It is an old joke, one that is still told too often. You go up to your pastor and say, “I wish I had your job; you only have to work one hour each week.” It is likely your pastor will laugh or smile at your comment. In reality your pastor is likely hurt by your statement. Indeed the reality is that too many church members have made wrongful and hurtful comments about the pastor’s workweek.
Sadly, some church members really believe some of the myths about a pastor’s workweek. And some may point to a lazy pastor they knew. I will readily admit I’ve known some lazy pastors, but no more so than people in other vocations. The pastorate does lend itself to laziness. To the contrary, there are many more workaholic pastors than lazy pastors.
So what are some of the myths about a pastor’s workweek? Let’s look at seven of them.
Myth #1: The pastor has a short workweek. Nope. The challenge a pastor has is getting enough rest and family time. Sermon preparation, counseling, meetings, home visits, hospital visits, connecting with prospects, community activities, church social functions, and many more commitments don’t fit into a forty hour workweek.
Myth #2: Because of the flexible schedule, a pastor has a lot of uninterrupted family time. Most pastors rarely have uninterrupted family time. It is the nature of the calling. Emergencies don’t happen on a pre-planned schedule. The call for pastoral ministry comes at all times of the day and night.
Myth #3: The pastor is able to spend most of the week in sermon preparation. Frankly, most pastors need to spend more time in sermon preparation. But that time is “invisible” to church members. They don’t know that a pastor is truly working during those hours. Sadly, pastors often yield to the demand of interruptions and rarely have uninterrupted time to work on sermons.
Myth #4: Pastors are accountable to no one for their workweek. To the contrary, most pastors are accountable to most everyone in the church. And church members have a plethora and variety of expectations.
Myth #5: Pastors can take vacations at any time. Most people like to take some vacation days around Christmas. That is difficult for many pastors since there are so many church functions at Christmas. And almost every pastor has a story of ending a vacation abruptly to do a funeral of a church member.
Myth #6: The pastor’s workweek is predictable and routine. Absolutely not! I know of few jobs that have the unpredictability and surprises like that of a pastor. And few jobs have the wild swings in emotions as does the pastorate. The pastor may be joyfully sharing the gospel or performing a wedding on one day, only to officiate the funeral of a friend and hear from four complainers the next day.
Myth #7: The pastor’s workweek is low stress compared to others. I believe pastors have one of the most difficult and stressful jobs on earth. In fact, it is an impossible job outside of the power and call of Christ. It is little wonder that too many pastors deal with lots of stress and depression.
Pastors and church staff are my heroes. They often have a thankless job with long and stressful workweeks. I want to be their encourager and prayer intercessor. I want to express my love for them openly and enthusiastically.
I thank God for pastors.
Posted on December 22, 2014
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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117 Comments
Mr. Rainer,
As a bi-vocational pastor, I appreciate your article. You are dead on point. I regret that there are some bitter and overly stressed readers who took your intent offensively, but some of us understand your
motive, and thank you.
The reason people need to have articles like this one is because there are indeed people who are ignorant of the demands on religious leaders, and in their ignorance, they do make stupid remarks like the ones you mentioned. I’ve heard them WAY before I was pastor.
There are some parishioners who insultingly say things like, “Ya’ll get paid a lot for a 45 minute sermon and an hour Bible class through the week!” I say within myself at those times, “Dear Lord, thank you so very much that this person is not assigned to the church I’m called to serve!” When they leave my presence, I even lift my hands to heaven and praise God with rejoicing and a few praises in tongues! LOL!
From all of us here in Mississippi, thank you Bro. Rainer for your ministry.
Sincerely,
Pastor Thrasher
Wow, this kinda turned bitter. A myriad of pastors didn’t write this article one man did who is sympathetic with pastors who fall into his opening premise. Did anyone read that?
‘Some people’ think a pastors week is easy.
He never said all pastors suffer under amazing demands and stress. He pointed out things that happen that some may not know about. So a few of you need to get off your high horse cause it Died!
