Are Pastors REALLY Overworked?
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, October 06, 2008
- Viewed 112
- (27) comments so far
OK… good points, or a bunch of bunk from someone who really doesn’t understand what pastors do?
(If you’ve been in the ministry longer than 5 minutes, you’ve had someone ask you what you do all week… what do YOU tell people how you fill your time?)
Respond to this person's comment at another discussion forum:
I hear all the time that pastors are over-worked.
Yet most pastors I know have the largest libraries I know of.
Is reading work?
Most pastors I know are also fat or bordering on it (I'm "bulky" myself). ....And a few pastors I know have soft, girly hands that do not have callouses.
Also, most spend a large portion of their time reading and studying the Bible - things that most devoted laymen do AFTER work. Is studying Scripture work? Do we need a break from it?
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Pastor Dan on Mon, October 06, 2008
Sure pastor’s work hard - some weeks too much but the important thing to remember is that so does everyone else. People in my church work 6 and sometimes 7 days a week. Most important thing to do is never complain about how busy you are - the busy people in your church don’t need to hear it.
Jeremy H on Mon, October 06, 2008
Speaking as a layperson: While pastors may not spend their time doing exhausting physical labor, they have to carry the emotional burden of caring for their flock. They listen to people’s problems and bickering and they can’t just go home and “leave it at the office”. They have to help people get through their devastating emotional traumas as well as still motivating and admonishing their congregation to do the work of Jesus and not just fall into apathy. Then, when they go home, they still need to have enough energy (both physically and emotionally) to care for their family. Unfortunately I see a lot of people take advantage and/or not appreciate their pastors.
david on Mon, October 06, 2008
i just tell people i only work on sundays, and when i am in the offices i’m only moving papers from one folder to another… why fight the stereotypes? http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif
seriously, being overworked has nothing to do with the validity of reading as work or the amount of callouses on one’s hand. as i understand it, the people who are developing the pharmaceuticals that save and enhance our lives spend a vast amount of time reading… and i’m pretty sure most CEOs don’t have callouses, but no one suggests they aren’t overworked.
sure pastors read alot, and probably don’t have the callouses of a line worker. but the line worker doesn’t spend his time worrying that he me might mishandle the Word of God… and when the lineworker’s grandfather is dying, the pastor is there beside him “working” for his benefit.
that said. i know a lot of lazy pastors and pastors who are only in ministry because they couldn’t hack the real world… it’s sad, but it unfortunately often gives the rest of us a bad name.
Jeff M. Miller on Mon, October 06, 2008
We guitar playing worship “pastors” have callouses on our left hands…http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/wink.gif
Jerry on Mon, October 06, 2008
For sure politicians are overworked then
Leonard on Mon, October 06, 2008
No we are not over worked. But many I know work very hard.
I think the comparison stuff here only goes down a road that can end badly. I think it is a positive thing to share… Hey this is what a pastor does and how his life and schedule works but to compare it with the contractor, the wal-mart employee… Sort of not that fruitful.
I also think some pastors are not overworked but simply overwhelmed. It is a big job to do and it is no wonder so many drop out from doing it.
Sam on Mon, October 06, 2008
I think this has to do with the professionalisation of the office of Pastor.
Gone are the days of the primarily bi-vocational pastor or tent making if you will.
Expectations are higher now, partially due to consumerism. We expect the pastor to perform roles that the lay people should be doing for one another. Why should the pastor be expected to do all the counseling? Shouldnt laypeople be able to turn to one another for wise counsel? Then you have the lazy lay people that do nothing and expect the pastor of smaller churches to be the worship leader, landscaper, janitor, etc. as well as his primary function of preaching the gospel. This adds to the workload of the pastor.
