Job...

In response to my post below, someone left the following Driscoll quote:

"Accept that your life is abnormal. Nothing about life as a ministry leader—from its emotional toll to relational demands and constant interruptions—is normal. Accepting that you are a freak with a freakish life will help you not to freak out."

I think Driscoll's point is well taken... if balanced with the feeling behind my post- that in a very real; sense, I have a job just like anyone else. Yes- it's different, in some ways. It's also very much the same.

I think I wrote the post below (at least in my head) to counter the idea, held often by people in the pews and by pastors themselves, that those in ministry are out of touch and don't know what it's like to hold down a "real" job.
More and more, I'm coming to see this is just a misconception- and one we in ministry play into by playing along with.

Yes, we have more flexibility than many people do, it's true. There are differences between my job and many others'. But to say that we don't work is simply false.

There's an idea out there that's beginning to gather some steam right now, that in some ways, it would be better if all pastors were bi-vocational. That way (so the thinking goes), we'd know what "real" people go through on a day-to-day basis.

Yeah? Real people, huh?

I worked a 50 hour week last week. Not too out of the ordinary for many people in the workforce, right? Exactly. My 45-50 or so hour work weeks are a mixture of time spent doing creative work, time spent doing hard lifting with people in counseling, time spent confronting problems and issues and trying to put out fires and time spent doing administration. I plan and lead worship gatherings, do public speaking, teach theology groups, I write correspondence in an effort to reach out to people and remind them that I am thinking of them, and I engage in discussions with our community on our forum. I try not to blog on my community's dime, don't do my devotions/personal time with God "on the clock" or spend too much of my community's money on coffee. I struggle hard to turn off the job on my days off and at night, usually unsuccessfully.

It's not the world's hardest job, but it's not the easiest either. And not just anyone could do it. No, brothers and sisters, we are not "professionals" (to paraphrase John Piper), and what we do is a calling... but it's also a job. A job that we can do with either all our hearts or with only half our asses... just like everyone else.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this, other than to say, I agree with Luther on the holiness and God-blessed-ness of all work... even pastoral work.

Comments

[matt]

For the past two months I have been bi-vocational. This is incredibly rewarding, and is stretching me in ways that I cannot imagine. We are doing a grassroots church plant, so I am able to do this for a while. But might I add to your point Bob and say, there is no freaking way my family or church could last over the long haul with me being bi-vocational. Being a pastor is so consuming, through prayer and study and counsel. Last week I got sick, and then my wife got sick, and then my computer got all funky. How do you think the sermon went? I have heard many people too talk up bi-vocational as the wave of the future, none of whom have ever been bi-vocational.

[matt]

that first line should have said, "could never have imagined"

[Tina]

I had a pastor who is bi-vocational and basically we had no pastor we had a preacher. I did though have a pastor way back when who was kind of bi-vocational and it worked. He was a coach at the neighborhood high school. That was a great way to earn a little extra but also make connections in the community the church was in.

[mike macon]

I am bivoc, work 50+ hours/week at my day job supporting my habit... I have to find creative ways to study and meet with the people as needed.

This wacky work schedule isn't by choice - I'd go "full-time" in a heartbeat. Instead, it's by necessity, pastoring a church of mostly unemployed or barely employed people...

But I can tell you, I resonate with both your and Driscoll's points - life as a pastor is freakish, and pastoring is a sometimes taxing "job." I wish I could devote more time to the needs of the flock, which I am unable to currently due to the nature of the flock and the inability to be supported via the ministry.

There's nothing inherently superior about "bivoc-in' it."

Except that I get to metaphorically "whack" some of the men upside the head when they complain about getting up at six and going to bed at ten, and not being able to find time to read the Bible in a day... ;D

[Mark Stephenson]

Bob,
I was hanging with my friend who started and now owns his own business. He works from an office at home but is often out on the job sites during the day (his business is home construction).

As we talked, I noticed our jobs were very similar. He has a variety of tasks he must do. He also has a variety of relationships he must grow and maintain. His hours are flexable. They are not determined by an "other" but rather by his estimation as to what needs to get done in order to continue to grow and be healthy.

Since then, I have realized what you have articulated on your blog posts. As church planters/pastor-type people, we do have a job that is similar to others. And it seems most similar to an entrepreneur who owns their own small business. Our lives are strikingly similar to theirs.

As I tried to explain to my friend how different my "calling/job" was, I was faced with a humbling truth. Its not. I even tried to explain that I was more dependent on God for the growth of my church than he was for the growth of his business. False. As a Christian entrepreneur, he saw his obedience and faithfulness as primary and he left the growth of his business in God's hands. Once again, very similar to the pastoral experience.

So if you ever need someone to relate to your life and you can't find a local church planter to vent to, find yourself a Kingdom-minded small-business entrepreneur. Their life is as good as ours.

[jason smith]

Bob,

I would whole heartedly agree with Mark there. Pastor's have very similar jobs in regards to self-employed folks. Especially in small staff/small church settings. Particularly with regards to managing your self. That is, having a system in place to manage the non-crisis mode - the down time. How do you "get things done" when you don't have anyone knocking down your door?

Jason

[darrin patrick]

I think another thing to factor in here is spiritual warfare. I have served in tons of differing ministry situations over the last 19 years and I have never experienced the volume and intenisity of spriritual opposition as when I planted. Certainly, lay people deal with warfare, but it makes sense that the enemy would want to focus his efforts on a pastor.

[Stephen Grant]

You may have to work really long hours but you have to admit the pay is horrible...
For those of you that don't know...no pay raise for this cat in three years...not even cost of living... wish more pastors gave up pay increases to help out their associates...

[bob]

Hey- thanks Stephen...
The good news is in spite of a truly scary January (in terms of giving), the elders had enough faith in our community, in God and I guess in me :) to give both Chris and me COLA bumps starting this month... so that really helps.

I have no complaints about the money part of my job. We're taken care of... like many pastors, I worry about retirement, and for the last couple of years have been dependent on the kindness of a longtime friend for health insurance, but I think the truth is- in terms of church planters, I feel like I'm on the happy side of the bell curve. :)