I won’t tell you some of the difficult ‘secular jobs’ I be had but I’m 60 years old and there have been several demanding stressful positions. So don’t tell me pastors denigrate what our flock does. If there is a pastor doing that don’t get your loin cloth in a wad, just go to that pastor and tell him.
Some responders on here have some bitterness issues obviously. You need to forgive and possibly confront someone who has failed you.
I pastor a smaller church, my life may not be as demanding in many ways as what Bro. Thom described here. But I’ve experienced all of them.
Here’s what he left out, everyday I am aware that I answer to Almighty God. He’s no teddy bear of a boss! He sees all, and judges righteously. Yes He is compassionate and
Merciful. That’s what keeps me in the pastorate.
Pardon my typos I’m not good at phone blogging. 😉
Thank you Brother. Nicely put.
Kristen, your points are not without merit. People often think they have a harder job than others. One thing that’s really different about a pastor’s job from your typical blue or white collar job (which I have held, in addition to being a pastor), is being called away (often at a moment’s notice) to deal with “other people’s” trouble or tragedy. Even therapists have office hours, and firefighters have shifts. Another thing that’s really different is that a pastor is regularly dealing with and trying to heal parishioners’ deep feelings or life issues, -not your sales force’s hope for a bonus, or a boss’ lousy attitude. There are secular jobs that have these aspects, but not many. Add to that the personal and corporate expectation that one is “called” to pastor (as opposed to few feeling “called” to sell timeshares or lay bricks), and you have a job with some very unique issues, heavy expectations, …and tremendous rewards. -Rev Neil
As a pastor, I’ve never said my job was harder than anyone else’s. However, I don’t appreciate it when people try to tell me what an easy job I have, especially if they’ve never done it.
Thom,
I greatly appreciate your articles and your writing. I do not feel that you downgrade the secular work. As a bi-vocational pastor, I have a “foot” in the world and the church. Most pastors do as well. How many youth pastors spend hours a week at schools, games, etc. Most that I know, so they are in the world. How many pastors spend hours a week in the hospitals, in the homes, in the market place? Most that I know, so they, too, are in the world. I do not believe that you were saying there are no stressful jobs other than pastors. I am pretty sure you were saying that there many factors about the job that are stressful that people do not fully realize. It is not complaining to talk about the stresses of your job. Yes, the pastors understand those demands before they go in. But that does not make them any less stressful.
I have never once heard Thom Rainer discard or demean the secular worker. I believe he knows. But as far as Kristen says, in response to her quote “They (they secular worker) might not have the care of souls of a whole church congregation but they have many cares and often work in thankless jobs with many stresses and challenges.” I would have to say, still working in the secular world bivocationally, having had times when the bills were hard to pay, having spent time with families in the hospital, having lost people in my family tragically, having deadlines and stresses at my secular job, having sat with people as their homes burned to the ground, having sat with people who lost loved ones, having performed weddings and funerals, having worked for poor bosses, having family issues that every family has, having scheduling conflicts, etc. Most professions have many of these, few have all. But having said this, the “taking care of souls” is the biggest burden. If you truly believe the Bible, and if you truly believe that lost people are GOING TO HELL, then there is no greater burden in the world.
I hope you support your husband in what he does. He needs it. He may never complain or gripe, or whine, as some people believe pastors do when they talk about the stresses of their jobs, but he has burdens that most aren’t called to carry. “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” (1 Tim. 3:1). Also, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1). According to the Scripture, the pastorate is a noble task which will be judged with greater strictness than other jobs. To be stressed is normal, and to talk about your stresses is normal, except when pastors do it, people say they are complaining.
