Do you know of any pastors lately who had an affair? How about any pastors caught with drugs? What about preachers who fleeced their churches pocketbook?
Generally, when we hear of these and other moral failings we are quick to label these men and women as wolfs in sheep’s clothing, hypocrites, anti-Christs, etc… However, I would like us to reconsider what is happening in these people’s lives. What I fear is sadly happening is pastors who took on too large of a leadership role for too long and have become burnt out. Their deacons and elders haven’t picked up their slack to help ease their pastors life. The majority of the congregation is too caught up in their own issues to even consider that the pastor is just a person like them.
Thus, eventually after months, years, or even decades of carefully balancing all of the church roles he/she has been given plus trying to be the best spouse/ parent they can they burn out. They want nothing more to do with ministry. No more sermon prep. No more late night calls. No more hospital visits. No more church. Instead of being offered the chance to take some time off and allow their mind to rewind they attempt to perform their calling with no passion what so ever to do it.
Instead of asking for help, in the fear of seeing weak, they look for a way out. Their way out sometimes becomes a moral failure. He/she thinks, “If I do …. (sleep with my secretary, get caught with meth, steal money from the church building fund, etc…) then the church will have no choice but to fire me!” Thus, pastor so and so does what ever moral failure and is asked to leave the church. This isn’t just limited to pastors but to their wives, deacons and elders as well.
Think of how many pastors would be still serving in whatever capacity within the church if they would have had a safety net built around them to help prevent them from burning out. What steps is your church doing to help your pastor from becoming another statistic?
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