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Tuesday July 13, 2010 ~ 16 Comments
There has been much discussion about the ministry and the toll it takes on leaders and families. Christianity Today has a helpful article reflecting on John Piper's recently announced leave of absence. Collin Hansen wrote: Pastors, even if they do not aspire to Piper's level of influence, easily fall into exhausting patterns of study, counseling, meetings, and visitation that jeopardize time alone with God and with their families... Rick Warren (in this week's Toolbox) asks "Are you working harder than God intended?": My experience is pastors tend to overwork when they assume extra hours make them more effective in ministry. That's simply not true, and this misguided notion can actually keep others in your church from developing into mature Christian leaders. Both the Rick Warren article and the the CT story quote some of our LifeWay Research data that I cited in an earlier post. I'll summarize some of that content... A new study coming out of Lifeway Research shows that "Protestant pastors in America are working long hours, sometimes at the expense of relationships with church members, prospects, family and even the Lord." You can read the whole article here in Facts & Trends. Here are some of the numbers. See the article for the full story. Feel free to download and use the graphics in your blogs and publications to help people understand what pastoral work and leadership often looks like. My hope is that it will help more pastors (and churches) achieve better balance.
The data points to some interesting work patterns. 65 percent of pastors surveyed work 50 or more hours a week, with 8 percent saying they work 70 or more hours. "Meetings and electronic correspondence consume large amounts of time for many ministers, while counseling, visitation, family time, prayer and personal devotions suffer in too many cases." From the article: Time with family rates as a priority for many pastors, but some find alarmingly little opportunity to be with their spouses and children. While 30 percent of the pastors report spending 20-29 hours with their families each week - and 16 percent indicate spending 40 or more hours with them weekly - almost 10 percent say they spend nine hours a week or less with family members. At the same time, 24 percent say they watch 10-14 hours of television each week, and 13 percent put their TV time at 15 hours or more. I committed to travel less in 2010 and take my family with me more. That's a good start for me. But, the Lord also prompted me to ask some questions and make some adjustments in my own life. Yesterday, as I talked to several small church (and bivocational) pastors, they shared the same concern-- the need for better "self care." How do you handle rest and margin in your own life? Posted on July 13, 2010 at 7:40 AM ~ 16 Comments Tagged with: Subscribe via RSS or Follow us on Twitter
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I attempt to do several things to keep balance.
1) I try not to take myself to seriously. This relieves the "gotta save the world" mentality ... and the just do one more thing to "save the world".
2) I schedule my week in blocks of time. So much for networking, study, family, visitation, prayer, etc. When that time is gone, I move on to something else. This causes me to focus on the task at hand because when that time is gone it's gone. When urgent needs arise like a serious illness or death, I move the less urgent blocks of time to the following week.
3) My kids and my wife hold me accountable to time I spend with them.
4) I have also realized over time that my ministry is not going to end when I take time off and that taking time off is just as beneficial for the people I minister to as it is to me.
Great article Ed. Not enough leaders are talking about this issue.
Here's what helps me balance work and rest:
-I teach it to our church which means I have to live it.
-I ask our staff to model it. In fact, tomorrow we leave for our annual "Pray and Play" retreat. We take all staff and their families. No planning, just playing together and praying together.
-I take a day off every week, NO EXCEPTIONS.
-I take ALL my vacation and usually try to take back-to-back Sundays at least once.
-I allow other staff and lay people to preach, sometimes when I am in town and at church.
-I have a team (Pastor's Advisory Team) that is available for me to bounce ideas off of, get candid feedback from, and ask for prayer. They also have the role of making sure I am staying healthy. It's made up of four spiritually mature lay people and a denominational leader.
David and David,
Very helpful and insightful.
Ed
Ed
Is it possible the reason “Burnout” is such a problem
for **Today’s** “Pastor/Leader” is they have found themselves
with a “Title” and “Position” NOT found in the Bible?
When searching the Bible for what
**Today’s** “Pastor/Leader” does
I had a very rude awakening.
I found...
NO - Pastors - in Pulpits - Preaching - to People - in Pews.
