Are You Asking the Question Over 50% of Pastors Have Asked Themselves through COVID?
If you’ve been serving as a pastor or church staff during this pandemic, the consideration is real: “Do I leave my post and seek employment elsewhere?” Over the past six months various church-related surveys have indicated that just over half of American pastors have contemplated this very question.
If that’s you, I have no judgement and I don’t have “7 Ways to Stay Strong and Steady;” I don’t have the answer.
But I will come alongside to help you explore your questions, considerations and next steps. I am offering a proven path to clarity that will help you stay right where you are with fresh perspective or help you navigate a path to fresh opportunity.
The role of local church pastor/minister has always carried the potential for high stress. It’s one of enormous responsibility regardless of church size accompanied by the critique of more than a few who believe the pastor can always do more and do it better. However, this past year of new realities has exponentially compounded the pressure under which pastors are attempting to lead.
Planning for most has been reduced to a couple weeks to a few months at a time as they try to navigate the constantly changing impact and consequences of virus surges, restrictions and hope for a light at the end of the COVID tunnel.
Moving from long-standing methods and approaches of “doing church” to the necessity of innovating in ways most churches were not equipped to deliver.
Making new decisions about required equipment to engage their people virtually - then reappropriating or raising new funds to make purchases for that equipment.
Sustaining giving for expenses that didn’t go away just because the church wasn’t gathering in-person.
Learning to communicate differently as a speaker who’s only ever spoken to a live crowd.
Consulting experts for collective wisdom about re-gathering for weekend services and other in-person opportunities.
Responding to congregational criticism for the way they’ve handled the crisis.
Managing not merely differing opinions but hateful attacks from both sides of the heated mask or no-mask debate.
Deciphering the murkiness of who’s still engaged and who isn’t.
Dealing with the personal pain, as a shepherd / leader, of missing the opportunity to see your people face-to-face, to read a room, to experience the collective energy of a group of people gathered to seek, worship, learn and journey with the full awareness they are not alone.
Evaluating your own biases and speaking to the open wounds of systemic racial injustice and the divisive political intolerance that demand a fresh look at what it means to actually be the church.
All this and more, while most pastors have also carried what all of us have carried in this season: concern for our own health, the well being of our family and friends, our own finances and our own mental, emotional, spiritual health. It has been and it is for most an unprecedented, unsustainable weight to carry.
I’m not suggesting it’s time to resign. I’m not suggesting it’s time to hang in there.
However, It is the right time to pause and ask, “Where am I?” “Where do I want to be?”
I’m ready to engage your questions, ask a few more and walk with you on a path you’re already traveling.
