Why would anyone want to be a Pastor?

[BigRedBus]

Why would anyone want to be a Pastor?

It’s a difficult job. You’ll never get the all credit you deserve but you will get plenty of blame you don’t deserve.

Your spouse will be expected to become an extension of your own job, regardless of their own work or other commitments.

People will expect you, your marriage and your children to be perfect.

You might try to get a day off every week but it will never work out that way.

And if you are female, there will be people who think you have no right to that job simply because of your gender.

You will frequently be reconciling differences of opinion… and you will never be right to everybody all the time. Sometimes, when people disagree with you they will be all the nastier about it because of who you are.

You have to be a combination of teacher, public speaker, salesperson, businessperson, diplomat, social worker, entertainer, counsellor and manager… and all the rest too.

There will never be agreement on how success is to be measured… or even identified.

You will feel pulled in several different directions all at once. As mentioned in the recent thread about baptismal vows, there must be a lot of pressure, particularly when traditional and progressive elements collide. You’ll actually have several different types of paymaster, and they all have to be kept sweet somehow. But keeping one set of paymasters sweet will always upset one of the others.

It’s probably a job that’s easier to get into than to get out of. Once you are established you will have a unique set of skills but it must be difficult to convince prospective employers that you could transfer them to into a new work environment. Which means that there’s only one potential employer in the whole country. And that’s the one you are already with, so you’d better not upset them.

There must be easier ways to earn the same money and get the same level of satisfaction. So why do people choose that path?

 

[StormyOne]

cause they believe they have been "called" to do the job.....

 

[Joe67]

Necessity is laid upon a few and they cannot do otherwise.

Ps 116:14,16-18
14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

16 O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.

18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,
KJV

Joe

 

[Sophia7]

Why would anyone want to be a Pastor?

It’s a difficult job. You’ll never get the all credit you deserve but you will get plenty of blame you don’t deserve.

Your spouse will be expected to become an extension of your own job, regardless of their own work or other commitments.

People will expect you, your marriage and your children to be perfect.

You might try to get a day off every week but it will never work out that way.

And if you are female, there will be people who think you have no right to that job simply because of your gender.

You will frequently be reconciling differences of opinion… and you will never be right to everybody all the time. Sometimes, when people disagree with you they will be all the nastier about it because of who you are.

You have to be a combination of teacher, public speaker, salesperson, businessperson, diplomat, social worker, entertainer, counsellor and manager… and all the rest too.

There will never be agreement on how success is to be measured… or even identified.

You will feel pulled in several different directions all at once. As mentioned in the recent thread about baptismal vows, there must be a lot of pressure, particularly when traditional and progressive elements collide. You’ll actually have several different types of paymaster, and they all have to be kept sweet somehow. But keeping one set of paymasters sweet will always upset one of the others.

It’s probably a job that’s easier to get into than to get out of. Once you are established you will have a unique set of skills but it must be difficult to convince prospective employers that you could transfer them to into a new work environment. Which means that there’s only one potential employer in the whole country. And that’s the one you are already with, so you’d better not upset them.

There must be easier ways to earn the same money and get the same level of satisfaction. So why do people choose that path?

My hubby was an Adventist pastor for 10 years, and what you say is true. He chose that path because he believed that God had called him to the ministry. It was a very difficult job--for our whole family--but even so, we didn't want to leave. Leaving was much more difficult than staying would have been, and I still miss many aspects of our old life. However, we didn't believe that it would be right for us to stay in that position when we came to the point where we could no longer uphold all of the official Adventist beliefs as biblical. We eventually had to choose a different path, but God is here, too.

 

[Joe67]

My hubby was an Adventist pastor for 10 years, and what you say is true. He chose that path because he believed that God had called him to the ministry. It was a very difficult job--for our whole family--but even so, we didn't want to leave. Leaving was much more difficult than staying would have been, and I still miss many aspects of our old life. However, we didn't believe that it would be right for us to stay in that position when we came to the point where we could no longer uphold all of the official Adventist beliefs as biblical. We eventually had to choose a different path, but God is here, too.

Sophia,

The Scripture truth at the bottom of your post, swallows it all. This is the true sabbath rest of dying in the Lord. The grave cannot hold this rest. The power of the resurrection will bring us forth on the 3rd day like the green grass and the trees in the creation. Then our pastoral ministry will be as Paul witnessed in 1 Cor 9:16,17.

Hos 5:14-6:3
14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. KJV

Our need and the Lord's solution; according to his eternal purpose which he purposed in Jesus Christ, in his grace, before the world began.

Joe

 

[Byfaithalone1]

Why would anyone want to be a Pastor?

It’s a difficult job. You’ll never get the all credit you deserve but you will get plenty of blame you don’t deserve.

Your spouse will be expected to become an extension of your own job, regardless of their own work or other commitments.

People will expect you, your marriage and your children to be perfect.

You might try to get a day off every week but it will never work out that way.

And if you are female, there will be people who think you have no right to that job simply because of your gender.

You will frequently be reconciling differences of opinion… and you will never be right to everybody all the time. Sometimes, when people disagree with you they will be all the nastier about it because of who you are.

You have to be a combination of teacher, public speaker, salesperson, businessperson, diplomat, social worker, entertainer, counsellor and manager… and all the rest too.