Yet another article about how the pastor’s job is difficult and most often more difficult than secular vocations. I recall years ago, our church had a ‘parenting panel’ where people could ask questions of the pastors and a few elders about raising children. One question that was asked was how they manage family devotions. Our youth pastor answered that he had a time of reading Scripture with his children before getting them off to school in the morning. Great! Well, good for them.! Most in the congregation have jobs and commutes that call them into work well before their kids are awake. This is just one small example of the way pastors actually can set their own schedules. Many ,many people with secular jobs do not have that ability. They have bosses that tell them what to do or they get fired. I’m not trying to say that pastor’s don’t have demanding schedules. But the reality is that people with secular jobs have demanding schedules and stresses too. Many of the ‘myths’ you’ve listed here can be refuted and countered with examples from secular work. I would also say that there seems to be a lot of pastor’s that downplay God’s calling in secular work thereby denigrating the people they serve and whom they are supposed to shepherd. They also have a a ‘woe is me’ attitude about their own work. Many have either never held a secular position or it’s been so long since they have-they’ve forgotten the stresses of being in the world and not of it. To anyone that is a pastor and might be reading this: please do not act like you have the hardest job in the world. Your people are stressed, overloaded, trying to provide for their families and serve God–all in the same amount of time as you have in any given week. They might not have the care of souls of a whole church congregation but they have many cares and often work in thankless jobs with many stresses and challenges (long commutes, care of family, service in the church). They may not be the same stresses and challenges as yours but they are there all the same.
My purpose was not to compare pastors’ work to others. Obviously, there are others who have challenging jobs as well. Merry Christmas.
Mr. Ranier, with all due respect, that’s what you did. One of several examples in your article: ” I know of few jobs that have the unpredictability and surprises like that of a pastor.” In dispelling your myths-you used secular work as your comparison. (P.S. My husband is a bi-vocational pastor.)
I disagree – while in a few specific comments there were comparisons, on the whole I didn’t feel this article was trying to make it sounds like pastors have it so much harder than anyone else – just that they have it harder than many people realise. Saying you can’t think of many jobs as unpredictable as a pastor’s is not the same as saying nobody else has a tough job, or even that a pastor’s is the toughest.
While they do have some flexibility in their schedule, I don’t feel that negates all the inconveniences of their schedule (or lack of) either.
You nailed it, Leah. Thank you.
The main difference between the pastor and the welder is that a welder doesn’t write blogs complaining how hard his work week is. Most pastors I know (I am a bi-voc S. Baptist pastor) need a healthy dose of reality. I don’t believe their workweek is any more demanding than the average congregant.
He’s not saying that the job of a pastor is harder than any others, he’s trying to look behind the curtain and show folks the misconceptions people have about being a pastor. We all know a welder, factory worker, business man etc work 40 hours and then some because chances are, we ourselves have been in those positions. Fewer of us have been in pastoral positions therefore we don’t see the time/duties involved. Settle down.
we all need encouragement. Thank you for pointing out that those who are called to ministry in the marketplace have a tough time as well!
I will pray for you, and you can pray for your pastor.
“I don’t believe their workweek is any more demanding than the average congregant.”
Oh how wrong you are! I have worked since 14 and held many jobs before preparing for ministry. I have never once been fired or burned any bridges. I have had people hire family members of mine based on my work ethic. I can say without question that the pastorate is the hardest profession that I have known.
How many people do you know who make three 30 minute speeches per week, prep for those speeches, teach classes, visit church members, evangelize the community, hospital visits, make a specific number of contacts, administrative work, and potentially a funeral? I cannot even begin to tell you how much easier it was to work a job when I had one boss. In a church setting the pastor has dozens of “bosses.” Each of them have their specific expectations and many of them are quick to let you know what they are and you had “better” tend to them.
Ever had thousands of evaluations for your job based on ignorance? I remember getting one evaluation each year when I worked in IT. I would love to go back to one evaluation. I get tired of being told I went into the ministry for money. In fact, this makes me quite angry since I haven’t made close to the income I left prior to ministry. Almost anyone can attend a church business meeting and find out exactly what their pastor makes and see that it isn’t much and rarely do you have a situation that the pastor is paid more than the average pay of the congregation.
