“I resign from the church in my mind about ten times a year. Every time it has been on a Monday.”
It’s a direct quote from a pastor at the Church Answers’ forum. And I’ve heard similar quotes many times.
So why are Mondays so difficult for pastors? Why do they have thoughts of resignation on this day more than others? I’ve heard five reasons consistently.
- Sunday is both emotionally energizing and draining. If that sounds like an emotional roller coaster, it is. There are many facets of Sunday ministry that are emotionally charged, but the sermon is the main reason. Pastors prepare with intensity and they preach with intensity. It is typically the highlight of a pastor’s week, but it is usually the most exhausting as well.
- Someone made a negative comment before or after the sermon. Some of the most vulnerable moments for a pastor are right before or after the sermon. The pastor is intensely focused before the sermon and typically worn out after it. When a church member selects one of those times to make a snarky comment, it usually carries over to the next day.
- There were a lot of meetings on Sunday. It makes sense. You already have a good number of the members available to meet. It helps them with their schedules. But it adds to an already exhausting day for pastors. When they wake up on Monday, they often feel like they played in a football game on Sunday.
- Pastors feel like they neglected their families on Sunday. In reality, they often do. They have little time for spouses and children on such a busy day. The following Monday can feel like a hangover of regret.
- They had a business meeting on Sunday night. Sunday evenings are the most common time for church business meetings. And church business meetings can get ugly. I spoke to one pastor whose church had a raucous business meeting until 10 pm on a Sunday evening. And he had after-business-meeting meetings until midnight. He was not in a very good mood on Monday morning.
Pastors, if you are ready to resign on Monday mornings, you are not alone. Don’t think you are an aberration or not in tune with the will of God. But give it a couple of days. Today’s sense of foreboding gloom will likely yield to a better disposition in just a few days.
And church members, pray for your pastors. Do everything you can to protect them and encourage them. Their Mondays can be a lot better if they know you care.
Posted on March 19, 2018
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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55 Comments
1. It is normal and in line with nature that after climax comes the feeling of being drained of energy. When the woman of issue of blood touched HIM, Jesus was in service, his strength running through the flow line of faith. He asked who touched me afterwards. Strength left out of Him.
When major amount of strength leaves you on the heels of intense preparations and delivery of committed service to a crowed with all the compassion, its cool to be blank or messed in your thoughts on monday. Law of diminishing returns.
2. Plan for monday action ahead of time.
One failure for the man of purpose like pastors would be to NOT PLAN FOR MONDAY BEFORE MONDAY.
I was recording artist at one time. I had planned great for the launch of my album only to go blank immidiately afterwards. The term should be NEXT!
After you have killed your self, in passion and compassion on the pulpit on sunday for the people of God, what follows immidiately after.
Preplan your monday or better the next week as a whole and the angels will work for u more.
3.Can you delegate more on sunday? Purpose partners, those who can do a bit of your core responsibilities because they are gifted, passionate and ready enough to act in your stead confidently and submissively in the Lord?
Who can you bank on among your people. It can be little responsibilities.
I try to take Tuesdays off – there’s too much carrying over from Sunday into Monday, and on Fridays, I’m still too focused on the Sunday ahead. 🙂
From my perspective pastors need to band together for support either in a multi-staff church or single pastors with other local pastors. When I was a sole pastor I treasured the Tuesday mornings when I would meet weekly with fellow pastors in our town. It was a lifesaver during a difficult pastorate.