sermons and letters assist in understanding what the early church believed and knew.
Another study Bible is the Literature study Bible, that looks at the texts from a literary statement. There are well over 20 types of literature in scripture and understanding a text from that standpoint helps to understand structure.
It is difficult to find people interested in talking and studying these necessary disciplines.
Finally, pastors need to pastor. Pastors are called for care and cure of souls. But sadly, administrative duties, running programs, and facilitating meetings, swallow up the time and energy in caring for souls.
“Eugene Peterson once wrote that he felt the chief work of the pastor was the Word, prayer, and spiritual direction. This is such a far cry from how the pastorate is perceived, but I believe his view is much better aligned with the Bible and much healthier on a personal level.”
What can you do? Step up and lead meetings, do the administrative work to free the pastor to do the Word, Pray, and communicate with people.
These are things you can do to bless your pastor.
(Note: Pastor Rick has a podcast entitled Soul Talk that explores spirituality. Listen on your podcast platform)
