You’ve been there—battling pastoral discouragement, wishing someone else could handle the task demanding your time, but there is no one else. What comes to mind right now?
Are you thinking of a facility issue, a staffing conflict, handling theological questions, or counseling a couple on the verge of divorce?
The scope of a pastor’s role stretches farther than the skill sets that any one person possesses. I bet you have battled feelings of ineffectiveness and defeat over the last month.
Pastor, you are not inadequate.
It’s easy to feel pressured by tasks outside your skill set, but ministry was never designed as a solo calling. All of us are prone to get discouraged, and to make matters worse; there is always a faithful church member ready to remind us of our weaknesses. If you are a gifted teacher, you might hear criticism from administrators who want you to write better policies, counselors who wish you to be more empathetic, and evangelists who want you to be more Gospel-focused.
Remember, people will judge you by their strengths, not yours. Many pastors live defeated, devoting most of their time to areas outside their gifting and coasting in areas where they should excel. You are not inadequate as a pastor—just distracted.
You are uniquely gifted for the ministry God called you to.
God has equipped you with everything you need for the calling He has given you. Perhaps you are the teacher able to expound the Scriptures, the administrator able to write effective policies effortlessly, or the encourager able to counsel and inspire people. Understanding how God has gifted you for your ministry is vital to fulfilling your calling. Paul reminds us that we all have unique gifts for building the church.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, – Eph 4:11-12
You’ve likely taken a Spiritual Gifts Assessment—what gifts stood out? Remember, God placed you in this ministry knowing these strengths are exactly what your church needs right now.
Regan Rose and Tim Challies view this as our stewardship before God.
“God has given you a grand purpose in making you glorify Him, and He has specially equipped you to carry out that mission in a distinctive way. Therefore, your gift or combination of gifts is a stewardship unique to you.” (Redeeming Productivity)
If we are going to be good stewards, then we must bring these gifts to bear on the work God has called us to.
Equipping volunteers enables you to be a long-term pastor
What does your day look like? You likely start your day with a sermon to write, a staff conflict to mediate, a marriage counseling session to conduct, and a ministry event to plan. Ignoring tasks outside your strengths would be great, but that’s not reality. Every role has essential aspects that may not be in a person’s sweet spot.
The key is thinking in percentages. What would it look like if you gave most of your time to your strengths? Would this leave some gaps? Absolutely, yet those gaps might be the best thing for your church. I’m not advocating for dropping key responsibilities but being realistic about what is sustainable for you and your ministry.
Allowing gaps to exist:
- allows others with the appropriate gifting to rise up.
- opens honest conversations with staff and boards about the expectations of your role.
- fosters strategic conversations about what is mission-critical right now and what needs to wait until the appropriate staff/volunteers are in place.
- demonstrates humility by allowing others to lead in areas God has gifted them.
What will it take for your church to get your best?
We all need to feel like we are succeeding. If you are discouraged, most of your time is likely going to activities outside of your skill set. For the health of your congregation, work with your boards and staff to reset how you spend your time—giving your best to your skills and gifts by empowering others to use their gifts to serve the church.
