Pastors Laboring Under the Radar

I am thankful that God has spoken to us through His Word - He's given us the Bible, and He speaks to our hearts and brings understanding and wisdom by His Spirit based on the Scriptures.   Not only that, He has anointed pastors and teachers to speak His principles to us.  There is a promise in Jeremiah 3 that says:
15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

On Faith Radio, we feature a lineup of strong Bible teachers who can help us grow spiritually.  Our desire is to help strengthen the local church, where we have been given pastors and teachers to proclaim God's truth, and I think it's so critical that we keep them in our prayers and affirm them in the difficult work that the Lord has called them to do.   Often, our spiritual leaders are expected to do an abundance of tasks and live perfect lives - but the truth is that they are human, men and women that God has chosen to empower and use in His service.  So, they need our prayers and our support - we should respect them and recognize that they have been given an enormous responsibility for the care of souls.   Thank the Lord for your pastor!

In 1st Thessalonians 5, we see some insight into how we are to treat those who serve in spiritual leadership over us:
12And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

I believe that some of the most unheralded servants and workers on the face of the earth are our pastors.   In a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, just 37% of Americans surveyed think the clergy make a big contribution to society, about the same as in 2009. Regular churchgoers tend to be more positive about ministers, priests and other clergy members. But even among adults who say they attend religious services at least once a week, only about half (52%) rate clergy in general as contributing “a lot” to society, while 29% say the clergy make “some” contribution, and 11% say the clergy contribute “not very much” or “nothing at all.” The occupations on the top of the list of 10 occupational groups? The military, followed closely by teachers, medical doctors, scientists and engineers. A solid majority of the public says each of those occupations contributes a lot to society. Ranking lower than the clergy are artists, journalists, business execs, and lawyers.

In a 2012 Gallup survey, respondents were asked to evaluate the honesty and ethical standards of a variety of professions. Nurses were at the top, with 85%, followed by pharmacists at 75%. The clergy was in the middle of the pack at 52%.

And, a new program on the Oxygen cable channel probably won't do a whole lot for the perception of preachers.   This new show, "Preachers of L.A." promises to feature fast cars, lavish mansions in swanky neighborhoods, and the otherwise prosperous lifestyles of six megachurch pastors that are featured in a trailer for the reality show, according to The Christian Post.   And, Craig Parshall of National Religious Broadcasters is concerned: "Preachers of L.A. will just add more fury to the consistent cry for an anti-clergy crackdown in Washington and more bricks to the infamous 'wall of separation' of Church and State."

The perception of those who serve in spiritual leadership, I think, is skewed for a number of reasons:   I think there have been the instances of clergy behaving badly, who undergo moral failure.   And, perhaps we need to pause and reflect on just how much our pastors do and the pressure that they are under.   Not only are they called to speak the Word of God, to proclaim God's truth, but they are involved in helping congregation members find their way personally.  They are charged with providing leadership to the staff and the attendees - there is some degree of administration involved, and for the smaller church, a pastor will perhaps get involved in a greater scope of administrative duties.   And, they are on call 24/7, essentially.

Often, a pastor and many staff members are called to be spiritual super men and women, and the toll can be enormous.  The Barnabas Ministries website quotes Charles Stone as saying that, "Clergy health is the issue at the beginning of the 21stcentury. If we in leadership can model healthy physical, emotional, and spiritual formation – Jesus wins, his church wins, his followers win, and we live abundantly in his joy."

Consider these statistics from Barnabas Ministries:

90% of all pastors feel inadequately trained to meet the demands of the job.

In 2009, Focus on the Family surveyed over 2000 ministers and discovered that almost 24% have faced a forced termination.

42% of full time pastors work between 50 – 59 hours a week.

45% of pastors have said that they have fallen prey to depression or burnout such that they needed to step away from ministry roles for a leave of absence.

Dr. Richard Blackmon, a Southern California psychologist, has found pastors to be “the single most occupationally frustrated group in America” and that “roughly 30-40% of religious leaders eventually drop out of ministry.

Perhaps when we recognize the modern role of the pastor and staff members in our churches, we can look at them through a new set of eyes.  And, all of us can help contribute to our pastors' success in the ministry. First of all, we can be in prayer - consistently - for our church leaders.   Pray for God to use them and for them to stay focused on His direction and to make time with their families a priority, among other things.

We can also affirm our church leaders.   Pastor and Staff Appreciation Month is coming up in October, and you can begin now to develop some plans to show your support for what they do.   But, affirmation and appreciation can be year-round activities.   I would encourage you to reach out and show your pastor that you are paying attention - give him feedback, perhaps let him know what part of a sermon ministered to you. And, embrace the families of your church staff members.

This is so important to the health of our congregations.  As Andy Stanley said at the 25th Anniversary of Dothan Community Church the other night, the local church is where the action is.  That church, by the way, is still under the excellent leadership of the founding pastor Charles Lewis, and what an incredible time of affirmation for his work and the work of God through that church took place.   Each of us can do a lot to make sure that our pastors and their families stay true to Christ and are effective in the ministry to which God has called them.