Pastors Only Work On Sundays - Yeah Right!
Posted: Monday, July 19, 2010
by Mark Parsec
Wordcasters
Recently, I wrote on the Pastor as Shepherd. Among other things, the shepherd feeds the flock, cares for the flock and leads the flock. Yet, this would seem to be quite an extraordinary thing, since, as most people will tell you… pastors only work on Sundays!
Now, I want you to think about that for a moment... Just imagine what would happen to a flock of defenseless sheep, if the little shepherd boy only showed up for an hour or two once a week! Wild E. Coyote would have a field day. It would be mutton stew and lamb chops for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In no time at all the old coyote would be looking like the Goodyear blimp with a full size wool sweater to boot. And instead of a flock of white sheep grazing in the green fields you would have a heap of white bones piled up as far as the eye could see.
Besides predators, there are other concerns for the sheep… like green pastures and clean water. Yet, if the flock is to make it to the source of their sustenance, then the shepherd must be aware of where to find these things. The shepherd must be able and willing to lead the flock safely around clefts and crags, mountains and mires, deserts and dunes.
And, as if all this is not enough to keep the shepherd busy, there is the individual attention and care that every sheep requires. There are old sheep and young sheep. Some sheep are stubborn and need a nudge. Other sheep are insecure and need encouragement. Some sheep are adventurous and tend to wander. Some sheep are quick to heed to the shepherd’s voice. Other sheep are rebellious and require the rod. Other sheep are sick and require special ointments, herbs and spices. Injured sheep need cuts mended and infections treated. And as the flock grows and multiplies, so does the work and responsibility of the good shepherd.
Yes… shepherds are busy people. And just as the shepherd must be skilled as a guardian, nutritionist, navigator and doctor, so also the pastor must be skilled in many disciplines if he is to protect, feed, lead and care for the members of God’s church.
Pastors are busy people. Pastors do many jobs and they wear many hats. Not only do pastors perform the duties of guardian, nutritionist, navigator and doctor, but also the jobs of…
Administrator – Secretary – Receptionist - Budget Analyst -Teacher – Counselor – Evangelist - Fund Raiser - Gardener – Coach – Janitor – Trainer – Missionary - Preacher -Public Relations – Therapist – Inspector – Search & Rescue – Marketing – Advertising - Promotion – Wedding Advisor – Funeral Coordinator
And these are just some of the many hats that your pastor wears!
If the pastor is to have a healthy relationship with the members of the church, then it is important that they understand his functions, duties and responsibilities. To help you get an idea of what the pastor does in a typical week, I’d like you to refer to the questionnaire below… A Pastor’s Week – A to Z.
A Pastor’s Week – A to Z
How Much Time Should the Pastor Spend Each Week on….
Task Hours
A dministration…………………… ____
B ible Study……………………….. ____
C ounseling……………………….... ____
D iscipling…………………………. ____
E vangelizing……………………… ____
F und Raising……………………... ____
G roup Activities…………………... ____
H elping People in Church………. ____
I nviting People to Church………... ____
J anitorial………………………….. ____
K ingdom Building………………… ____
L eadership Development………… ____
M issionary Activities……………… ____
N ew Member Orientation………… ____
O utreach…………………………… ____
P rayer, Praise & Preaching……… ____
Q uality Control…………………… ____
R escuing Lost Sheep…………… ____
S ermon Preparation……………... ____
T elephone Calls………………… ____
U nity Development……………… . ____
V isitation…………………………. ____
W orship Service Preparation…… ____
X -Extra Duties as Required (Funerals, Marriages, etc.) ____
Y ardwork………………………… ____
Z oo Keeper (Feeding the Sheep, Fending Off the Wolves) ____
Total ………………………………………. ____
Now, please take a few minutes to fill out how many hours you think the pastor should spend each week on each of the areas from A to Z.
Recently, while having parishiners answer the above questions, I had answeres that varied from the pastor working 1,040 hours a week to 6 hours a week. Most parishiners just don't have any idea what the pastor does. Estimates for the average sermon preparation time alone average between 10 to 20 hours per week!
In any event, it should be clear that pastors wear a lot of hats!
In 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (NIV), the Apostle Paul said…
22b To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
So, how in the world is it possible for a pastor to be “all things to all men”? How in the world is it possible for him to accomplish all the things that are required of him in an hour or two on Sunday morning? It is NOT possible... with the resources of this world .
The pastor’s ability to do his job in both an honorable and biblical way depends entirely upon God’s help. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Apostle Paul, speaking of a conversation he had with God, said…
9 But he said to me, " My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. " Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
You see, the pastor must understand his own weaknesses and accept that it is not by his might, nor his power… not by his strength or his intellect… but only by God’s grace and the power of Christ that he can perform all of the duties required of a pastor. The pastor must be completely reliant upon the Lord and not upon himself.
In Philippians 4:13 the Apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Nevertheless, the question remains… What is the pastor supposed to do and how is he supposed to do it?
In Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV) the Apostle Paul answers this question when he says that God…
11 … gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
You see, the pastor’s job as minister of the church is to equip the members of the church to do the work of ministry from A to Z! The pastor’s job is to empower you to lead Bible studies, to conduct Christian counseling, to disciple, to evangelize, to fund raise, to perform outreach and missionary activities and visitation. This is the work of ministry.
In case you didn’t quite catch that the first time, let me say it again…
God… gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry.
Your pastor doesn’t work just on Sunday, folks! He works every day of the week. Because, equipping the saints, like shepherding sheep, is something that must be done EVERY DAY! Pastoring is not just a job… it is a calling into a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle that is in direct proportion to the life and needs of the members of the church. It is a job that he cannot do alone. It is a job he cannot do without the immeasurable help of the Lord and the assistance of his wife and the cooperation of every member of the church.
But, before I close, let me ask you this question…
What days do you work for God?
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)Good article Mark. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon. I have lots of work for you to do while you are on vacation.Linda D.Hi Linda,
Thanks! I'll try to bring all my hats just to be prepared. Looking forward to visiting with you and yours.
Love ya,
Mark
You're so right Mark. Most parishioners have not a clue of how time consuming it is to be a pastor. I think you need to delegate some of these jobs to your trusted church members.God bless - MaxiHi Maxi,
Thank you for your comments. Delegating is a wonderful concept, when you have church members that are capable of doing the menial tasks. Our church is comprised mostly of seniors in their 80's and 90's! Now, if our new younger members can just grow into accepting their share of the work.
God bless you,
Mark
Very good insights into a pastor's week....thanks for the well put info.Hi Marijo,
Good to hear from you. Thanks for your comments. Hope all is going well with you.
God bless you always,
Mark
I can relate to everything that you said.......not many people who sit on the pews can.....they just don't have a clue. Yes there are lions and tigers and bears...oh my!Hi Kathleen,
Good to hear from you again. Hope you are having a blessed week!
Mark
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