PRAYING FOR OUR PASTORS

Having been retired from official ministry for four years now, I join many others in observing the movement in October to express appreciation to our pastors.  I benefitted from this when I was active in ministry by receiving cards, gifts and kind words from many.  In many cases, pastor's salaries have caught up with where they should be;  but some are likely still grossly underpaid.  I was among that latter group most of my ministry - having two earned graduate degrees.  

I thought I'd use my unique perspective this year to help you understand why it's important for you to have a system in place to remember to pray regularly for your pastor.

FIRST, let's start with the CoVid-19 virus.  

I have given thanks a number of times that I'm not currently leading a church.  Congregational gatherings are down in number as people fear getting together.  For several months most churches went completely live solely via video-links.  A select group of churches had already been doing this - so, for them, it was an easy transition.  But for most pastors, they had to rush into the unknown and try to figure out how to make it happen.  

This implies a growth in knowledge and practice that was phenomenal.  Some likely had lay support in making this leap.  Others probably had to simply buck up and climb the steep learning curve!  

By doing a little internet surfing on Sunday morning, you will find a WIDE variety of quality differences.  But almost ALL pastors have had to make this transition.  

Home visiting has been in decline for sixty years, but now it is even less welcome.  Our current pastor compensates by making periodic calls to check up on us.  He usually calls Debbie's number and his calls last only a couple of minutes.  But, in doing so, he communicates his care and concern for us.  

S/he has also been largely restricted from making hospital visits during this time!  And, for several months, s/he preached to an empty room - but still tried to keep the passion high!

Your pastor has been working hard since March just trying to keep up with the necessary changes related to the virus!

SECOND, your pastor has gone through all the adjustments and fears that you have related to the crises in American culture.  S/he was also quarantined for eight (or more) weeks.  They too have feared for themselves and their families regarding getting sick and dying.  They too, have experienced changes in income and have also faced the unavailability of certain items.  Their families have felt the stress and strain of a global pandemic!  

But, through it all, they've tried to offer comfort and encouragement to us through this painful process.  I attended numerous services (via internet) during these months and found untold numbers of pastors preaching/teaching on the topics of fear, faith, prayer and peace.  

THIRD, your pastor is leading without the typical support systems that support him/her.  Conferences and seminars have been cancelled by the droves.  Standard times to get away and be replenished have been vacated.  ZOOM services are up over 31% since the arrival of the virus.  The growth of Skype is up 22.5%.  The internet has become the new way of learning, equipping and even evangelizing.  

Bottom Line:  Your pastor is as alienated as you are!

FOURTH, your pastor is leading your church during a period of unprecedented decline.  Anti-Christian sentiments are at an all-time high in our culture.  More and more of her/his biblical teaching can be viewed by many as counter to the culture.  

Many pastors are faced with: 

• declining attendance
• declining financial support, and
• declining facilities

I can tell you - having been in full-time, active ministry from 1975 to 2016 - that leading a church has always been a hard job.  However, the current environment has turned the temperature up on this vocation!  Your pastor needs your support and encouragement more now than ever!

FIFTH, not all jobs require you to be available 24/7.

I long ago lost track of how many times I had to come home from vacations to do a funeral or face various kinds of crises.  I was rarely remunerated for these inconveniences.  No one ever stepped up and said, "Pastor, you need to compensate yourself by taking another week of vacation."  I simply lost precious moments with my family!  

I'll admit that I didn't get a ton of late-night (or middle-of-the-night) calls;  but I did get some.  Here's how it affected me:  For years and years, I have hated the sound of a ringing telephone.  It unnerves me.  It means that I might be leaving for the hospital, my office, someone's home or some other intervention.  Believe me - there've been plenty of them over the years.  

Being 'on-call' prevents you from total rest and relaxation.  [As mentioned above, even being on vacation doesn't completely remove this stigma.]  Now, I will readily admit that this is largely my own fault, but in 42 years of ministry, I never had two consecutive weeks off.  

FINALLY, and this is undoubtedly the most important point I will make:

Because your pastor is the visible leader of your church, s/he is the primary target for the enemy's affronts!  

Take Out the Leader is one of the milestones in the Star Wars:  Battlefront video game.  

Taking out the leader is a common military strategy used to defeat enemy forces.  

An extremely high number of moral failures among high-profile American pastors seems to have catalyzed even more among all pastors.  

Ed Stetzer (born 1966) is an American author, speaker, researcher, pastor, and church planter, He currently serves as interim Teaching Pastor at Moody Church in Chicago, Illinois and Teaching Pastor at Highpoint Church, a multisite church in the western suburbs of Chicago. In April 2018, he wrote: “Christ is purifying his church, and it hurts. And, there is more to go.”

Having retired, I have escaped this high-intensity, temptation-packed environment and am no longer that "out-front" leader.  I can only confess that it's a HUGE RELIEF.  But, even now, if I accept the responsibility to preach or teach - even if just for one Sunday - I feel the temperature going up as my responsibility draws near.

Your pastor lives with this reality 24/7, and increasingly during times when s/he is isolated or alone!

But here's the main point:  Most - if not all - parishioners are completely ignorant of this reality!  

So, let me wind things up:  You should probably bookmark this article and re-read it periodically.  You'll soon forget the truths I've shared.  But the dynamic will not have changed for your pastor.  Hey, gifts and cards are nice and they're appreciated!  But what is truly needed - on a regular basis - is INTERCESSION WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.

Pray this regularly over your pastor - even with them, if you can:

“Now to Him who is able to keep your pastor from stumbling, and to present him/her faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen”

(Jude 1:24,25).