TENSION = STRESS

Ever wonder what stress a pastor might have? Just returned from Liberty Fellowship's Southwestern Regional Conference. Gerald Brooks, Senior Pastor of Grace Outreach Center, shared a dynamic and practical lesson for pastors.

He said the nature of leadership requires the leader to handle tension in three areas:
1. The tension of relationship.
2. The tension of turmoil.
3. The tension of personal life.

The tension of relationship and turmoil is played out almost daily for the pastor as he deals with church people, staff members, leadership team, struggles, etc. Gerald said that the average pastor resigns his church and leaves it because of conflict with just 3 people. With light hearted laughter but never the less true, he said that you are not really called to ministry unless you've inspired at least one prayer group that is praying for you to change. The pastor has to deal with people's hidden agendas, outright rebellion, and wrong attitudes. For pastors with staff Gerald said that he tells his staff that he has to encounter bad attitudes for free all the time and doesn't have to pay the staff for theirs!

The tension of personal life is critical to a pastor as he must conduct himself not only at church, in public, but at home in a manner of honor and integrity. His ministry hinges on this: if he can't direct his personal life and those in his home; how can he lead the church of God?

I can relate to these tensions in the ministry. These are things that can give you heartaches, headaches, and bellyaches!

God help me with the tensions of this life of ministry. Don't let them get to me but let me get through to you for strength and the ability to persevere and be more than a conqueror.

BTW, I love what I do in spite of the tensions!