Last month was Pastor Appreciation Month and people all over the country celebrated their pastors! It was an awesome month for me for two reasons. First, as a part-time pastor myself I felt a great surge of appreciation from the people I serve. Second, as a person devoted to encouraging and equipping pastors, it was great having other people joining me in this work for the whole month!
The cards have been read and the gifts have been received.
Now what?
I can't get this article out of my mind:
Suicide: When Pastor's Silent Suffering Turns Tragic
In my work I interact with many pastors that are suffering silently. The expectations placed upon their work are, in a word, unattainable! Few if any are fully equipped for the tremendous breadth of professional skills and spiritual gifts needed for the job! This reality is exacerbated by the fact that most hurting pastors feel they can't ask for help and resign themselves to keeping silent!
The result is beat up, stressed out, and frustrated pastors. Seems to be a far cry from this scriptural directive:
1Timothy 5:17
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
I love Pastor Appreciation Month, AND there must be more we can do! I'd love to hear your thoughts! And, I'll start rolling out some of my own as well.
What can we do to change the cultures, systems, and habits that produce these outcomes?
Now what?
Lon
"...encourage one another and build each other up..." (1Thessalonians 5:11)
About Me
- Lon Alderman
- God has placed in my heart a deep passion for the local church and, in particular, leaders in the local church. I began a ministry we now call Lifting Arms Ministry in January 2003 to equip and encourage church leaders by lifting their arms like Aaron and Hur lifted the arms of Moses. (Exodus 17)
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4 comments:
I have been studying the behavior that causes us in this culture not to be able to reach out and ask for help. I call it The Self-Sufficiency Syndrome and it's an epidemic!!!
As a professional speaker I've brought this message to women's audiences all over the country and have found this epidmic to be alive and well.
I would be happy to send you a copy of my McGraw Hill published book Help is Not a Four-Letter Word: Why Doing It All Is Doing You In.
Peggy Collins
Speaker, Author, Mentor to Working Women
www.helpisnotafourletterword.com
peggy@helpisnotafourletterword.com
Peggy, it sounds like pastors aren't the only ones trying to do it all themselves!
I'd love a copy of your book! My snail mail address is on the "contact me" page of my website:
www.AcornMinistries.com
Thanks for your comment!
Lon
Mark Sturgell wrote...
Lon, first, keep up your critically important work within the church and especially with pastors! At risk of "blaming the victim", to reduce the culture of isolation that church leaders face, church leaders must learn to be more transparent with their congregations. This will require MUCH more discourse than some pastors can fathom or feel they ... Read Morehave time for. For example, it is important for pastors to have a support network, including people within the church. This will (it must) include friendships. Without increased dialogue with all segments of the congregation, some will feel they have a right to special friendship treatment from the pastor, while others feel the pastor is playing favorites. Who is responsible? The pastor must overcome these kinds of obstacles to remain a healthy leader within the church.
You've raised a difficult question with many complex issues in finding an answer, obviously. But any solution includes the perceived risk of more transparency.
Mark,
As always, thank you for joining this conversation and for your insights!
I agree that pastoral transparency will lend itself to a healthier relationship between pastor and congregation. I would support this by pointing out that "wounded healers" (a phrase from Henri Nouwen) are more apt to connect with people. I find it very difficult to approach an apparently un-flawed person.
However, and I'm sure you'd agree, there are healthy boundaries of self-disclosure that should be respected. I always liked the thought: "a guide on the side is better than a sage on the stage".
Again, thanks Mark!
Lon
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