“What’s so hard about being a pastor?”

That is a loaded question for sure!

There have perhaps been times you have been insulted by someone with this question. I also believe there have probably been times when you have leveled this question against yourself in condemnation. And then again perhaps it is simply an honest question needing to be answered so that our ministry to others in Jesus’ name can be healthy. 

One thing that is so hard about being a pastor is that (at least in the mind of the pastor) everyone expects that the pastor live a “perfect” example, preach eloquently and persuasively, draw people in like the pied piper, make peace amongst the most bitter opponents and somehow do it all with a smile on their face! In a nutshell, being a pastor is hard because of expectations. Sometimes the expectations are unrealistic, other times they are the very difficult and necessary actions that define being a pastor. Expectations are hard to manage, but as pastors, we need to live and serve to glorify God and fulfill His expectations. And here is the things about God: He is gracious, full of love and He offers everything that we need to live out what He asks of us.

Another thing that is so hard about being a pastor is that much of what we do is slow and behind the scenes. We plant seeds and water them. We pray with people and for people. We teach people the Word and wait on people to respond in faith and for God to move in His own way and timing. Ministry is not like manufacturing or construction where there is a start and finish to the project. Ministry takes time, involves a lot of mystery and relies on the eternal and supernatural ways of God. It also relies on the patient perseverance of people living out God’s kingdom ways even when there is no direct visible evidence of “success” or “progress”. And yet we don’t do what we do in order to succeed or because of some philosophical notion like “upward mobility”. Instead, we pastor because God called us to and because people need to hear the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The last difficulty I will mention here (although there are of course hundreds of other difficulties) is that pastoring is hard because of spiritual warfare. Pastor’s have a bullseye on their back and the devil wants to destroy them. The devil wants to destroy, marriages, churches, and pastors. Another difficulty here is that spiritual warfare is often “invisible”. We can feel its effects and consequences and yet we can’t fight it with traditional weapons and many times we are caught of guard by the sneak attacks of the enemy. Dear Pastor, you and I have to put on the full armor of God, we have to stand our ground, we have to let the Lord defend and protect us. We must stand upon the promises of God and persevere through the pain and hardships. Remember that Christ is our Victor and in Him, we are victorious conquerors and as we prevail we will be in a place to help others prevail as well. 

Thank you, Pastor, for pressing on even when it is hard. Please know that more people understand your burden and pain than you might realize and more people are praying for you than you know. Finally, remember that God Himself is able to do infinitely more than we can ask or think or imagine, so keep on, in Jesus’ name and watch as God reveals His power and glory!

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike J

 

Here is the truth…

The truth is a beautiful thing.

It is also really hard.

I don’t mind the truth when it confirms that I have been correct in my thinking or approved in my behavior. But the truth hurts when it confronts an error in my thinking, speaking or behaving.

The truth hurts when it confronts pride and selfishness in me.

The truth hurts when it begs the question of whether I will choose to do what is right once I know what is right.

The truth hurts when it uncovers impure motives, evil thoughts, and self-serving behaviors.

Jesus also told us that we had to know the truth so that we could be free. Jesus reminded us that He is the truth and also that we would be sanctified by the truth. The truth is necessary for us to have peace, joy, and freedom. The truth is necessary if I want to be the best version of myself (that which I was created to be).

The truth will cost us something because it reveals what is lacking and what is necessary to receive what is lacking. The truth can be painful because it strips away the lies, blinders, and walls that have been giving us a false sense of comfort and security.

But when the truth is accepted, there is a tremendous blessing of peace and freedom. When the truth is received and committed to, a person’s life will be made new in Christ Jesus and the power of God will be released into the life of the penitent and humble person.

Here is the truth: I need the truth. The truth hurts and is painful; but then the truth sets me free and the truth brings me purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. And the truth is that I have to let Jesus Christ be Lord of my life and my all in all. The truth is that I have to work on some difficult things that God has revealed to me so that I will not stay in a broken place of bondage and darkness.

