7 Things Your Pastor Won't Tell You

The health of the pastor influences the health of the church. Too often pastors are the first in line to give help and the last in line to receive help. Unfortunately, this mindset has left them unable or unwilling to receive the love, support and encouragement they so desperately need. A recent survey showed that church member’s expectations translated to 114 hours per week minimally to carry out pastoral duties. It’s no wonder pastors are overwhelmed and underappreciated. They are expected to know everyone by name, preach a “home run sermon” every Sunday, condemn sin without hurting anyone’s feelings, and be available to serve others 24/7, all while not neglecting their own family. Here are seven things your pastor won’t tell you. It’s time to remove the facade and reveal the truth.

"I'm on call 24/7."

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Pastors have extremely long work weeks. Their days don’t end at 5 pm or when they leave the church office. They are working during the week and on the weekends. It can also be difficult for pastors to find rest due to the nature of this involved position. When emergencies come up, they are called away from their families at a moment’s notice. Your pastor often has to put his/her personal life on hold to attend to the needs of others. If you have an emergency, by all means call your pastor but if it’s an issue that can wait until tomorrow, let it. Pastor’s marriages and family lives are greatly impacted when they can’t spend time together at all without the phone constantly going off.

"I can't talk long on Sunday mornings."

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Too often, church parishioners forget that there’s only one pastor. On Sunday, the pastor is expected to speak to as many people as possible as they enter and exit the church. Your pastor needs to make personal connections with hundreds of people, potentially walking through your church doors. If you need more than a few seconds of your pastor’s time, let it wait another time. Reach out to him outside of church. Your pastor will appreciate you giving him the space he/she needs to make the connections they need to. This will also provide the opportunity for the pastor give your situation more focus outside the hectic nature of Sunday mornings. Remember, you’re not the only one who wants or needs your pastor’s attention.

"I need a champion."

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Many pastors do not feel as if they have a champion. They often lack that one person who has made it a personal goal to watch out for them. When a church is dealing with major financial problems that threaten to close the front doors, some pastors are willing to give it all – including dramatically reducing their salary, selling multiple personal assets and dipping into retirement to make payroll. Yet, when the church reaches a place of financial health, the sacrifice the pastor and his/her family made is all but forgotten. The failure to correct these situations is not often intentional. If these churches had any clue of the financial burden the family was bearing, they most likely would have immediately come to their aid. The problem that plagues thousands of congregations when it comes to the care of their pastors is they simply forget. It’s important that we remember.

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