How to Be an Acceptable Pastor?

Question

Studies have shown that protestant pastors live with a high level of job insecurity, high stress levels, and high levels of responsibility.

Answer 1

Studies have shown that protestant pastors live with a high level of job insecurity, high stress levels, and high levels of responsibility. Here are a few tips to help you be the kind of pastor your congregation may be seeking.
Steps

1. Educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about being a pastor by attending a seminary or some other program. Ask successful ministers what challenges they have had to meet. Find a mentor.
2. Be sure to shop for a congregation that fits you in terms of your skills and temperament. Make sure that you can grow together with them. One critical thing to consistently observe is the size of the congregation and the activities of its members.
3. Once you are a pastor, get to know everyone in the congregation personally. Even though it isn't possible for all of them to be like family to you, you will most likely be somewhat of a member of their family. Start with key leaders in the congregation, then work your way through.
4. Once you are established, be sure to balance your time. You can schedule office appointments. Try to do this most often as you can be prepared to talk to the individual when they arrive. You can also have office hours when people can drop by. Be sure to schedule visits with the sick and home-bound to keep them connected with the congregation while they cannot come to church.
5. For emergencies, use a special cell phone. If you get non-emergency calls on this number, have the congregation hire an assistant or answering service that can field calls for you.
6. Be sure to take good care of your physical, spiritual and mental health. Take a day of sabbath each week. Since a majority of your work is on Sunday, choose another day in the week.
7. Be certain to take time out to become more knowldegeable about being a pastor. Continue to grow. Take courses, meet with other ministers, keep advancing your skills. Be sure to keep a group of colleagues that you can go to to learn more and help direct your growth. They will be a great resource when you have challenges arise in your congregation.
8. How you dress, where you live, and the car you drive will depend upon a balance of what is comfortable for you and your congregation. Sometimes its good to approach the middle, and dress like your average congregant. Sometimes you should take the lead and dress a bit better or drive a slightly more expensive car.
9. It's difficult to know a priori what your parishoners will need from you. If you are a protestant pastor, all of your parishiners will need more knowledge of the Bible, and guidance on how to develop their spiritual lives. But many will need your help and support for their mental, physical, and emotional health. Most likely you will be the conduit to professionals in each area, but you may be the first person to which they turn for help.
10. Whatever you do, work to create lay leadership that can help you develop worship and other activities for the congregation. Ask them to help you keep the congregation engaged. As a leader, you will need to determine what to delegate and what to do yourself.
11. How you are compensated is up to you. This is something you will need to have the will to negotiate with your congregation. So too is how you will lead your family life. Though there are many pastors and pastoral families who live with little time or other resources for themselves, there are many who balance the love for their congregations with love for themselves and their families. Having a good balance is a challenge, not an impossibility.
12. Pray. Hope. Love. Care. I think most people realize that this is not a life that will be easy, but perhaps it can be rewarding no matter how hard it is.


Tips

* Be prepared to answer your home phone 24/7 and be prepared to be open to some very significant needs people may have. Keep in mind, however, that some emotionally unbalanced people will try to take advantage of this kind of open access, so be sure to set boundaries with people when needed.
* Remember that you and your family have a right to privacy, and it is essential to your own emotional health and spiritual growth that you maintain a balanced family life. Exercise wisdom in knowing where to draw the line.
* Express thankfulness when you are given a gift. More often than not, people offer the best they have to their pastors.
* Keep your door open, metaphorically at least.
* Tithe out of the abundance the church provides for your family - your example will convince others that they too have an abundant life.
* Remember I Thessalonians 5:18 - "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

Answer 2

What better job to have Read Matt 6 25-34. what stress levels?? the only thing different is you are busy doing the works of your father..

Answer 3

Yes they do but a very low level of pay.. Is this your goal? Stay in school study hard and keep an eye out for a good Bible school.. Jim

Answer 4

That is very true. People think it's a "pud" job but they don't realize the responsibilities and stress that go along with it. Sure keeps you praying and putting your faith to the test.

Answer 5

Be a single pastor (as Catholic priests are). Without a family he can focus all his energy and resources to the service of God's church.

Jesus chose to be celibate. He came to save souls. That was His work.

A priest saves souls by the grace of God. That is his work. He works better with no distractions or physical bonds. St. Paul wrote that it is better to be single so that one might focus on spiritual things better.

Catholic men choose this calling and they choose to be celibate as a sacrifice.

Answer 6

It's true. I grew up in a church. My dad was a pastor and he was always stressed!

Answer 7

It is easy...don't touch the kids and actually believe what you are talking about...and, oh yeah, don't steal from the offering plate!

Answer 8

talk to someone who is already one
thelarger the congregation the more difficult it will be

Answer 9

they need to control themselves and lay of the choirboys!