In my latest non-scientific Twitter survey, I asked the following question of pastors and church staff: What is your biggest challenge in ministry? Here are the top twelve responses with representative quotes. I’ve taken the liberty to expand most of the quotes from their abbreviated form in Twitter.
- Apathy and internal focus. “I have been in ministry for over twenty years, and I’ve never seen church members more apathetic and internally focused.”
- Staff issues. “I inherited staff from the previous pastor. It’s not a good match, but I don’t have the credibility to do anything about it.”
- Leading and keeping volunteers. “It’s a fulltime job itself.”
- General time constraints. “I end every week wondering why I got so little done.”
- Getting buy-in from members. “I spend half my time developing a consensus from members about decisions from the mundane to the critical.”
- Generational challenges. “It seems like the older generation is determined to nix any new ideas or excitement from the younger generation.”
- Finances. “You can sum up our challenge in four simple words: We need more money.”
- Holding on to traditions. “I wish our members would put as much effort into reaching people for Christ as they do holding on to their traditions.”
- Criticism. “Some leaders in the church have appointed themselves to be my weekly critics.”
- Leadership development. “We miss too many opportunities in ministry because we don’t have enough leaders ready.”
- Majoring on minors. “We spent an hour in our last business conference discussing the fonts in our bulletins.”
- Lack of true friends. “One of the toughest realities for me as pastor was the awareness that I have no true friends in the church.”
What is fascinating, if not discouraging, about this survey is that virtually all of the challenges noted by these pastors and staff were internal challenges. It appears that many of our churches in America are not effective conduits of the gospel because the members spend so much energy concerned about their own needs and preferences.
What do you think about this list? What would you add?
Posted on June 26, 2013
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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100 Comments
Pardon the gender term, but we pastors need to “man” up or better term , perhaps “Moses up” (see Exodus 14:11-20 among others), because I don’t see any other type of “sheeple” to work with in the Bible. All this handwringing and whining is causing me to wonder if God really “calls the equipped or equips the called”. I mean it is a tough work, the pastor’s, but what lie did they tell you, or rather “who” is that always lies to us about the facts (see Satan)? Jesus wasn’t the most popular guy in Jerusalem either and especially among the religious community and His was “killer” pastorate too. just saying
Robby,
I basically agree with your statements. I knew that ministry would be tough work, but I did not have, I was not prepared for the degree of difficulty early on. I made it through but it was pretty awful while I endured so much opposition for simply not being my predecessor, or not being the interim, or that my wife was active in ministry, or whatever else (the list was too long). I understand the hardship of ministry better than I could have just by hearing from others, but I aint turning back. Beyond that, I think it does me good to at least read from pastors in the trenches that I am not alone in the pain that ministry caused. I guess my reason for responding is that I think Satan would not want pastors to talk honestly about the struggles they face in ministry. I think Satan would want pastors who are feeling weighed down by the hardships of ministry to feel like they are being sissies for opening up. I think Satan would want a pastor who is enduring hardship to feel guilty for stating that ministry has been a challenge. I think Satan would want the pastor to forget that although Jesus willingly endured the cross, He also prayed for another way to bring salvation. I think Satan would want pastors to be macho…which as an American man is an attractive option, but not necessarily a wise or biblical one.
DK
Dan, please feel free to say what your feeling, or however one expresses their hurts. I just thought someone should say OK now get back to work cause this is what it is. I mean if it weren’t for the people church would be pretty good work, right? Of course without the people their is no church. Isn’t this what God was doing with Moses in Exodus 14:11-20, trying to see if Moses was up for the challenge of real leadership? Moses’ reaction was to get back to work.
I guess my ministry struggles are are more personal rather than other people, because I can’t really change them just attitude toward them. So I admit to being critical of those who always blame others for their struggles. Thanks for your comments, I shall leave the majority here to their mode of catharsis.
My challanges as a pastor are: a) A lack of leadership. b) Members leaving because they can’t get their way.
I would say my biggest challenges in order are wonderfully less than 12 but sadly just as difficult:
1. Satan
2. Myself
3. People
The comments from lay leaders on this post really frame the problem pastors face in leading churches well. Half want the pastors to ‘grow a spine’, ‘take the bull by the horns’ and boldly lead the church. The other half want pastors to quit trying to ‘impose their will’ on the church, bully the church and passively wait instead for the Holy Spirit to lead, (not sure how that happens if nobody steps up to take charge). The variety of expectations for pastors from the actively serving members and apathy from the majority makes it tough for pastors to find enough support to move the church forward for the Lord.
I left this forum last month because I was advised that this was for Pastors and not me. I stand by my statements , A pastor must take control of the church or be run roughshod over. If the church members are focused on things other than God it is going to bring havoc to the whole church and open the Pastor to ridicule. I had always had the impression that a Pastor had the heart as well as the training and ability to do the job.
The Job of Pastor is not just to be a counselor ( I have counseling certification and can do the same) but to LEAD the church, in order to lead you must have leadership skills and those include management of all the issues included here. If one area is in need of repair then the manager must recognize this and take action. The Pastor is the Sheppard NO LONGER one of the sheep once he takes the position. He is the individual who is supposed to know best care for and do what is in the best interest of the sheep including locking them in at night and medicating them when necessary ( taking license). If the pastor does not do his job correctly and it is brought to his attention (biblical) then it is up to him to admit to and rectify the situation. He must also be able (as a leader) be able to stand up to ridicule and _correct_ the improper attitudes.
I am only a church member, one who does what she can and then some, but also one who has battled Satan in the church. I am sorry if I struck a nerve in some people ,I am not trying to hurt anyone further but I am adamant that someone needs to take control of the way things are going in these churches, because where there is apathy or dissension people are being led/pushed away from God! Not everyone is able to stand up and speak out against injustice, dissension and cliques. When this stuff enters our churches people who are looking for a haven from the worldly Garbage start leaving, what kind of witness is this?
These are important issues, and I can identify with some of them. However, they all seem to be symptoms, rather that root problems. Surely the biggest challenge is people (be they members, staff, or the pastor himself) who are not focused on God and on his character, who are not willing (nay, determined) to put God’s will into practice, regardless of the personal cost.
In a nutshell.
Well said
Also, for those that say “we can’t do that”. What about “separation of church and state”? Well let’s clear that up once and for all. Even if you should lose tax exempt status our forefathers (including pastors) lost a whole lot more than that! Time to really put on the full armor of God. http://www.itbn.org/index/detail/lib/Networks/sublib/TBN/ec/s3aWU4NToqzUnaLzvizjJ8q59tni03Qr
This link affirms my earlier comments. This blog may have evolved into one of the most important blog forums ever! Our pastors must stop being distracted by the minor issues and focus on the majors! Otherwise, there may not be a church to worry about. This presentation is presented by Orlean Koehle ironically presented from a pulpit. You may have to click on the exact video, entitled: Commom Core Curriculum – A Trojan Horse for Education Reform. This is so important to watch that if you don’t, your congregation may very well be devoured. The correct video shows her standing at the pulpit with a baptismal behind her for proper identification. http://search.yahoo.com/tablet/s?p=commn+core+trojan+horse+you-tube&fr=ipad Pastors you are here for such a time as this! God Bless (I have no idea how I got involved in this blog except to say it must have been a divine appointment.
Looking back on 26 years, I agree with all of these challenges, but my biggest ministry challenge has not been the sheep, it has been the shepherd. I love pastoring, but my greatest challenges are internal. The goats in my churches are not viable scapegoats.