I was sitting in an Elders meeting several years ago at my former ministry in Ohio. One of the Elders who I had a great relationship with was teasing me about the amount of time I had been studying that month. As this was going on another Elder, who I will call Rodney (not his real name) had a very strange look on his face. When the teasing ended Rodney looked at me with all seriousness and asked if I had been using Church time to study for my sermons. When I told him that I had he began to get frustrated and a little mad. He told me that my job was to visit people during the day and I should study on my own time. He went on to talk about his military days and how he had to study "off the clock" on a regular basis. With all of the Elders now looking at both of us I explained to him that the Church paid me to visit, pray, study, and everything else that goes along with ministry. Rodney was not happy the rest of the meeting or the rest of the time I was in Ohio.There are many misconceptions about what a Pastor does and does not do. All of us in full time ministry have very different personalities and approaches to how we accomplish things. For me I like to mix things up and work during the day and evening as well. I love to visit people and I enjoy my time in study as well. What my schedule is and what the guys schedule who ministered here before me are very different. Most leaders that any Pastor works with understands the dynamics that are involved with the different personalities and approaches by each individual Pastor. Still there are those out there like Rodney who feel that they know the best way that every Pastor should spend his days. If you are a Church leader and you find yourself frustrated with your Pastor then handle the issue Biblically and talk to him first. My situation right now is wonderful, but my heart goes out to my brothers who have to struggle through this with their leadership.
The Church needs to realize that it is imperative in todays culture for their Pastors to have enough time in study and prayer. These 2 vitally important elements are missing much of the time in a Pastors life. All of us in full time ministry need to be focused upon study beyond the Sunday morning sermon so that we are constantly filled with wisdom and insight. Our prayer lives have to take precedent over our busy days before they begin so that we are inviting God into our daily situations. Any Pastor who takes the time to pray and study several hours each day will be someone that God will use continuously. Those in the Church need to encourage their Pastors to take time for this each day. There is more power in a Pastor who prays with regularity than many realize. I always will wonder to myself why Rodney was so upset at that meeting? Would he have been so upset if he spent more time with the Lord? Maybe part of the problem is that some of the leaders in the Church think of their role as a position instead of having the mind of a servant. The Apostles in Acts 6 delegated ministry so that they could give their attention to the word & prayer. That still holds true for the Church today. I receive payment for working in full time ministry. A big part of that ministry is spending time in prayer and the word.
4 comments:
Great post! I remember a pastor friend of mine who did not answer the phone when his elder called. Later the elder asked where he was at 8 AM when he should have been in the office. He said that he was there, but in his time of prayer and bible study. The elder sniffed and said, "I wish I had time for prayer and bible study." My friend said, "You should!"
The pastor should be an elder, given time to pray and study the Word. In fact, the church might be stronger today in America if more pastors would spend time in the Word instead of just downloading sermons off the Internet or sermon services.
Granted, we don't need to be spending 80 hours a week in the study and not among the people, but most of us don't put in near enough time in God's Word.
Stay studying the Word, my friend! It's the most important thing you can be doing!
Part of the problem is arrogance that permeates the Church. We must have our study and prayer time. People think that its odd to get paid for the spiritual side of ministry, but a Pastor who is not well balanced is no good to the Church he serves. My heart goes out to those who don't get this time.
I knew I was in a great place when I was finishing a paper for my graduate studies and on of my current Elders offered to come and answer the phones while I finished it. I praise God for him and his understanding of what I have to do sometimes.
Jeff you are on fire with these posts.
I personally feel that there is a balance. Now I will say that many other professionals have to do side studying to benefit their profession and it directly benefits the employer. Doctors and such. So if I am taking a class to update or grow I will do it on my time.
But other things like devo, sermon work or reading I would consider that to be on the job essentials.
You know it is so hard to say. My mentor told me that all of it is ministry.
1. School benefits them
2. Devo and prayer keeps us on track.
3. Books and study benefits them.
4. Heck spending time with my family benefits them b/c if they go down hill then I can't minister.
So its hard to say in my opinion.
Still a great post.
Jeff,
What a good reminder that we are to be minister of the Word; spending time in study, and prayer.
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