The Emotional Deficit of a Pastor - pt 2

I preached a 6 part series on Desperate Households this year (2006). These are desperate times in our churches and homes. We've heard a lot about dysfunctional families with family members blaming each other for their ills and poor choices in life. It is true that many are living with an emotional deficit in their lives. They are being overwhelmed.

But I probably should also go one step further and teach on Desperate Pastors. I think that we are witnessing a generation of dysfunctional pastors. They too are living in an emotional deficit. What I mean by that is that what is surrounding them is more demanding and commanding on them than what is being put into them. They are having trouble handling the emotional volume in their lives. Ministry is demanding and draining regardless of the size of the church- big or small.

Size of the church in no way equates to faithfulness before God. Jesus had only 12 disciples and did quite well. In fact, He only had one leave him- I have had a lot more. Church size does not equate with being more effective but really is more about what you do with what God has given you. The width of a church does not speak to the spirituality of the church.

But having said that, we find the difference in a big and small church is the emotional weight of the church on the pastor. Every day of every year with every person that is added the emotional weight of the congregation becomes greater. Consider Paul:

2 Cor 11:23-28
23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. (NIV)

He was talking about the emotional content for/of the people he loved, prayed for, cared for, cried with, rejoiced with, etc. It was as tough if not tougher on him than all the other things he had experienced in the flesh. It was emotional, caused him to lose sleep, and weighed heavily on him.

The pastor needs to learn how to handle the emotional content or he will become a casualty of the very ministry he loves.

more to follow...