There will never be agreement on how success is to be measured… or even identified.

You will feel pulled in several different directions all at once. As mentioned in the recent thread about baptismal vows, there must be a lot of pressure, particularly when traditional and progressive elements collide. You’ll actually have several different types of paymaster, and they all have to be kept sweet somehow. But keeping one set of paymasters sweet will always upset one of the others.

It’s probably a job that’s easier to get into than to get out of. Once you are established you will have a unique set of skills but it must be difficult to convince prospective employers that you could transfer them to into a new work environment. Which means that there’s only one potential employer in the whole country. And that’s the one you are already with, so you’d better not upset them.

There must be easier ways to earn the same money and get the same level of satisfaction. So why do people choose that path?

Do I hear the voice of experience? Can you help us understand your connection to this subject?

BFA

 

[BigRedBus]

Do I hear the voice of experience? Can you help us understand your connection to this subject?

BFA

No, this isn't the voice of experience in any direct sense. What you read was an insight I gained only by watching, listening and thinking about the dynamic; and by relating these observations and thoughts to things I've seen in the secular workplace (and have only experienced partially, in different measure and in different context).

And I do think Pastors deserve to be paid a lot more and treated a lot better. If we treat them as doing the job "because they were called" it can (wrongly) give us permission to take advantage of their idealistic motives.

 

[Omceer]

I want to be a Pastor because I enjoy not only being surrounded by people that I know are Christian, but talking about Christianity and the Bible and everything and I also am a very incredibly good public speaker.

 

[Sophia7]

I want to be a Pastor because I enjoy not only being surrounded by people that I know are Christian, but talking about Christianity and the Bible and everything and I also am a very incredibly good public speaker.

If God is calling you to be a pastor, may He grant you strength and wisdom. My husband was a pastor for 10 years, so I know how difficult a calling it is, as well as how rewarding it is. I would caution you that being a "very incredibly good public speaker" does not make a person a good pastor. It makes certain aspects of the job naturally easier, but God doesn't need your communication skills to reach people. Also, I'm sure that you will find plenty of opportunities to talk about Christ and the Bible whether you are a pastor or not. Be careful not to surround yourself with only Christians, though. It's very easy for a pastor to do that--and for any Christian to do that--but other people would benefit from hearing what you have to say, too.

 

[Omceer]

If God is calling you to be a pastor, may He grant you strength and wisdom. My husband was a pastor for 10 years, so I know how difficult a calling it is, as well as how rewarding it is. I would caution you that being a "very incredibly good public speaker" does not make a person a good pastor. It makes certain aspects of the job naturally easier, but God doesn't need your communication skills to reach people. Also, I'm sure that you will find plenty of opportunities to talk about Christ and the Bible whether you are a pastor or not. Be careful not to surround yourself with only Christians, though. It's very easy for a pastor to do that--and for any Christian to do that--but other people would benefit from hearing what you have to say, too.

Thank you for that insight.
I already have to put up with constantly debating with my sister, as she is very much on the atheist & evolutionary side of the fence, so I'm not constantly surrounded by Christians.
And I honestly don't care how much work it will take or how difficult it'll be. I do difficult things all the time, I walked to my house about half a mile on two sprained ankles before, I could go into a rather extensive list of the difficult and enduring things I have done but I won't because it is being conceited.
My point is, I want to do it, and nothing will stop me.

 

[Byfaithalone1]

No, this isn't the voice of experience in any direct sense. What you read was an insight I gained only by watching, listening and thinking about the dynamic; and by relating these observations and thoughts to things I've seen in the secular workplace (and have only experienced partially, in different measure and in different context).

And I do think Pastors deserve to be paid a lot more and treated a lot better. If we treat them as doing the job "because they were called" it can (wrongly) give us permission to take advantage of their idealistic motives.

OK. Thanks for the clarification. I was just curious.

I agree with your conclusion. Based on my years of church employment, I found many of the things you wrote to be true.

BFA

 

[StormyOne]

No, this isn't the voice of experience in any direct sense. What you read was an insight I gained only by watching, listening and thinking about the dynamic; and by relating these observations and thoughts to things I've seen in the secular workplace (and have only experienced partially, in different measure and in different context).

And I do think Pastors deserve to be paid a lot more and treated a lot better. If we treat them as doing the job "because they were called" it can (wrongly) give us permission to take advantage of their idealistic motives.

Perhaps but the premise is faulty... the church has set up this artificial construct i.e. clergy and laity, and it wasn't long before there were perks to be enjoyed if you were a part of the clergy.... The reality is that no one has special access to God.... we are equal in that regard... Likewise God will teach each of us what we need to know.... In the sda denomination the organizational structure is attractive for various reasons if you want to go the clergy route.... but I ask why, and I often wonder if the structure was dismantled or could no longer support pastors as it does now, what would happen?

Lastly, I go back to two questions, why do adults feel the need to tell other adults how they must live their lives, and why is church the only thing that people never "graduate" from?

 

[Byfaithalone1]

why do adults feel the need to tell other adults how they must live their lives,

It's comfortable to be right.

It's uncomfortable to admit I might possibly be wrong. And yet so many opportunities come when I do.

and why is church the only thing that people never "graduate" from?

There's always marriage. And parenthood. And prison.