Pastors are expected to work hard, being pulled in several different directions, cater to a culture that has the value of “me first,” and do so with little provision for their families. Look and see where pastors rank on the list of respected people in a community and you will notice he hovers around used car salesman. Too many “Christians” demonstrate this type of respect in the way they interact with their pastors and provide for them. Don’t believe me? Look at some of the job descriptions (http://www.sbc.net/jobs/) and then the subsequent pay in comparison to those descriptions.
Much of the pastors worth and measured success in ministry is how our messages are applied in people’s lives. No one has to do anything we instruct them to do and I cannot begin to tell how you how soul crushing it is to put ten hours of work into a sermon. To get so excited during my time of study and to deliver the message with enthusiasm just to see it fall on deaf ears. I have long since come to the conclusion that far to many Christians see me as an entertainer as opposed to the one appointed by them to lead the congregation in a greater relationship with Jesus and in an effort to grow His Kingdom.
Before you think this is a rebuke of every Christian or that the ministry is nothing but misery, I cannot begin to describe the many people I have met who love Jesus. These people have been an encouragement to me and my young family. The way my life has progressed and how Jesus is wonderful to me, I can’t see myself doing anything else but being a fisher of men for Him. I hope to God that I can do it all the days of my life.
Right on, Steven! I wonder how many laypeople would like it if their pastor came to their places of employment, constantly looked over their shoulders, and tried to tell them how to do their work? How would they like it if their pastors constantly opined on how easy their work was, and told everyone they were paid too much? I daresay most of them wouldn’t take kindly to it, and they would be right. So why do they feel compelled to do the same thing to their pastors?
Wow. This response totally missed this point of the post. This response is pathetic and ignorant. Many men have left the pastorate begging to go back into the secular work force. I meet pastors all the time that reflect on how they miss their secular work. They are wore out by the spiritual, emotional, and physical demands of the ministry. Their children and wives are sick of the church. Kristen you need to get real.
John, thank you for the gentleness in which you treated my wife in your post by calling her pathetic and ignorant. I would encourage you to pray before you post, and highly commend John Newton’s letter “On Controversy” for you and all who would post notes in the anonymity available online. I trust you would not have walked up to her and said that to her face, so it may be helpful to ask yourself why.
You are right to say something is wrong when pastors are chased out of ministry. If your pastor friends are wore out by the spiritual, emotional and physical demands of the ministry then something is indeed wrong because God is faithful and will never allow any of us to be tempted more than they can bear.
I too know of many cases of pastors who left their jobs because of stress and in each one of these cases the man was either trying to do the work of ministry in their own strength rather than the Lord’s, completely failed to obey Eph 4:12 and actually train others to do ministry (normally because they liked to be liked more than they liked to obey), or failed to be transparent in any way (oftentimes as a reaction to getting burned relationally in the past) which created distance from the very people who should be permitted to help bear his burdens.
It is hard to be a pastor. I am one and I agree. I just think these kinds of articles do nothing to open communication with church members about these myths, and frankly most who live under these myths are ensnared by the fear of man and would do well to actually talk with their brothers and sisters about these issues which can be very real in some cases.
I said her comments were ignorant and pathetic, not her. Get that straight.
Again, y’all missed the point of the post. Obviously I’m not the only one who sees it. Look at the other comments. If y’all don’t want to receive it, then don’t.
You said, “If your pastor friends are wore out by the spiritual, emotional and physical demands of the ministry then something is indeed wrong because God is faithful and will never allow any of us to be tempted more than they can bear.”
God is faithful. However, God sometimes allows the ministry to fail so that the minister will move on to something else. (Jonathan Edwards) Based on your reply, you assume it must be all the fault of the pastors. I disagree.
God allows suffering and he allows pastors to suffer and yes become wore out sometimes. Sometimes pastors who labor hard and do all that they are called to do by Scripture never see success and they leave the ministry because their situation becomes unbearable to their families.
God’s faithfulness does not guarantee that men will not suffer or sometimes collapse. His faithfulness is in relation to Him accomplishing His purposes. They will not fail. We could circle this all day.
