A PASTOR SHOULD MANAGE HIS TIME
And Ask For Help.
A pastor can’t do much unless he has some time management skills. And let me tell you, after 4 years of Bible College, there was never a class that included anything related to time management.
Sure they mentioned that we needed to have integrity, but that was more unpacked within the spiritual realm and not a practical one.
I’m so thankful that the Lord’s plan for me also held some education and work experience in business and sales. The business world gave me the skills to redeem the time and work efficiently with little to no supervision.
But having great time management can also be a pastor’s worst enemy.
The Downside of Time Management
There is a downside to pastors that have great time management. This actually applies to anyone who has devoted their life to ministry: Missionaries and Chaplains, Pastors and Ministry Directors, and everything above, below and in-between.
You see, when your heart is so loudly called to serve Christ in a fulltime capacity, there always seems to be room for one more thing because you’re in love with it. Sometimes the passion for Christ and the church can lead a pastor to say yes to far too many things.
Before he knows it, he’s mentally and rationally spent. Next thing he knows, it’s Saturday night and he’s looking down at his Bible with no clue what he’s going to say the next morning.
Unfortunately, this continues to be a problem throughout churches, time and time again. Paul‘s words to Timothy must ring true for every pastor:
“…devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you…” (1 Tim. 4:13-14)
How can pastors fulfill this? How can I fulfill this? I think it comes down to Leadership Structure.
Leadership Structure
I just finished a candidation to move from Associate to Lead Pastor. In the Q&A I was asked if I liked our church’s leadership structure. My feeling was, “It really doesn’t matter if I like it or not. What matters is whether or not it lines up with Scripture.“
Over the past month or two, we’ve studied 1 Timothy and God’s outline for how the church should be structured. “Who am I to think I can structure it better?“
I sometimes wonder if we’re stepping into a, “pride before the fall” situation when we move away from Biblical models? I think Satan wants the church to become political? I think Satan wants the church to become corporate?
A Pastor Needs Elders
For example, a church could remove Eldership and move to a government style leadership. But we would have to ignore a leadership office that’s found throughout Scripture, starting as far back as the Pentateuch. Way back in the book of numbers we read,
“16 The Lord said to Moses: ‘Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials…They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.” (Num. 11:16-17)
A Pastor needs Elders to help him oversee the Spiritual leadership of the church. A Pastor needs Elders.
A Pastor Needs Deacons
Alternately, a church could remove Deaconship (Boards, Committees, Ministry Teams, other) and move to a corporate structure. Then the pastoral staff are just employees that work for a Board of Directors who expect them to do all the work.
But I wonder how that would have worked out in Acts 6? There was a serious situation where widows were not being fed.
“So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them.” (Acts 6:2-3)
As a pastor, I’m lost without deacons (servant leaders) who serve on our Board and on our Ministry Team. A Pastor needs Deacons.
A Pastor Needs the Church
The idea behind growing the church is that we all would be reaching people with the Gospel.
The pastor doesn’t live in your neighbourhood, the pastor doesn’t work in your office or shop, the pastor isn’t a part of your club or sport; so he doesn’t have the opportunity to tell them about Jesus. But you do.
Alternately, you at least have the opportunity to invite them to church on Sunday morning. Pastors are passionate about sharing the Gospel. If you invite the people you know, they’ll hear the Gospel preached.
Your pastor needs you. A pastor needs the church.
