Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (Acts 20:28 ESV)
The other day a man came into my office to talk about some issues in his life. As we were making small talk before our "actual" talk he asked me a very sincere question - "So, what is it like to be a pastor?" Without any words I got up from chair and walked over to him and leaned upon his shoulders with the brunt of my weight. He looked at me and said, "You're kidding - right?"
That might be a bit dramatic but it illustrates the weight that pastors often feel (or should feel) as they shepherd God's people. That doesn't mean that we should carry every one's burden's but it does mean that God takes this responsibility seriously.
I'm charged with being the spiritual leader over many people. It is my responsibility to pray for them, instruct them, minister to them, and often help them make wise choices for their lives.
It really bothers me when I hear of a pastor who has abused his authority and taken advantage of the sheep placed in his realm of responsibility. IT REALLY bothers me.
Look at how the prophet Jeremiah addressed those shepherds who had failed in their responsibility as shepherds and pastors.
“Doom to the shepherd-leaders who butcher and scatter my sheep!” GOD ’s Decree. “So here is what I, GOD, Israel’s God, say to the shepherd-leaders who misled my people: ‘You’ve scattered my sheep. You’ve driven them off. You haven’t kept your eye on them. Well, let me tell you, I’m keeping my eye on you, keeping track of your criminal behavior. I’ll take over and gather what’s left of my sheep, gather them in from all the lands where I’ve driven them. I’ll bring them back where they belong, and they’ll recover and flourish. I’ll set shepherd-leaders over them who will take good care of them. They won’t live in fear or panic anymore. All the lost sheep rounded up!’ GOD ’s Decree.” (Jeremiah 23:1-4 MSG)
In today's society, all too often the demands upon a pastor exceed what they really should. The pastor is traditionally considered a church's head "everything." He's the spiritual and administrative head, the sole minister, the legal corporation president — and basically the know-it-all, do-it-all, "chief cook and bottle washer."
The rewards of being a pastor are many. Without question, there is no other position in the world that has a higher honor, than to be called of God to be a pastor. However, it is a vocation of extreme contrasts. It can be sometimes wonderful and sometimes terrible in the same package. Despite potential blessings of leading souls to Christ, the job of pastor is one of the most difficult, agonizing tasks there is.
Dale Robbins writes about the greatest challenges that a pastor faces:
(1) Being Misunderstood.
For the most part, the life and ministry of a pastor is not understood by the average layman. A policeman once told me the same thing about law enforcement officers. He said, "The only one that really understands what a cop does is another one." I could relate to what he was trying to say. Sheep really don't have any idea what it's like to be a shepherd — only other shepherds. The average layman has little concept what a pastor is, what he really does, the hassles he deals with and so forth.
Being a pastor isn't a job, it's what a person is. When God calls a person to be a pastor, He places in him a shepherd's nature and characteristics — to love and care for his flock. He is a pastor all the time. It's what he thinks about, what he lives for, his purpose on the earth. It's not possible for him to go home at the end of a day and leave his job behind the way that most people can. His, is an all consuming task.
The pastor is on duty twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. He frequently receives phone calls at home from morning to evening, and often in the middle of the night. Most of his home activities are related to the church. Most social calls or relationships are church related. A large percentage of his conversations with his family involve the church. His home should probably be a refuge to rest or to have a life of his own, but it's usually the only place he can hide himself long enough from interruptions, to pray for the church or to study for the sermons he must preach there.
(2) Coping with Criticism.
Like most other public figures, a pastor and his family live in the public eye, like a "fish bowl" where people watch them constantly, frequently viewing them with criticism and cynicism. People who enter the ministry must be prepared to face much criticism, sometimes of a brutal and cruel nature. However, all those who have risen in leadership or accomplishment know well the sting of their critics. It has been said that "the only way to avoid criticism is to 'Say nothing, Do nothing, and Be nothing."
(3) Faced with an Overwhelming Task.
George Barna, among the most discouraging aspects for pastors is the extensive range of duties they must fulfill that exceed their mix of gifts and talents.
