It occurred to me that if you work all week…then go to work for virtually the full weekend in sermon prep, preparing the facilities, preaching, etc., we are not resting even one day a week.I imagine that for many of us, there have been times when pastoring didn’t seem like work. I also imagine that most of us, with time, have come to feel a bit different about it.
Anyone – pastor or not – might be forgetting the principal of rest.Find a day – don’t work – rest.You need it.If you can’t find a day – you need to rework things so you do.Obviously, you might be called in on an emergency – it happens at every job – but don’t PLAN anything for one day a week.Of course, this is being written by a guy that seems to work 7 days a week – but I am stupid for doing so________________
I interviewed at a church one time. I met with the pastoral search committee, where they went over their expectations. I guess their former pastor was notorious for rarely being in the office. They had rigid office hour expectations, but what I really found off-putting was their Sunday schedule. They expected the pastor to basically be there from sunrise to late evening with only a lunch break. Not only did I feel sorry for the man who was going to take the job, I felt sorry for the congregation. Some who were involved in choir and Sunday School were literally in church all day long between classes, services, and practices.
After I come home from work on Monday I usually don’t take calls or answer texts unless urgent and sometimes there are other days where I just do what I want to do and ignore church duties. I have to admit that I feel guilty about that from time to time but I make myself do it anyway. I have been on my job for 24years this month and now have been pastoring for over 9 years.