Pray For Our Pastors

I have a fair amount of pastor friends, so while I personally have
never attended seminary or served in ministry, I feel I know a little
of the struggle of being a pastor. And, knowing that, I ask you to
pray for your pastor and for pastors in general.

My viewpoint tends to be more organizational, so my take on being a
pastor is that it is an impossible job. Here you are asked to be the
lead preacher and teacher, available for counseling sessions, leading
a staff of people that can span such responsibilities as missions and
janitorial, serving as the public face for your organization in the
community, networking with other leaders at Christian conferences and
denominational gatherings. That's a lot of hats!

I can also consider the pastor's job from the perspective of a frail,
temptation-vulnerable human being. It is a position of power, and yet
you must avoid the dangers that come from that power, whether pride or
inappropriate relationships. People turn to you and dump their
problems, whether personal baggage or gripes about the church - and
you can't really do the same back to them, so where do you go?

Let's finally consider the financial issues. I don't believe pastors
are paid very well, so that's obviously a downer. And if you are paid
well, and sometimes even if you aren't, that has it's own issues, for
congregants can quite easily feel they own you, since they're paying
your way. What other organizations is the person at top in such an
awkward financial relationship with his or her co-workers and clients?

So I am reminded from all this, and from my regular conversations with
my close pastor friends, that being a pastor is a calling that
requires a lot of prayerful support. Won't you join me, then, in
offering such support?