Since this is the life of a pastor blog, I thought I would share something that is often a struggle for pastors.  Contrary to some modern belief, pastoring is not always easy.  Having people under our care, administrating the congregation, ministering to those in inside and outside of the church and yes, even handling problem issues.  It is a weight upon the pastor.  To top all of that, there is the weekly deadline of at least two sermons.  Not just any sermon, but a message that will engage a media driven society.  To prepare a sermon that connects and changes the heart of every person is not easy.  Furthermore, a pastor must prepare a message this week and not repeat it for at least five to seven years.  He has to come up with (along with help from the Holy Spirit) approximately 800 original messages before he can consider using one again.  The point of what I am saying is that pastoring sometimes involves pressures. 

Several years ago, I went through a 10 month season of depression and burnout.  The rigors of ministry had taken its toll on me and I was completely spent.  It was during that time I struggled to stay in ministry.  I began to consider walking away from pastoring and getting a “real” job so that the pressure would be less.  There were days on end, where I had to literally talk myself into continuing ministry.  The only  thing that kept me going was that I didn’t know how I could live without preaching.  Even though preaching had become a chore, I could not bear the thought of not ministering the Word of God.

It was as Jeremiah said (paraphrase), “I do not want to do this propheting any more, but it is a fire shut up within my bones.”  It was during that season of burnout that I learned to work not out of my passion but out of my calling.  The passion was wavering, but that calling kept calling.  Through the midst of it all, I am glad that I kept going.  I am thankful that God brought me out of that season and gave me a desire to continue ministry for Him. 

Without shocking you too much, I want to share the question, I repeated often and my family asked often (they asked because they saw my struggle).  The question was, “Is it worth all of this? Is the heartache and burnout even worth it?”  At the time, I couldn’t see that it was, but it was all I  had known for ten years of ministry and it is what I continued to do.  As a side-note, when you are on the brink of giving up ministry, it is amazing how many good job opportunities come your way:)

Years later, as I look back on that season, I have clearly determined that ministry is worth it.  What other profession can you help people, minister to needs and at the end of the day know that you have attempted to make the world a better place.  Ministry is one of the only things a person can do that we can actually watch people’s lives transform before our eyes.

Yesterday as I was studying for Sunday’s message, a verse in I Peter 5, gave me a victory over this question of whether ministry is worth it. 

Peter writes, “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. ³ Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. ⁴ And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.”

We are not working for this life.  We are working for the next.  As pastors, we must keep a perspective that all we do is not to build a Kingdom on this earth, but to lay up our treasures in Heaven.  As I was studying the different crowns a believer will receive, none compared to the crown of glory.  The others were great nonetheless, but the crown of glory was said to be unfading and never ending. I do not know the theological implications, but I know that if, as the Bible says, a leader or teacher shall receive a stricter judgment, then maybe, they will receive a greater crown.

My point in all of this, is that when pastors sacrifice in this life, it will be rewarded in the next life.  This Scripture has given me a knew passion for ministry.  I am looking forward to  that never fading Crown of Glory.  Pastors keep up the good work!  Lay people, pray for your pastors!

Today I dropped Josh off for his first day of school.  He is beginning the tenth grade in a High School with 2,222 students.  This is a massive school, especially for a kid who has never been to public school. 

I am proud of the young man he is and I am confident of how he will handle this new walk of life.  I can’t imagine the anxiety he felt walking in for the first time.  I was anxious for him.

As a parent, it is hard to let my kids go.  In three years, Josh will begin college.  As I dropped him off today, I was overwhelmed with emotions, thinking we only have a few years left with him. 

We must make the most of every opportunity with our kids.  We only have them for so long and then they grow up.  While we have them, we  must teach them the truths of God’s Word and root them in His love.  When they enter  the world, they will have a sure foundation and can stand against the temptations of this world.  We must never forget to bathe them in prayer for God’s keeping grace to be with them.  Then we must place them in God’s hand. 

Parenting is an intentional work, we must do our best!

I have been blogging at lifeofapastor.com for nearly 2 years now.  This is the 545th post on this site.  I thought I would share the top five posts since this blog was started.

5. Jejus

4. Saying The Same Thing Different Ways

3. Changing Sweet-tarts

2. Caffiene Detox

Number 1 post: Signs of a Spiritually Dead Church

Sometimes I stand in awe of how Christians cause Christianity to become irrelevant.  I am not speaking about the language we use when we preach or even the types of programs we have at church.  We have somehow become convinced that if the church is not a certain way, then we will not be “relevant”.

