Podcast Episode #204
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We discuss a recent post on frustrations that pastors often face and how to overcome many of them.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- These are the types of things that happen to pastors every week.
- God has put us in local churches to be actively involved.
- Too many church members want to “keep the pastor humble” by paying them little.
- There are relatively few pastors who have adequate business training.
- Sermon prep can be difficult in a church office. But if a pastor studies elsewhere, complaints come in about not being in the office.
- When members leave a church, pastors often take it personally.
- Pastoral concerns over church budgets are very real and very pressure-packed.
The 10 frustrations pastors often face that we cover are:
- Church members who treat church attendance as a low priority.
- Criticisms over minutia.
- Concern over financial wellbeing of family.
- Expectations to understand the business and leadership side of church life.
- Complaints to or about family members.
- Inadequate uninterrupted sermon prep time.
- Losing church members.
- Concerns over church budget.
- Declining or plateaued church.
- Designated giving toward personal preferences.
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Feedback
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All very good points and I appreciate you pointing some of these out. My biggest frustration as a pastor is the way too common expectation of the pastor to do all the work and then complain about the way it is done. My wife and I run both our youth and children’s ministries without any help from anyone in the church (having to do them at separate times to enable us to do so). The only help we get is, during the after school program with the children, a group of about 10 help fix a snack which takes about ten minutes at most and I could do before hand if I thought it would free them up to engage the kids. They never leave the kitchen and keep the actually keep the door closed even when they aren’t doing anything. I can only assume this is so they won’t have to talk to the kids because they are usually just talking about last night’s tv program. The most frustrating part is that they then turn around and constantly complain about the lack of discipline with the kids because they talk too loud and occasionally run in the hallways. It is a bit loud but not anything out of the ordinary for kids. It is just a metal building that echos a bit. I’ve got about 35 of them for two and a half hours in our after school program. Yes, they are going to play around a little bit. They don’t see them during the worship time when they are actively engaged in learning because they are busy talking in the kitchen. They only see them for the thirty minutes during snack time. I had one child i had to send in to them for about 5 minutes for discipline reasons during our worship time and that sparked a back and forth over my lack of control that lasted for over a month. Since they aren’t willing to help I have no one to send a child to when they are acting out so I had to tell him he wasn’t able to come back. It was a preschooler and just this morning (2 months later) he asked me when he could come back (I told him any time he wanted so long as he was able to not be a distraction to the others). They complain because they feel the kids aren’t respecting God’s house but then turn around and have a ladies bunko night where they play for money in the church with no connection to the Gospel at all. I don’t have a problem with that because it is an opportunity for fellowship although it would probably be better at someone’s house. It just seems a bit hypocritical because they are every bit as loud as they gamble as the kids are when they are coming to learn about Jesus. It wouldn’t be a problem if it were an isolated issue but it is a ongoing monthly, if not weekly, complaint from multiple people and after three years is really wearing me down.
I think there should be a special meeting for pastors to sound off. A group support, place to get things off your chest. I heard a pastor one time hold a congregation accountable for littering in the sanctuary. “This is God’s house”. It is ok as the leader to share your concerns with the people. You are called by God to lead the church. WAKE them up a bit as to what you expect of them. We are on a mission to seek and save that which is lost. To destroy the works of satan. WAKE UP CHURCH ! Jesus is watching you.
Stephen –
We have such a place at Church Answers called Coaching Corner.
I’m sorry, I really don’t like to rant like I did earlier and I’m sorry if I came across as overly bitter. I love my church, and am trying the best I can to serve God in it. It is just a bit frustrating at time. I came across this only about two minutes after I was approached by that young boy about whether he could come to church again and all my frustration just kind of poured out unexpectedly. I would like to address this with my church, but haven’t been able to figure out how to do so in a manner that leads to change or that doesn’t lead to a very one-sided argument, some of which have been pretty heated (my church meets 8 of the 10 signs of a sick church that you listed on this blog several months ago, occasionally it gets a 9th one as well)
I think churches spend to much time looking for volunteers versus servants. Volunteer should never be used as a noun in church. Volunteers don’t have any skin in the game. We don’t serve to help out the pastor, we serve because of what Jesus sacrificed for us and because we love Him. (1 Peter 4:10-11, Romans 12:1-2). When people volunteer at their church it’s no different then volunteering at any other club. Its just something else in their life. Pastors are often afraid of losing their jobs so they don’t call people out on this. If people won’t serve don’t have the program. We are all called to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ not volunteers for Christ.
. Lo
Just like you and I…..whose lives have been changed because of what Jesus Christ had done in lifting us out of the sewerage pile…Cleansing us with His Blood, ….Placing His arms over our filth and forgiving us………Inviting us to FEAST WITH HIM while promising we are His sheep…..forever……WHEW!
Didnt you want to run to 10 cities and tell everybody about This Man who saved you? And didnt you meet many like this, now gathering together, using their certain gifts God has given us, to become a group to tell the world what happen to us and our many sinful freed slaves? So when you find 1, go look …maybe be 2 or 3 will show up….then wait and see what the Lord will do with just a few witness…….then look!…….Revelation 7:9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
Hi Guys, I may have missed it…are you able to take time in praying for guidance and Thanking HIM within the Podcast? Thank you for your hearts.