Back to my initial reply-
Did your wife make some blanket statements that came across ignorant? Yes.
Look at the snarky comments she posted-
“Yet another article about how the pastor’s job is difficult and most often more difficult than secular vocations.” – Already you can feel the grace here.
“Our youth pastor answered that he had a time of reading Scripture with his children before getting them off to school in the morning. Great! Well, good for them.!” – Wow that was gracious and warm.
“They may not be the same stresses and challenges as yours but they are there all the same.” – Well, which is it? Same or different?
Get the log out of your own eye Mikee.
Did she say, “To anyone that is a pastor and might be reading this: please do not act like you have the hardest job in the world.” ? – Yes she did say that.
That was unhelpful and pathetic. It was unclear and uncaring. It did not move things forward. It put all pastors in one category. It totally misses the fact that pastors will give an account in a way that others will not.
Pastors do have one the most important and hardest jobs because they are called to shepherd sinners, while being a sinner themselves. They face spiritual warfare in unique ways and they give themselves to preaching the Word. Paul says they are worthy of double honor.
I stand by my comments. Her response missed the point of the post.
If you think my comments were not gracious, read her post again. It has drawn a lot of attention and for good reason.
Graciously,
John
Hi, John–
Just a note to say that it was actually Ed Stetzer who opened my eyes to the clergy-laity divide if you have an interest in his opinion:
Part 1
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2012/july/laypeople-and-mission-of-god-part-1–killing-clergy.html?paging=off
Part 2
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2012/august/laypeople-and-mission-of-god-part-ii–reclaiming.html?paging=off
Part 3
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2012/october/laypeople-and-mission-of-god-part-iii–customers-to-owners.html
Part 4
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2012/october/laypeople-and-mission-of-god-part-iv-changing-culture-of.html?paging=off
Part 5
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2012/november/laypeople-and-mission-of-god-part-v–essentials-to.html
Part 6
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2012/november/laypeople-and-mission-of-god-part-vi–two-final.html?paging=off
I know it’s a long series but I hope you will read it.
Not fully endorsing John’s comment but to be fair, him saying your wife’s response “is pathetic and ignorant” is not the same as saying she herself is pathetic and ignorant. At least, I think so.
Oh my! WWJD?
None of the comments seem to be appropriate among brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please brothers and sisters…a little grace and mercy.
I don’t recall the last time someone from work called on a Saturday or at night or during a holiday me to tell me that the nephew of a cousin of a co worker was in the hospital and expected me to be there for prayer before they went into surgery. Or getting a call from a cubicle mate at 8pm to complain that my meeting presentation was not that good. Or visiting 15 members of my work group who were not feeling well and were bedridden. With the exception of law enforcement, certain medical professionals or those in the military, I don’t know of very many professions where a call can come in at any time of the day or night with news of a sickness, death or family emergency for which action is required. I am self employed and work many hours, but for the most part they are predictable. My wife runs her own CPA firm, but again, although working 16+ hour days during tax season, she is able to predict most activities. As the son of a second career pastor, I have experienced many times where his church members expected his participation or presence during an important event….even if it meant him sacrificing quality time with his family. I have FIRST HAND experience with this. Sure, many other professions work long hours or have a certain amount of stress, but MOST people work 8-9 hours a day Monday-Friday and leave their work at work. Our congregation recognizes the amount of stress and level of expectation of our pastor. We knew he will try and be everything to everyone. That is why we pay for a fitness club membership for him and MAKE him take time off. Even the executive of a company does not feel PERSONALLY responsible for every employee 24/7. Most pastors DO feel that personal responsibility.
AMEN!
Thank you, as a pastors wife of 35 years, that is the truth of my experience. I grieve that we are unable to be open with our struggles as we follow His calling. I know of no other occupation, including my surgeon son-in-law, which includes years walking with people in crisis after crisis, grief after grief, death after death and sinful consequence after sinful consequence.