I would like to propose a different view and it has to do with something beyond the church.  As Christians, we are the church.  We are a representative of Christ to this world.  Wouldn’t you say that it is more important to be relevant as an individual and then maybe the church would have more credibility in this world?

The word relevant is over-used.  Relevant is defined as : having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand; affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion.  We make the church relevant, when we as believers give evidence of Christ working in our lives. 

Relevance is not the songs we sing or the style of service we have at church.  Relevance is living for Christ and displaying to the world that we can be in the world and not of it.  Relevance is purity in an impure world.  Friends, being relevant is being different, not more like the world.  I know some say we must appeal to the people.  We must appeal to the sinner and I agree.  When I came to Christ, however, I didn’t expect the church to become like me, I wanted to become like them.  I wanted to change.  Relevance is not making salvation more comfortable.  Relevance is living like Jesus lived.

Recently, when we were in Oklahoma City, Hannah and I took a walk across a foot bridge.  When we got to the other side, we went down some steps and I saw the classic example of a Christian becoming irrelevant to this world.  It was Christian Graffiti.  It was a painting on the sidewalk that posed the question, WWJD?  What would Jesus do?  Perhaps the graffiti artist should have asked themselves that question before they spray painted.  Jesus wouldn’t deface property with Christian Graffiti. 

Irrelevance is proclaiming to be a Christian and cussing like a sailor.  It is wearing a Christian T-shirt and being rude to your cashier.  It is leaving a tract for your waitress with a worthless tip.  Irrelevance is speeding down the road with a Christian bumper sticker on your car.  Do you get the point?  We must be relevant by living like Jesus would.  Then maybe the world would find the church worth something. 

Read this article on the Between World’s Blog today.  It gives some helpful insight into how to regulate our time in front of the television.  Thought this might be helpful for those who need some guidelines for their home.

From Between Worlds Blog

Randy Alcorn has some helpful thoughts about taking charge of the television. You do not have to agree with all of it to benefit from his advice. Here are his points (but click through to read his reasons):

1. Keep track of how much time you spend watching.
2. Decide in advance how much TV to watch per week.
3. Use a schedule to choose programs for the week–then stick to your choices.
4. Keep your television unplugged, store it in a closet, and/or put it in a remote part of the house (prevents mindless flip-on).
5. Periodically "fast" from television for a week or a month. Notice the "cold turkey" effects. (Avoids addiction, reminds you of all that can be done when TV off).
6. Choose programs that uplift rather than undermine biblical values.
7. Use the "off" switch freely. If it’s wrong and you keep watching, you’re saying "I approve." (Unless it doesn’t present temptation and you’re critically analyzing it).
8. Use the channel changer frequently.
9. Watch and discuss programs together as a family–to avoid passivity and develop active moral discernment through interaction. (Avoid the second TV set that splits the family and leaves children unsupervised).
10. Don’t allow young children to choose their own programs–that’s the parent’s responsibility.
11. Don’t use television as a baby sitter.
12. Spend an hour reading Scripture, a Christian book or magazine, or doing a ministry for each hour you watch TV.
13. Consider dropping cable, Showtime, HBO, or any other service that you determine is importing ungodliness or temptation into your home.
14. If you find you can’t control it–or you’re tired of the battle–get rid of your television.

We have been working on my office for a couple of months now.  We expanded the size by tearing out a wall and making 2 rooms into 1.  Needless to say, the new office is roomy.  I am well pleased with the way it turned out and appreciate all the workers who made it possible.

Today, I finished the bookcases and that is the final leg of the project.  I am glad it is done!

It has been a busy couple of weeks.  Especially since getting back from vacation.  Lots of mail and other things to sort through.  Too much to do and not enough time to do it.

Yesterday, I put together new bookshelves and moved them in the office.  I had to hurry home to clean up for our Light For The Lost Banquet last night, so I had no time to clean up my office yesterday.  When I came in this morning, it was a mess.  You couldn’t see the bottom of my desk.  It was buried with mail, junk, files, junk, books, and junk.

This afternoon, I cleaned house.  I sorted through everything and now, the once buried desk, is now clean.  What a feeling!

Life is often like a desk that is buried with stuff.  We try to make headway, but things continue to be piled on.  Before we know it we are buried under.  Pressures weigh us down.  Hardships surround us until we feel like we can’t make it anymore.  That is when Jesus comes along and begins to pull the stuff away.  He begins to lift the burdens and to help us see the light at the end of the tunnel.

When life gets too hard and you feel buried under, remember Jesus was once buried but now He is alive and well.