Ministering to the ministers
I wrote the following e-mail yesterday and sent it to about 50 blogging pastors:
I’m writing to you and other blogging pastors because I have a question only a pastor can answer. I’ve been growing increasingly aware of how difficult the job of pastor can be. I know that pastors often receive a lot more criticism than encouragement, and that can lead to all sorts of bad feelings. I think, though, that most congregations truly love their pastors but don’t understand how much encouragement is needed or how to practically provide that encouragement. I also think that pastors are generally and understandably reluctant to ask for such encouragement or display any human weakness at all.
I personally love my pastor, and I’m keenly aware of many things that beat him down in his ministry. Most of those things are entirely out of my control or influence. I would like to provide encouragement to him myself and incite others to do so as well. But I know enough to know that I have no idea exactly what issues a pastor faces that members of the congregation could alleviate. I just don’t know what to do or how to go about providing the most effective encouragement for him.
My request to you is that you respond with a blog post (or a link to a post if you’ve already written one) listing some practical ways a congregation can encourage their pastor. If you’re reticent about revealing that sort of thing on your own blog, I would be happy to post something you write on my blog and remove your name from it–sort of an "advice from an anonymous pastor" kind of thing. I really want to know this, and I want the flock to stop being unaware of their shepherd’s humanity and needs.
If you decide to write a post about this, please let me know so I can read it and link to it.
Sincerely,
Curt Hendley
The Happy Husband
http://www.thehappyhusband.com
This is really weighing heavily on me right now. Being a Godly pastor must be the most difficult job in the world. CEOs of corporations must weather attacks from competitors, and leaders of countries must deal with other countries’ leaders as well as politicians within their own countries, but pastors have to protect themselves, their families, and their churches from attacks by Satan himself. The fact that so many pastors get little love and support from their congregations goes a long way toward explaining why so many pastors resign every day.
I’m going to set up a permanent page on this site with links to pastors’ blogs where they offer advice on how to encourage your pastor. I have already received a few responses as well as a few promises. Check out these links and see how you can serve your pastor:
- Steve Pedersen: "My Pastors’ Prayer Group met today on a 30 foot sailboat.…I asked the guys a question to start off our conversation: How can a congregation encourage their pastor? The guys on the boat responded with these ideas…"
- Tod Bolsinger: "If you ask any of my executive staff, they will tell you of how many people have come along side them, joined them in ministry and cared for them personally. And it is my confidence in this community of people that allows me to promise my staff that together we will all aim to have ‘a great ministry and a great life.…‘
- Mark Van Der Hurst: "What has my church done to encourage me? I have shared this with several pastor friends and have had a blogger ask for some ideas to encourage his pastor. So, here is my experience/feeble attempt at talking about a time OUT.…"
- Craig Williams: "Begin here, trust and respect, until we prove untrustworthy or unreliable.…"
- Glenn Buzbee: "Churches can be like middle school. Or like playgrounds beset by a handful of bullies. It only takes one or two kids on the playground to stand up to the bullies and say ‘Stop! No more!’ God just may be calling you to be one of those kids to stand up and speak out; but while it is scary to defy a bully in your congregation (and even a best friend could be one) if you don’t, then who will?…"
- Noel Heikkinen: "For me, [this question] takes more the form of ‘Things I Wish People Knew.’ I think if these things were realized, more encouragement could happen organically. …"
I will share more responses as they come in, and I’ll keep adding them to the permanent page once I build it. If you’re a pastor who doesn’t blog or I didn’t include in my e-mail, please feel free to respond in the comments or in an email to happy-at-atimelikethis-dot-net.
Update: I have created a permanent page with a link in the sidebar. I will post further responses on that page alphabetically rather than continually updating this post.
June 14th, 2005 at 9:42 pm
Fantastic subject, Curt. I applaud you for really getting out there and looking for input on this. Coming from a church where years ago the Pastor took a lot of criticism but withstood it through the encouragement of those who shared his vision, I have seen firsthand how a congregation can rn down a leader, and how a congregation can lift that leader up.
At Christian City Church-Long Island, we really love our pastor. I look forward to sharing the ideas of other pastors on how to encourage him so we can lift him even more.
June 14th, 2005 at 9:58 pm
This is great- thanks, Curt. Until last year I was employed by a conference center owned by the United Methodist Church. My role brought many, many pastors from all over Texas into my life. All too many of them are consistently beaten down by the needs of their congregations and find themselves in the helpless position of trying to please everyone. We all know that this is impossible. After this realization, I began to send thank you cards to our pastor and members of the church staff on a regular basis. It was amazing how this small gesture touched them. Given how often we are touched by our church- it’s sad how few church members stop to appreciate the people who help fuel our spiritual fires.
June 15th, 2005 at 7:39 am
Fabulous topic! Thank you Curt.
June 15th, 2005 at 8:05 am
[…] d under: General — jami at 8:34 am on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 Curt over at The Happy Husband asked a fabulous question: How can we encourage our pastors? He has posed this question to […]
June 15th, 2005 at 11:14 am
Curt, Thanks again for your interest here. I read a number of the responses and I have put mine up at www.jasondollarblog.blogspot.com. I hope that your work returns with fruit.
July 1st, 2005 at 8:24 am
Great post. I read one at Jolly Blogger (http://jollyblogger.typepad.com/jollyblogger/2005/06/how_to_encourag.html) on this subject. I also put your link on my blog, Cooperland.net.