.... When folks come together, every one has a psalm,
.... has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation,
.... has an interpretation. 1 Cor 14:26.
.... Every one can and is expected to participate.
.... **Today’s** “Pastor/Leader” has created “pew potatoes.”
NO “disciple of Christ” calling someone - “My” Pastor.
NO “disciple of Christ” “calling” them self - Pastor/Leader.
....”ALL” disciples called themselves “Servants of Christ.”
NO “disciple of Christ” having the “Title” “Pastor/Leader.”
.... Today that “Title” is written on - Diploma's on walls,
.... office doors, sunday morning bulletins, street signs,
.... business cards, web sites, and more.
.... And everyone knows who the “Pastor/Leader” is. Why?
.... Jesus, humbled Himself, made Himself of NO reputation,
..... took on the form of a “Servant.” Phil 2:7-8.
.... Seems “Titles” become “Idols.” Ezek 14:1-11.
NO “disciple of Christ” “Exercising Authority” over another.
.... I was taught; You submit to me, NOW,
.... your “God Ordained Authority,” And, one day,
.... when you’re a Pastor, people will submit to you. :-(
.... Power. Profit, and Prestige, highly esteemed among men.
NO - Pastors, separating from the body, as “Clergy-class.”
NO - Pastors counseling anyone.
NO - Pastors marrying anyone.
NO - Pastors burying anyone.
NO - Pastors visiting the sick.
NO - Pastors wearing special clothes.
NO - Pastors going from one congregation to another.
.... What’s up with that?
.... Elders, plural, matured within the group.
.... When and ”IF,” appointed, they were known.
..... Today’s Pastor, Paid, Professional, hired, NOT known.
IMO - Not of much of what we see **Today,**
with “Pastors/leaders,” has any reference in scripture.
Maybe that’s why...
“There has been much discussion about the ministry
and the toll it takes on leaders and families.”
Jesus loves me this I know...
Concerning personal care. What about church planters
My church plant is suffering due to no support from the association that campaigned for me to plant a church. I now after starting their is no support-unless you show progress and then do not need it [works righteousness business model].
My plant suffers further that I have to work 50 plus hours to pay bills. Many have answered the call then the caller hangs up.
My question is will the GCR get any money to the planters -not the state convention -or associations differently. The state said it was not bothered by elders-that is untill I was acued of trying to insitute or invent an unbiblical church office by a state church plant official.
Signed, a frustrated SBC [I thoughtwe were] Church Planter who is learning he is really a very independent church planter the hard way.
PS-Ed please answer how the GCR will help church plants with money that are not affiliated with a mega church.
Hi! I wrote a blog very similar to this just a few days ago. Give it a read and let me know what you think. its www.ponderinglifesfinerpoints.blogspot.com
Thanks for your article. I think this is one of the main reasons we chase our leaders out of the trenches...equating busyness with godliness.
http://ponderinglifesfinerpoints.blogspot.com/2010/07/fine-art-of-unbusyness.html
This is desi again, the title of the article is The fine art of unbusyness. I hope you like it. and I love feedback.
A. Amos,
Please don't post comments here that you have written and posted at other blogs (many times). Last warning before you are blocked from posting.
Ed
Anonymous,
I think the role of a bivocational planter is doubly difficult. I've been where you are-- don't give up.
Ed
Ed
Thanks for the warning. Yes, I have used similar posts.
I’ve had the honor to minister healing to, and pray with,
more than a few “Pastor/leaders” who can’t do it anymore.
Ministry “Burnout” and the toll it takes on “Leaders” is a popular
subject of many blogs and books these days.
One book titled “Leaders Who Last.” says on the front cover,
“Only 30% of leaders last.”
That says to me that 70% of “Leaders” Fail. Oy Vey!!! :-(
“Pastor/Leaders,” and their families, pay a horrible price.
You may know about these stats, but they make me cringe.
http://pastoralcareinc.com/WhyPastoralCare/Statistics.php
# 80% pastors' spouses wish they would choose a different profession.
# 80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families.
..............Many pastor's children do not attend church now
...............because of what the church has done to their parents.