I am so thankful that Jesus, my Savior, and Lord, is the way, the truth, and the life!

Dear pastor,

I want to remind you that in Christ there is enough.

An oft-repeated mantra of defeat in our lives is “there’s not enough…”

We may finish this statement declaring that there isn’t enough time or that we don’t have enough energy or that we just don’t have enough help. And we may be proclaiming these things with what we believe to be a fair assessment of the facts. And yet the reality is that we are propagating lies.

The truth is that in Christ, I have enough time. I have time to pray, I have time to invest in what really matters, I have time to do it right. In Christ, I have enough time in my day and in my week to accomplish what God has given me to do. This is not wishful thinking or “name it and claim it”-prosperity gospel. Instead, this is the Biblical truth that all that God calls us to He makes possible. He never commands us to do something that He does not provide for.

I hope you have caught the condition for there being enough. We have to be with Him and in Him. The reason we often say that we don’t have enough is that we look at what is in our hands or minds or on our plates and declare “I don’t have enough _______”. But how quickly we forget that all that belongs to the Father is ours. We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. We are children of promise.

Please begin this practice in your everyday life: start saying off and on throughout the day “There is enough…in Christ”. Remind yourself that there is enough time to pray and read the Bible unhurried and undistracted before you attempt to go on God’s behalf. Remind yourself that there is enough patience in Christ to meet with that person, there is enough grace in Christ to redeem that situation, there is enough supply in Christ to provide for what humanity cannot. And of course also remember to ask God to uncover, reveal, provide and distribute His abundant supply. The language of the kingdom of God is the language of asking (not hinting or demanding) and as we ask God we will see His super-abundance poured out.

I am so thankful that there is enough, that God is enough, and that He is with me and for me.

Oh yeah, be strong and courageous, He is with you and for you as well!

Christ in us, the hope of glory

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

I want you to know that God takes pleasure in your company. He rejoices over you with singing. God calls you the apple of His eye.

• God is pleased as you sacrifice for His glory.
• God is pleased as you cheerfully serve His people.
• God is pleased as you unashamedly declare His gospel.

Thank you for bringing God glory as you keep helping His people and faithfully tending His flock. Thank you for seeking the welfare of those around you and for following Christ’s example and emulating His attitude, taking the nature of a servant and becoming obedient even to death.

If you know of something in your life that God is displeased with, please confess it and repent of it immediately! Don’t let anything stand in the way of God’s will and good pleasure being revealed in your life.

It is almost impossible to comprehend that the God of the universe could be pleased with you and me. And yet He is: He is pleased when we humbly obey. He is pleased when we have faith and believe. He is pleased when we don’t grieve His Spirit but allow Him to have His way in us.

I pray that God’s words over you and me would be “This is my beloved (child) with whom I am well pleased”. I think that sounds a lot like “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into your master’s happiness”.

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

You and I are running a marathon (26.2 miles at once, are we crazy!). We might even say we are running an ultramarathon (anything over 26.2 miles). As ministers, we are not sprinting nor running a 5k (3.1 miles). This means that it takes time and furthermore, it takes a lot of energy and a lot of patience. To begin thinking about what running mile 20 will look like when you are only at mile 5 is to get a bit ahead of yourself. We can make plans for mile 20: planning on eating well, hydrating, pacing, getting our mind into a good place, but we can’t run mile 20 until miles 1-19 are covered. Ministry is much like racing in this regard. We often want to be at mile 20 when we simply haven’t covered enough ground to be there yet. We make plans for mile 20 and imagine what it might be like, but we must recognize the importance, nay, the imperative necessity of running the mile we are in simply by putting one foot in front of the other one.

Here is what that looks like in ministry:

On any given day of the week, we daydream about what it would be like to serve in a church that has more volunteers, money, space, and members than we know what to do with. But instead of mourning the fact that we don’t serve in such a place (and then daydreaming about other places that might somehow have such an overabundance) we should put one foot in front of the other foot to help make this church and this ministry into that which we have dreamed.

