Helping Hurting Pastors
In my last post, I shared some information regarding the struggles pastors are facing today. It came from an article by Jill Foley Turner from the National Christian Foundation and included some troubling statistics from a survey of pastors.
What can we do to help hurting pastors? Today I would like to offer some of the suggestions presented in the article along with a few of my own.
To begin with, Scripture makes it clear that the church has a responsibility to its pastors: “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.” (I Thessalonians 5:12-13)
So, how can this be applied in practical ways? Let’s look at it from three points of view.
HOW CHURCH MEMBERS CAN HELP
Demonstrate respect and support. Recognize the challenges your pastor is facing and let him know you are with him and for him. Such empathy can be a real gift for that pastor who feels so very alone and so greatly pressured.
Get along, and help others do the same. Refuse to be part of petty arguments. Work to be a peacemaker where you can. Find out who might be able to help if you find yourself in a situation that is too difficult for you to handle alone.
Join your pastor in the mission. While the pastor may cast the Kingdom vision, he cannot fulfill it without ministry partners. Find a place where you can serve.
Share stories of life change. “That was a good sermon, pastor” is nice to hear, but it doesn’t give as much encouragement as letting him know how his leadership has changed your life.
HOW CHURCH LEADERS CAN HELP
Read The Resilient Pastor by Glenn Packiam. In this book, the author describes what pastors need to flourish. And when church leaders are aware of this, they can look to make sure their pastor is getting that.
Advocate for a fair salary. Scripture speaks plainly to this: "Pastors who do their work well should be paid well and should be highly appreciated, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching." (I Timothy 5:17) If necessary, enlist the counsel of outside HR experts as it relates to appropriate salary and benefits.
Protect your pastor’s time. One estimate is that between office hours, evening meetings, and crises, pastors work 50-65 hours a week. This is simply unsustainable. While emergencies certainly can arise, encourage (and enable) your pastor toward a reasonable work week.
Help your pastor find good physical and mental health care. Don’t wait for a crisis. Preventative care is important. Ask around to find the best medical and mental health providers in your area and share those names. If you know leaders of other churches in your area, ask what they do to ensure the health of their pastors and which providers they recommend.
HOW PASTORS CAN HELP THEMSELVES
Create a support team. Glenn Packiam talks about what he calls a “constellation of support” pastors need. This is a group comprised of a true friend (who is not a member of their church or family), a peer (who pastors another church), a sage (a mentor or older, experienced friend), a healer (doctor or mental health professional), and a king (someone who speaks plainly, is not afraid to say no, and holds the pastor accountable).
Monitor your rhythms of work and rest. Rick Warren offers this plan:
Divert daily (have a quiet time for the purpose of reconnection).
Withdraw weekly (take a day off for the purpose of recreation).
Abandon annually (get away for vacation for the purpose of relaxation)
Invite a friend to regularly ask you about your rhythms and be willing to take their counsel seriously.
Enlist the help of a coach. Other professionals – whether in business, sports, music, etc. – recognize that they never get beyond the need for a coach to help them get better in their craft. If you cannot find the money to do this in your benefit package (expense account, personal development) ask your board to put it into the budget.
Bringing help and hope to everyday pastors through coaching is one of the primary purposes of DDM. If you would like more information about individual and cohort-based coaching, please contact us. And for you who are ministry partners with us, thank you so much for making this possible.
As one who has been a pastor for nearly 50 years, I can testify that it’s certainly fulfilling. Yet it is also challenging. Let’s all do what we can to help our pastors not merely survive, but thrive.
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