4-20-2017
Being a pastor of a small church, I have learned firsthand about how difficult it can be sometimes to stay encouraged in your ministry and faithful to your calling when you feel that you are alone or failing. Unless someone has experienced these things personally, it is hard to explain to them how challenging it can be sometimes.
Just a few common situations that pastors of small churches face are:
People that promise to come to church…but don’t.
People who try to take advantage of churches and get financial help.
Critics of your ministry from within the church, outside the church, and sometimes in other pulpits!
People or members who compare your ministry with a previous pastor’s ministry.
People and pastors who only want to know about numbers when they ask about your ministry, with the implication being that low numbers equal failure.
Members who are resistant to any change from “the way it has always been done”.
Pessimists, poor-mouthers, and whiners who refuse to grow up into mature Christians.
Members who “disappear” without a trace and no explanation.
When a whole family leaves and your church is devastated and hurt.
When you prepare for a service and no one shows up.
When you inherit a “mess that you didn’t make” from a previous ministry.
People that are secretly hoping that you fail, and are “waiting you out”.
Members that have lost their excitement and zeal and are going through the motions.
“Lone Rangers” who would rather be isolated than part of a church family.
Tremendous pressure from other pastors/churches to maintain the accepted “standards” or status quo (even if they are not scriptural but traditions of men), or be ostracized.
A temptation to listen to voices that say “quit and take another church for more money”.
Competition from larger churches with lots of programs (that you don’t have) that lure your members away.
And on….and on…and on. I could list so many more, but I won’t. You may think that I am bitter or disillusioned or even discouraged to write these things about the ministry, but I assure you that I am not. I am happy in the calling that the Lord has placed on my life! But I am also a realist, and I know that the enemy Satan will do his best to destroy anything that we are able to accomplish for God. As the Scripture says “we are not ignorant of his devices”.
I realize that there may be a fellow pastor somewhere that may read this blog and be facing discouragement in your ministry. I hope that you know that you are not alone, and I pray that you find encouragement in this post. I recently found a video on YouTube by a (then) 95 year old Baptist pastor who gives encouragement to pastors of small churches. It certainly helped me, and I hope that it helps you as well.
I hope that through all the challenges that come our way as pastors, that we can resolve to “stay in our post” and preach and teach the Scriptures faithfully, no matter what comes our way.
Be blessed in Christ,
Bro. Joseph Beall
“Pastor In Plaid”