The truth is that prayer, Bible study and time with people will reap more and greater results than almost anything else we can do. Indeed there are also other things on our to-do lists but if we spend time nurturing our mind, heart, and soul and then spend much of the rest of our time with people we certainly can’t go wrong. Sometimes building the healthy and “successful” church we dream of means stopping and praying immediately for that which is causing us distress and then making sure to spend time with people who need Jesus, encouragement, and/or equipping.

We are in a marathon, but sometimes instead of trying to figure out what we will do at mile 20 and wishing we were already there, we should just put one foot in front of the other and find joy and give thanks for the moment/mile we are in. After all who wants to get to the finish line only to discover that we spent so much time day-dreaming about the future moments and miles that we missed the things right in front of us and never enjoyed the run at all?

Christ is with us, Christ is in us

Mike

Every church has it:

Drama.

No matter how wonderful a church is, it still has drama. We all have difficulties, frustrations and “those people” in our churches.

The reminder today is that every church and ministry has drama because they consist of fallen and imperfect people.

Even if every single person in your church was saved and sanctified there would still be mistakes and shortcomings that could cause misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

I know that we all hope to one day find or become the perfect church that somehow rises above the drama and difficulties of immaturity and foolish choices, and yet that is not realistic nor Biblical.

If the church is reaching out to the lost and hurting, there will constantly be an inflow of people who bring their sin, burdens, immaturity, and foolishness with them. And even when they get saved and sanctified there will be other lost and hurting people brought in.

So let’s not get discouraged or frustrated at the fact that people in the church say foolish and hurtful things. Certainly, we should feel sorrow and compassion both for the offenders and the offended but let us not be surprised. Instead, let us realize that God has placed us where we are for such a time as this. We are here to disciple people through their immaturity and help them to connect with the One who will keep working to present them holy and blameless.

Here are 4 simple steps to take when drama occurs in your church:

1. Stop and listen to all persons as they relate what they saw, heard, said, experienced, etc. By listening and prayer you will hopefully be able to discern motives (both good and bad)
2. Graciously and yet with Biblical truth point people to the commands of God to let our speech be seasoned with grace, to speak the truth in love, to forgive, to go the extra mile and many other such passages that tell us how to deal with people who hurt us, bully us and otherwise treat us in a way contrary to Jesus’ perfect love
3. If at all possible, don’t call people out in front of others, but rather offer gentle instruction one-on-one to help them to realize how their behavior can help/hurt others
4. Remember to be both a peacemaker (they are blessed!) and yet always a truth-teller. We cannot stand idly by while people use words, attitudes, and actions to belittle, slander, or otherwise tear people down.

Pastor, God has placed you in the church you are in and with your particular flock so that you can help them to discern what is appropriate and what is inappropriate behavior for children of God. They do learn much by watching your example and being around people who live loving and gracious lives, but our flocks must be taught by words of gentle and yet consistent and insistent truth.

Thank you for living an example of love and forgiveness and watching carefully over your words. Thank you also for boldly and courageously leading your flock so that they will not devour one another but instead will build each other up with their words of love, compassion and gentle, nurturing kindness.

Isn’t it so good to know that in this journey with imperfect people,

Christ is with us and Christ is in us!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

Here is the thing about ministry: it’s never done. When we leave the office at night or get a phone call in the middle of the night, or head out on vacation, the work is never done. We may check a few things off our list, but many of the things we check off will be right back on the list next week. There is a monotony in ministry that can be overwhelming. Furthermore, I once heard it said that often times pastors “burnout” more because of lack of progress than even because of overworking.