Also, in the church growth crowd it is hard work to minimize the gospel each week and come up with new gimmicks to enhance your worship service….errr…i mean worship “experience”. I mean you gave your self that nifty title of chief spiritual architect or something else that mimicks the corporate world and you have to justify all that. It is hard work to have to go and listen to all of those famous preacher’s podcasts so you can decide which one you will plagiarize the next week in your worship “experience” I mean its hard work to memorize another person’s sermons and sound just like them. “oh, you didnt like that? how about i punch you in the throat” That was from Perry Noble via Mark Driscoll. It was hard work for Noble to be an East Coast Driscoll. It is hard work to go shopping for the latest styles at the Buckle. Hard work to maintain that soul patch or goatee or try to get your ROb Bell glasses.
Yes, it hard work for these pastors today. I feel for them. It is hard work to setup an executive board that is outside the church that oversees your salary and mimicks “accoountability”
Yes, it is hard work for true pastors out there. I agree. But for the “hirelings” that we see filling these CM churches, the living is easy.
Matt on Mon, October 06, 2008
I’ve discovered the reason people ask me what I do all week is because they’ve met a lot of pastors who can’t give them a good answer: They’re not doing a lot all week.
Sure ministry has it’s unique challenges, but it has it’s unique privileges too, like flexibility…
I think on the whole, we complain too much and it gives us a reputation we deserve.
My self talk? Shut up about how hard you work. A lot of people work hard. Live balanced. Everything else will take care of itself…
Leonard on Mon, October 06, 2008
Sam, your assessment comes with so much bitterness and anger that it is actually hard to stomach. I suggest before you post any more you get some counseling and then go study your bible a while on how to speak to and treat pastors.
To come in here ant take shots at people then to disappear shows a huge lack of maturity both as a person and in Christ. I would love for you to be here at MMI but your last post and this one show you really only want to judge and condemn. I oly speak for me here but I say, go away if that is all you care to add to the blogging world. Go get emotionally healthy, get yourself connected to Christ and his church then from a respectful place post.
Frank on Mon, October 06, 2008
I’m trying to decide if I should dignify Sam’s comments with a response. I think Leonard said it all.
Sam on Mon, October 06, 2008
Leonard, i would suggest that you study the Bible and read the qualifications of a pastor and you will see that many people that fill pulpits today are not biblically qualified to serve as pastor. I treat true pastors with great respect and honor that they biblically deserve. Newsflash, Leonard, filling a pulpit does not a pastor make.
Which pastors should i give more respect to? Todd Bentley of the great lakeland revival? Heretics like McLaren and TD Jakes? Or maybe pastors like the ilk that are typically found on TBN that fleece the flock on a regular basis.
Its called wolves in sheep’s clothing. I think Paul had something to say about this. You may want to check into this yourself.
But back to the topic at hand. I think that pastors are overworked in general because of the unrealistic and unbiblical expectations that lazy congregants place upon them
Leonard on Mon, October 06, 2008
Sam… Yawn, same stuff different post for you. Like I said, go spend some time growing and healing from what ever has made you so bitter and angry and harsh. Then come back and post.
Sam on Mon, October 06, 2008
i will take your avoidance of my questions as acknowlegement to their accuracy. Thank you. Your silence is continued personal attack speaks volumes.
Leonard on Mon, October 06, 2008
take my avoidance of your questions to mean they are crummy questions instead. That is how to interpret the silence here Sam.
Bart on Mon, October 06, 2008
Sam and Leonard,
Please take a deep breath, go for a walk, take two asprins and call back in the morning.
Sam, I beleive that Leonards original intent was to express concern. Some who comment here on MMI seem to turn every post into their personal passion. The post was on being overworked and you turned it to the theology of some men. I may actually agree with yoy, but the post was on being overworked. Again some comments try to turn every post in to the evils of the mega church, Rick Warren, or the emergent church. It is frustrating to MMI readers to see some commentors continually do this. I appreciate your passion, but don’t let your passion blind you.
Leonard, while I may agree with you, a sure way to get someone fired up is to tell them they are angry, bitter and need counseling. Sam’s passion may or may not be misplaced, but your comments could also be considered inappropriate for brothers in Christ.
Remember, DEEP BREATHS!!!
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