Podcast Episode #433
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Mondays can be difficult for pastors and church staff. Today we discuss why and how to combat those rough Mondays.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- It’s important to interact with church members on Sunday, but it can be draining at times.
- It might be better to not have all your church meetings on Sundays, but it just might not be possible.
- Try to include your family as much in ministry to keep them from feeling neglected.
- Don’t let your church business meetings become gathering places for venom.
The five reasons Mondays often come with the blue are:
- Sunday is both emotionally energizing and draining.
- Someone made a negative comment before or after the sermon.
- There were a lot of meetings on Sunday.
- Pastors feel like they neglected their families on Sunday.
- They had a business meeting on Sunday night.
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Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Becoming a Welcoming Church.
I’m thankful that I have a Monday morning men’s Bible study that is with a bunch of fun and supportive men. That’s the way I redeem what might be an otherwise blue day. The rest of my day I spend in the church office available to anyone who may need my attention.
It works well for me.
That is a great solution.
I have been a pastor for over 35 years. Mondays are pastor rehab day. Most of the positive emotions and energy expelled on Sunday are missing on Monday. I find it very helpful to do some physical activities on Monday and tackle some boring administrative tasks. I don’t make any major decisions on Monday. Members through the years say, “why don’t you take Mondays off?” My response is, “I don’t want to feel that bad on my day off.” Monday is a time for physical exercise, meditation, listening to God and doing some simple administrative jobs. E. V. Hill preached, “It is Friday; but Sunday is coming.” It was a great sermon. I have learned that Monday is Monday, a day I will feel sluggish and like I have a hangover. But on Tuesday, I will feel better and the enthusiasm will return to normal. God loves His preachers, even on Mondays!
Good word, Jerry.
My mentor who taught the “Exit” class in seminary told us to come to work on Monday and make it an office day. As he put it, why take your day off on a day when you are the most tired. Work through Monday and try and be done by noon Friday so you can have a decent weekend. Been doing that for 32 years.
That’s wise advice.
I’m an associate pastor. My pastor almost always takes Monday’s off. I have no idea what he does, but I try to take that day to catch another pastor friend for a day of goofing off. My wife works on Mondays, so I would otherwise be alone. …and I don’t do well alone on a day off.
I’ll call one of them up and ask them, “Can you come out and play?”
We hop in my Jeep, get coffee, go sight seeing, shore our burdens and blessings, and pray together. Invigorating and greatly refreshing!
Love it!
I was a pastor of the same church for 16 years. I tried many days of the week to take it as my day off. Monday did not work because I was too tired to rest beside many things are better to take care at the beginning of the week. Saturday was to close to Sunday to relax.
So finally I found that Fridays were the best: I could go away from home without my cell phone and at the end of the day, my family and could go out because we could stay until late the night. If for some reason I couldn’t do Fridays, then I picked Wed or Thurs.
Thanks, Marco.
Hi, I take Fridays off and actually have a Friday / Saturday weekend. Working Mondays gives me a chance to pick up loose ends and get started on the coming Sunday. When I get done with Worship Planning by Thursday, Friday and Saturday are much more relaxing. (And I can sneak in a quick review of the message for Sunday!)
Thanks again Thom for such wonderful support by dealing with issues we face in ministry.
I owe leaders like you the gratitude, Tom. You are on the front lines of ministry.
A couple thoughts:
We used to have our monthly meeting on Sunday afternoon but we realized that no one was really invested in meeting on Sunday – not the pastor, not the members of the board, no one. Why should Sunday be the day for the monthly/business meeting? Once we moved the meeting to Tuesday evening, when everyone was coming by after work, there was more focus and the meeting was more productive.
I find Monday a good day to be reflective – what went well in worship the day before; what issues arose based on the message offered; what can I capitalize on in the coming week/weeks? All good questions to ask on Monday and if I wait until Tuesday the memory is lost.
As a practical ministry person said, our job as pastors is to upset people “just enough” to help them move from where they are to where God is calling them. If I have upset someone I don’t want to have them stew until Tuesday – have them strike while the iron is hot on Monday and we can work things out.
Friday off means I can actually have a weekend.
Monday meetings with pastors turned out to be “whining sessions” where most of them felt sorry for themselves for being “overworked”. Most of them had no idea what it was to have a “real job” where they had to clock in, be there all day every day, face Saturday with mowing the lawn, washing the cars, grocery shopping. . .and then be in church 3 x per week, with additional meetings.
I decided a staff meeting on Monday was the best option. It gave us all a chance to look at the previous day and look ahead to the week to follow.
Not a pastor here but an elder at a 4 year old startup church. We don’t have anything on Sunday once the service is over except some of our small groups meet on Sunday in homes. Has been that way since the beginning. Our new pastor (been with us close to a year) loves it. He was honest with the elders and said, when I am done with the service, I am totally drained. I realize this may fly in the face of how alot of established churches do it, with sunday afternoon board meetings and sunday night service and other activities, but that’s how we have done it.