What other family walks through the death of loved ones, to whom they are not biologically related on a MONTHLY basis? 90% of these people are dear to our hearts and we grieve terribly their deaths. Yet my husband sits with them throught the dark hours in the hospital, helps them navigate funeral arrangements, prepares a service that he prays points them to the Lord and shows His kindness, then walks out of that service to a meeting with fighting spouses and more sermon preparation. He would love to just be home and rest with his family.
He has been so faithful because our Good Shepherd has shepherded him. But pastors are human, and they grow tired and weary–just as the apostle Paul did. It would be nice if that spiritual burden were recognized and pastors were encouraged more.
Kristen, I really hate I had to stand in line to reply. True, there is stress in every job. I have two plus some additional ones from time to time. I have been bi-vo for over 30 years now. Comparing my secular job to my church job is no comparison. My secular job requires an advanced degree and pays accordingly. My secular job does not have any expectations for my wife, children, yard, car, or dog. My secular job has reasonable hours with time that is truly my time when I am not in the office. My secular job pays four times more than my church and has benefits. There are major differences in expectations and working enviroments. Reality? Yes.
“Our youth pastor answered that he had a time of reading Scripture with his children before getting them off to school in the morning.” I find it fascinating that you seem offended by your youth pastor’s suggestion. What you don’t seem to understand is that especially youth pastor’s work at night often. So while you’re home with your kids after work their not…That is when they found time to do it that worked with their families schedule. Is that really that hard to understand?
Also, don’t forget about the large number of bi-vocational pastors who work other part-time and/or full-time jobs in addition to their job as a pastor.
My heroes.
Ditto to what Dr. Rainer said. I don’t know how you bivocational guys do it.
as a former denominational worker, I can testify to the stress and frustration that many of our bi-vocational pastors have to endure. Of course there are those who serve with “full-time pay” who need their spouses to work so they are able to simply get by financially.
Most people who say pastors work “only one hour a week” say it in jest, so I usually just laugh and take it in stride. However, when they seriously tell me I have an easy job, I ask them one question: “I’ve been a blue-collar worker. Have you ever been a pastor?” That shuts them up pretty quick!
Thanks, Ken.
And you know what I would say, “I think your lying to yourself”. And your supposed to be the pastor?
Thanks for drawing attention to this, Thom.
For sure.
Once again, I agree with everything you said. If I may add a few comments:
Regarding #4: In many small churches, many people appoint themselves as the pastor’s personal supervisor. Thus, they think they have the right to micromanage every detail of a pastor’s life – including his personal time. How many of you laypeople would like to work in that kind of environment?
Regarding #5: The church I currently serve always has a Christmas Eve service, so I haven’t spent a Christmas with my Mom or my siblings for the last eight years. Fortunately, my wife’s family does not live far away from us, so we are always able to spend Christmas with them.
Regarding #6: People often ask me what a typical day is like for a pastor. My standard response is, “I don’t know. I’ve been a pastor for 19 years and I haven’t had a typical day yet!”
Well said, Ken.
An equally stressful and difficult job? Being the pastor’s wife! 🙂
For sure.
In my opinion, Adrian Rogers said it best: “A pastor’s wife has to put up with everything the pastor puts up with, and she has to put up with the pastor, too.”
I like it.
Oh, these are good! 🙂
And without pay.
Not at my church. The pastor does NO sermon prep, and he stops preaching when he runs out of thigns to say, not when he finishes the sermon. The pastor does go off unannounced, to his granddaughters sports events, to other things, and no one has been prepared to take the pulpit other than my husband, who has to fall back on a sermon that has been rattleing around in his skull for weeks or months.
The pastor is married, but his wife is not our pastoral helper. She does teach the nursery Sunday School, but that is for the sake of her grandchildren and her greatniece and greatnephew. I predict that whe she has none of her own in the class, she will stop altogether.
She cares nothing for the poor, except to avoid becoming one of them. (Remember Gone With the Wind, and Scarlett’s pledge?) I know, because I am one of the poor she treats like a pariah. She has thrown away things I donated! She will not sit within one pew of me or my family — apparently we non-smokers activate her allergy to tobacco.