# 50% of the ministers starting out will not last 5 years.
# 33% state being in the ministry is an outright hazard to their family.
#1 reason pastors leave the ministry —
Church people are not willing to go the same direction of the pastor.
But... I’m the pastor/leader. Says so right here on my Diploma...
Seems our so called “Christian Seminaries,” who claim to be training
“Leaders,” for the body of Christ, aren’t doing so well. 70% Fail...
Neither are all the Leadership Confrences, Leadership Websites,
Leadership Seminars, Leadership Books, and Leadership Mentoring.
Yet they all continue to take the money knowing most won’t make it.
Through covetousness shall they with feigned words
**make merchandise of you.** 2 Pet 2:3
So called “Church Leadership” - It’s NOT working...
Doesn’t anyone notice? Isn’t this why so many are leaving?
Maybe Jesus knew something when he told “His Disciples”
NOT to be called “Master/Leader” in Mat 23:10,
For you have “ONE” “Master/Leader” “The Christ.”
The healing begins when they come to know the Truth... Jesus.
And admit they were deceived and deceived themselves.
They were told they were special. And believed they were special.
They found out they weren’t special at all. Just brethren.
Jesus is the only special one.
When you believe the lie you start to die...
Most don’t start out wanting to steal
**the name and the glory** that belongs only to Jesus.
They just don’t refuse it when it omes.
Lift Jesus higher...
What is popular is not always "Truth."
What is "Truth" is not always popular.
A Amos,
Thanks. I appreciate your passion for the subject. And, I have let you post on the issue regularly at the blog to make that important point.
But... since you have posted several times (at great length) making this particular argument, I need you to make this the last one on this subject.
Thanks for understanding.
God bless,
Ed
Great stuff Ed. You have no idea how much your blogs are just "bursts" of knowledge to me.
I recently read a book called, "Leading on Empty" by Wayne Cordeiro. It helped a lot. I am also a bi-vocational church planter in a different denomination. Rest is so important for the long haul of the journey.
Blessings my friend
Great stuff Ed. You have no idea how much your blogs are just "bursts" of knowledge to me.
I recently read a book called, "Leading on Empty" by Wayne Cordeiro. It helped a lot. I am also a bi-vocational church planter in a different denomination. Rest is so important for the long haul of the journey.
Blessings my friend
Ed
Just read your guest post on the “Challis” blog.
“The Problem with Pastor as Rock Star” Good stuff. ;-)
Seems we agree a lot about today’s “Pastor/leaders,” the “Led,”
and the the importance of “de- clergification.” I like that word.
Can I borrow your “clergification” and “de- clergification?” ;-)
“Millions of churchgoers file in to buildings each week,
line up in rows like shelves at Walmart, and watch the stage.
They come for one purpose: to see a show and hear a pastor.”
“In the case of the “lord on high” superpastor, the leadership culture
is just as toxic, because staff and member tend to affirm aloofness
and enable dysfunction. In either case,
the biblical view of equipping others for ministry is absent.”
“A community “won” to a single voice
is not won to community, but to spectatorship.”
“Either way, if you get thousands sitting in rows but can’t
move them to sitting in circles, true community is hard to find.”
“An approval-addicted pastor develops
the split personality of an insecure bully.”
“This is an opportunity for the church to abandon the
“clergification” virus that plagues us.”
“The mentality that only the professional clergy,
especially the superpastors, can do ministry
never shows up in Scripture.”
Seems we are seeing, and want, similar things for God’s ekklesia.
I’m all for, everyone can, and is expected to, **participate.**
Today’s “clergification” makes “Spectators.” **Pew Potatoes.**
I’d like to comment on your guest post on the “Challis” blog.
Might be some stuff we’ve already discussed.
But might be new to others commenting there.
Would appreciate your permmission to comment there.
If not I’ll understand and be okay with it.
Be blessed and continue to be a blessing
In His Service. By His Grace.
A. Amos,
That is not my blog so I would say any comment there is up to them.
God bless,
Ed