Author James Rutz says that the average pastor often feels overwhelmed and lonely in his task. "He beats out his brains in the pulpit week after week to make a difference in people's lives. But sometimes he feels like he's been condemned to a lifetime of futility, trying in vain to motivate a sullen pack of foot dragging spiritual adolescents who never quite seem to see the big picture, never get excited enough to shoulder responsibilities, and never come anywhere close to a full 10% tithe."
(4) Resisting Manipulation .
For many, this will sound unbelievable. But the pastor is a frequent target of manipulation and control. Sometimes people unintentionally take advantage of a pastor's willing heart, and make requests and demands that begin to dominate his personal life. And then there are others who view the pastor like a politician, trying to lobby his favor or influence to attain a position, to favor their opinion, etc.
(5) Coping with Emotional Conflict.
During the ministry of a pastor he will face challenges and strange conflicts in his emotions that he was never prepared for. This unique man most likely entered the ministry out of his divine calling, and his love for people. But he was probably surprised to learn that shepherding people was a life filled with wounds, hurts, and disappointment.
As the pastor faces his daily tasks, he will begin a ride an emotional roller-coaster. With each person he counsels or prays with, he will experience a momentary bond with their circumstances or burdens. During the course of a day he may console someone with a terminal illness, listen to trivial complaints, meet with a couple to discuss their marriage plans, or find it necessary to correct someone for their sinful lifestyle. He will go from one contrasting situation to another, and then within a short period, he will have to find a way to restore his composure from all these concerns to preach an encouraging, heartfelt sermon to the congregation.
(6) Coping with Disappointment.
Furthermore, during his ministry, he will experience many disappointments and heartaches with people. Many will fail to do what they promised and disappoint him. Others will criticize, judge, speak against him, betray him or even seek to ruin him or his family. Some will try to gain his friendship for ulterior motives — to manipulate his influence for their own agenda. Many he loves will eventually leave the church for some reason... some will move away, others may backslide, become offended, or simply reject his ministry. Dozens of times, he will experience the loss of beloved members of the flock through death. Many, many are the wounds of a shepherd, that the flock never really understands.
(7) Dealing with Satanic Attack.
The pastor and his family are targets of Satan’s greatest attacks. The enemy’s strategy is highly intelligent. If he can overturn the shepherd with temptations or trials, he can likely scatter the sheep.
According to insurance statistics, ministers experience an unusually high rate of stress related illnesses (such as ulcers and nervous conditions), depression, marital difficulties, conflict with their children or family, financial problems, and so on. To complicate matters further, if he does face such challenges, some will criticize him as a spiritual failure.
(8) Perseverance.
There will be numerous temptations for the pastor to simply quit. He must be a person of tremendous faith and prayer to overcome the many challenges — to set his face as a stone, with unflinching determination and steadfastness.
The average lay person will never realize the price his pastor must pay to be his shepherd — the heartaches he will endure to minister to men’s souls.
Jesus, the Great Shepherd was a man acquainted with grief and sorrow, despised and rejected, and His under-shepherds and pastors also identify with these characteristics.
How necessary it is that we pray for him, encourage him, show him love and not add to his list of wounds.
One of the everyday prayers that I pray is this, "Lord, help me to be a good pastor. Help me to be loving to even the unlovely. Help me to care for the needs of my flock. Help me to be wise in what I say to teach and preach rightly - and with your anointing. I pray that would never harm or hurt those placed under my care. And Lord, if I am ever filled with pride or arrogance - you have my permission to deal with me."
I realize, more than any one else, of my failures and short comings. I have often cried out to God for forgiveness where I failed and missed the mark in being a pastor. And yes, God is gracious and forgiving and pushes me forward to get up, learn from mistakes and to move forward.
And, by the way, I wouldn't want to do anything else. I LOVE what I do. I enjoy hearing from God and leading the people God has given me to pastor and shepherd. In looking back, there are a few things I might have changed but overall I believe I have made a difference in people's lives.
Someday, when I get to heaven - I look forward to hearing our heavenly Father say, "Well done good and faith servant of the Lord."