Our church does not have a pastor’s wife. Instead, we have a grumpy snob who never wanted her husband to be pastor, and still opposes and interferes with his pastoral duties in many ways.
Please pray for my pastor!
Awkward silence.
While I in no way know anything about your church, pastor’s wife, or you, I would like you to try and err on the side of understanding. Perhaps your right, maybe you pastor’s wife didn’t want her husband to be a pastor. Her husband now has a job that “requires” in your words to be the pastor’s helper…Maybe she didn’t want that title. Being a pastor’s wife can be very alienating, after a while of feeling left out you begin to build walls up to protect yourself. If he is a second career pastor maybe she really misses the old life they used to have (them together in the pew with no pressure). Church is VERY different once it’s your job.
Your pastor is the one that sounds odd to me. You said, “The pastor does NO sermon prep, and he stops preaching when he runs out of things to say, not when he finishes the sermon. The pastor does go off unannounced, to his granddaughters sports events, to other things, and no one has been prepared to take the pulpit “. That is not normal and shouldn’t be tolerated. The fact that you husband picks up the slack is probably where your resentment is really coming from. This sounds like something your council needs to be handling…
I hear you loud and clear, and you are on point with you description of the relationship between pastor, wife and church. when I came to the church, this is the first thing that stuck out to me. Over the years the Lord has had me to speak to pastors concerning this.
First of all when a woman is married to a pastor ( God’s sheperd) she must realize 1. the will and plan of God outtrumps her personal preferences and desires for her husband and the church. 2. She is meant to be a help mete ( strengtheneing and help) to her husband in all things. God never means for a wife to divert, pervert or alter the work God has ordanined and predestined in her husband. God chose him to lead in church and home.
God will not hold a pastor unaccountable for not-putting Him first-place in his calling. Wifw is second only to God, but she must know how far to go, and he must know how far to allow her to go and disallow the things that does not coincides with His will and word.
Often, in the churches of the end-times we live in- the wife who is ment to support, has become dictators to the pastors. when man (or woman fear man more than God, when man choose to obey man rather than God- it becomes “anti-christ.”
I know this sounds harsh, but it’s the gosple truth.
For this reason church has become a place tp come to worship from preferences, rather than the living God. God’s Spirit has no real presence or reverence in such. Pastor are looking at the fac tha they have to live with person and if they want any kind of peace they feel it’s best to not rock her and her circle ‘s boat. the devil is a liar and deciever, and he thrives in churches that is void of or lacking Spirit-filled or strong, stedfast leadership.
Pray that God will reveal His will to pastor concerning the church and wife. Thes type of pastors are dear to God and the church, but often one can be too close to the mirror to see what God and some others see. pray for pastor’s wife, that God will put His love and desires in this sister for God, husband and church. The thing to see is that, often its not God who has placed a pastor, but rather people or family.
It sounds like pastor, has a spoiled child on his hands rather than a mature christian woman that has no desire to be in control of him and has to the need to call all the shots, and shut down or becomes spiteful when opposed for such spiritually immature, and unbiblical behavior.
this what was going in “Malachi.” God was dealing with the pastors who had what I call “The spine of Elijah when he was on the run from Jezebel. It’s sad, very heart-breaking. Sometimes everyone can see, but the one who needs to see. Pray. This is our part: Pray without details for God already know the situation-Just love God, and them enough to pray earnest prayers for your leaders. In fact I will too. Pray for my pastor and wife. Prayer still works, when we believe and walk by faith and not by sight. God bless you.
You’ve probably heard or read this imagined exchange: “I wish I had your job; you only have to work one hour each week.” “Well, Olympic sprinters have it even better. They only work for 10 seconds every four years!”
That’s funny again.
“I wish I was an Olympic sprinter – they only have to work 10 seconds every 4 years”
That’s funny.
OK Ben, that one made me laugh!
Ben, that made my day! I love it!
Great analogy!