The reality is that when we feel like we are making progress it gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps to recharge our batteries to keep going. So here is what I want to encourage you in:

1. Do something every day that you can “measure”. It’s hard to measure people’s spiritual growth and its hard to measure the overall health and vitality of a ministry/congregation. But what can be measured is how many people you have contacted or met with. We can measure how many cards of encouragement we sent out. We can see when our desk is clean and our inbox is empty or not. Go out of your way each and every week to do something you can see and measure.
2. Remember that if you are doing ministry according to the things that release the power of God you can know that you are accomplishing more than you know. In other words, if you are sharing the gospel fully and unashamedly and if you are praying/fasting regularly for God’s glory and His kingdom advancement, God Himself is watching over your efforts and causing an effectiveness you can’t necessarily see and won’t necessarily know for a while.

Thank you for pressing on, when it seems like nothing is happening and you just want to quit. Thank you for not giving up or giving in. Remember to get on your knees and cry out to the Lord when the feelings of discouragement or oppression come heavy upon you. Remember to replace untrue, negative thoughts with the true and lovely thoughts of God’s holy Word. Remember to reach out to other pastors and ministers to find mutual edification in times of difficulty.

And above all, remember that God is the one who is so powerfully at work in you, around you, on your behalf and of course on behalf of His name and glory and kingdom. Don’t become discouraged but press on in the power of Jesus’ name! Remember that He is able and He will do it!

Christ is with us, Christ is in us

Mike J

Dear pastor,

Preaching is a beautiful thing.

It is also difficult.

The apostle Paul called it foolishness. Some in your congregation and mine might call it boring. You and I have both heard people say that certain preaching “just isn’t feeding them”.

So how indeed are we to measure our preaching? Should such a thing even be done? Am I wandering into subjective, judgmental or unhelpful kinds of things? I really don’t think so.

As a matter of fact I believe that since we are to be faithful witnesses of the gospel of Jesus Christ we need to look closely at the words coming out of our mouth and from whence they have come. Scripture instructs us to watch over our life and doctrine closely and also that we will be judged according to the deeds done and words spoken while in the body. So without any further delay, I believe that the quickest and most effective what to gauge or measure our preaching is not with “atta-boys” or praise from men or even altars lined with people (which would nonetheless be beautiful) but instead by asking the following questions. And then after we ask the following questions we better get on our knees in prayer for ourselves and our hearers…

• Do they know they are loved?
• Do they know what Jesus has done for them
• Have they believed in Jesus as Christ and Lord?
• Have they accepted all that God offers them in Christ Jesus?
• Have they laid their struggles down?
• Are they being obedient to the vision that have seen from heaven?
• Have they turned from their wicked ways?
• Are they worshiping and serving the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength?
• Are they walking in step with the Spirit and enjoying every promise and blessing?
• Are they actively sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ far and wise?
• Are they praying for and with other people and serving other people?
• Are they enjoying the Lord in all circumstances and at all times?

You may say: how can those questions measure my preaching when they are all about the people I am preaching to?

You might even go further to remind me that each person gets to choose and that the people you are preaching to are stubborn and stiff-necked.

I get it.

Everywhere I have preached the gospel, I too have met stubborn people who refuse to hear with their ears. But these questions are indeed of extreme value in measuring our preaching because how will our people believe and live as they should if they have not been told? And the question is: “have you and I told people of the gospel in such a way, enough times and with God’s anointing so that they know, understand and hopefully are now living according to the above questions”?

Charles Finney once told a story about a pastor who was not able to lead people to salvation and the response to this pastor was that the pastor “did not intend to get people saved” but rather “preached for another purpose altogether”. I believe that as you and I ask the questions above about our people we may be able to see areas of clarity and faithfulness in our preaching but we may also see holes. Furthermore, after asking the above questions we might see imperfect motives in ourselves or something that is lacking in our preaching (whether content or anointing or something else). Please pray over your people and the preaching opportunities that God gives you so that what you preach will bring such outcomes as inferred by the above questions. I do believe that by the foolishness of preaching many may still be saved! Do you?

Thank you for declaring the full gospel of this new life and thank you for declaring it fearlessly as you should. Thank you for not being of those who shrink back and are destroyed but rather being of those who are faithful and persevere and press on in Jesus’ name!

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike J