Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!
Central EFC is readying to move into their new building for their grand opening on September 22/23! Pray for them, as they enter this new chapter in their life and ministry as a church.May the building open new opportunities for ministry.
Pastors, are you at risk? Church leaders and those part of local churches, is your pastor at risk?
One of the things that we do not like to speak about in ministry, is the danger of depression and burnout for pastors.
We are aware of Jesus’ invitation of Matthew 11: 28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
While we find comfort in these words of Jesus, in reality, we may feel that the expectations of people are far less restful!
As pastors, we feel the need to present a positive and even “inspirational” image. After all, we “know” that the church will not, “grow beyond the pastor and his/her capacity.”
In churches, every member has their own “score card” as to the performance of a pastor – from sermons to visitation, every one will have a personal rating of the pastor’s ability and achievement. How does a pastor prioritize his or her duties, and what “measures” are biblical, fair and constructive?
While people enter ministry in a response to a call of God, and a desire to serve Him, one very soon finds that very rarely does one please everyone, let alone most people.
I know that this is a depressing discussion, but it is also very real.
Some of us were shaken this week by the story of a young and “successful” pastor of an American “megachuch” who took his own life. He was found unconscious in the church by an church member, and later died.
While he appeared to be highly “successful” by modern-day measures of pastors, inwardly he battled depression, and seemed unable to overcome this personal and deep challenge. You can read the sad story: https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-andrew-stoecklein-was-inside-church-when-he-attempted-suicide-police-reveal-227075/
Truth be known, while most, by God’s grace, will not take their own lives, many, if not most pastors will seriously consider “quitting” ministry. I have been there myself. As a pastor, I have sometimes felt very much alone, and have been bullied and criticized by Christians who I believe had no idea of the unfairness or impact of their actions. To some, pastors have become expendable, and every now and again, they may simply like to, “have a change” of pastor, without thought of the impact of this on the church, the pastor and his/her family.
Thom Rainer offers five reasons pastors get depressed in the following article:
http://equip.sbts.edu/article/5-reasons-pastors-get-depressed-dont-talk/
So, what do we do?
I believe that we have created a culture of pastoring in the North American Church that is more person-dependent than God-dependent. Sadly, even Bill Hybels, after whom so many have modeled their ministry, could not live up to what he himself espoused, and has resigned.
More and more, I appreciate faithful servants of godly character, both pastors and “lay-leaders,” who faithfully serve consistently where God has placed them. While they may never make the cover of Christianity Today, they are significant and important in the eyes of God.
I was encouraged by the words of Oswald Chambers on Thursday morning, as he writes of what really matters in the economy of Christ,
Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you do not have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you (John 7:38). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7).
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory…” (Hebrews 2:10).
Here are four things we can do about depression and ministry:
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This Sunday afternoon, I look forward to joining with Pastor Daniel So, of One Hope Community Church, in their “inaugural,” service, as they meet at Fort Langley EFC at 4:00PM. This church, birthed from Grace Hanin Community Church, will reach out to multi-generations of Korean immigrants and beyond.
We are glad to come alongside this new work, as they seek the Lord as a new church in our region.
Please pray for:
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“Pastoral Approaches: The Church & Same-Sex Attraction.” Saturday, October 20 at Richmond Chinese EFC, 9AM – 4PM. This is a follow up and further resourcing of our LPD Conference presentation. All pastors and lay-leaders are welcome! Cost: $10.00 per registrant. Please register online at our LPD Website:
