A Pastor's Week

Did you know that October is Pastor Appreciation Month? Yes, it was a surprise to me as well. I had never heard of it until a few years ago. I even had to look it up to see which month it is because I often forget about it until someone reminds me (if, in fact, anyone else remembers to remind me!).

If you attend a church, even one day out of the year (Easter, perhaps?), then I highly recommend that you take the time to tell your pastor (minister, reverend, whatever you may call them) thank you. And you don't have to wait until October pops up on the calendar to do so! Please, please, take the time throughout the year to let them know that the time and dedication they put into the lives of others is greatly appreciated. I guarantee you that it will brighten their day and possibly give them that push to get through another week as they wonder whether or not they are making an impact for the Kingdom. This includes your music minister, youth pastor, children's director, etc!

Oftentimes there is the misconception that all pastors work just one day a week: when they preach their Sunday sermons. Granted, some pastors tend towards focusing on only the preaching aspect of their job, most pastors are out there getting their hands dirty the rest of the week. And, to be brutally honest, as a pastor's wife, it sometimes makes me jealous. There. I said it. I get jealous when my husband is spending time away from home, outside of "business hours," investing in the lives of others. Is this selfish of me? Of course. I'll admit it. Being a pastor is no 9-5, normal job. Jeff spends time away from his family in order to help other families and to support those who are apart of this family we call Church. And that's what makes it okay. That's what curbs my jealousy. If he were spending over 40 hours a week on some typical, cubicle, daily grind sort of job, things would be different.

So, I thought I would give you a glimpse into an "average" week for a pastor. Or, at least, for my pastor. I put quotes around "average" because that just doesn't really exist in this career field. Serious face on again: I did not know what I was getting myself into when I married a pastor. Now I know why I used to stay away from ministry majors in college. No joke! I refused to date any youth ministry major at my school because I thought they were all immature youth-wannabes who just wanted to play games the rest of their lives. Who needs to go to school to learn how to play games that involve chugging a Coke through a stinky sock, right? Jeff certainly proved me wrong there. He does still play silly games, but how else are you going to keep the attention of a bunch of 7th-12th graders on a Wednesday night when they could be at home binge-watching Netflix? Seriously. Don't even get me started...

Here it goes then! I kept track of all the hours Jeff put into work this week (unbeknownst to him)! I won't get too particular on the wheres, whens, and whos, but just hours per day that he is doing something for the church. This could be preparing lessons, teaching, counseling, hosting special events, running errands, community projects, playing chaffeur, or even supporting his youth by attending an event.

Sunday: 7.5 hours
Monday: 8 hours
Tuesday: 9 hours
Wednesday: 10.5 hours
Thursday: 11 hours
Friday: 8 hours
Saturday: A family day!

And this wasn't even a week that he also had to preach on Sunday, it wasn't his week to run the soup kitchen, he had no church business or budget meetings, and it wasn't a week he had any Air Force duty to complete as a reserve chaplain.

So let's add that up shall we? Did you get out your calculator? I got 54 hours. That's quite a bit of hours for a guy that "only works on Sundays," am I right? There are plenty of awesome people out there putting in just as many hours into their jobs, but let me also remind you that pastors don't get paid overtime and, to be honest, many don't get paid much of a salary either (unless of course they are some hot shot in a megachurch, but that's certainly not the majority). These awesome men and women don't exactly get into the business for the money and no one pastor's job description looks the same. Some pastors wear hats from janitor, to electrician, to music minister, to Sunday morning preacher. The congregation and the community also look different from church to church and pastors have to take that into account as well.


Am I bragging on my husband? Sure, maybe a bit. My main point here, however, is to get some of our pastors out of those stereotypes created by both members and non-members of the Church (and even by some pastors who may think their job revolves only around Sunday)! Those in the ministry (I'm not just talking to pastors here) know what I am talking about. They know what it is like to pour themselves out and pour themselves out day after day in order to help others (and, too many times, please others) by meeting needs in their church and in their community. Those in the ministry should view themselves as those great helpers of the community that we also often under-appreciate: the police officers, firemen, paramedics, teachers, and nurses that work their butt off to help others. Every. Single. Day. They know.

Being a pastor is much more than reading the Bible and preaching sermons. It's this calling felt by men and women to walk with others through this thing called life. They are spiritual leaders, teachers, counselors, mentors, friends, and a shoulder to cry on. They are there to celebrate with you life's greatest events: graduation, marriage, baptism, new babies. And they are there to assist in life's most difficult moments, whether it be counseling a separated married couple or officiating a funeral. They wear so many hats, y'all. Especially those in the small to average-sized churches. Jeff has cleaned toilets, pulled weeds, painted walls, shoveled snow, and helped people move. Who knew pastoring involved so much hard work and heavy lifting!

People do not become pastors because they are perfect. Far from it, in fact. They are just on this ride, holding on for dear life, wondering all the while if they are doing the right thing; the same as the next person. Putting others first is exhausting, y'all. You know. You've done it. Perhaps it is your job as well. It's a hard job to do well in this imperfect world with our imperfect human bodies. So take the time to thank those who make a living doing it. Thank a pastor. And while you're at it, thank a nurse, or police officer, or teacher. Or even the lady volunteering her time at a pregnancy center. Their weary souls need it just as much as the souls they are helping.

And while I'm in this thanking mood, thank you, thank you, thank you to those who volunteer their time to help others and to help in the church. Our busy pastors (and their introvert wives) cannot do it all themselves. Each of you is a pastor, a minister, a leader in your own way. So pat yourself on the back. :)