This is something we often neglect yet it is a very vital reminder that we should be constantly interceding for the leadership in the church. The Pastor, his staff, the ministry teams etc…
Last night the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors for the NBA championship.
From here they will enter the offseason where they will recuperate, rest, and spend time with family for the next few months until training starts back up in preparation for the next season.
The same happens in pretty much all sports, football, baseball, basketball, hockey…
They all have off seasons in order to continue to stay healthy to play the game they love for the years to come, its necessary to prevent wear in tear on the body.
The Pastor doesn’t get an off season. The ministry team doesn’t get an offseason. They may take a day off or two for a day vacation but essentially their lives or dedicated to the kingdom of God.
They spend many nights from their family in order to serve yours, they buy groceries they will never eat, pay bills that aren’t theirs, pay for gas in cars that don’t belong for them, all for the sake of serving others.
You will really here them complain or ask anything in return. They understand they are spending valuable time they will never get back in order to serve the church because their reward is laid up in heaven.
Of course they try to keep a balanced life between church and family, its biblical and important in order to prevent burnout. Yet as I type this and I allow you to get a look at the inside of a ministers mind I can tell you we don’t spend as much time with family as we should.
Please don’t take this as a complaint because we are happy to do it, souls and the church are our passion, its our calling and its our burden. What I’m trying to do is explain that theirs two sides to this coin. The church sees a preacher thats blessed, they see someone in a suit that has it altogether. Essentially on the outside all is well.
Yet on the other side of this coin they are constantly under spiritual attack. Perhaps the guilt of not being able to get through to a saint they have been working with in the church.
Late nights in prayer interceding for your families and lost loved ones.
Leaving their family outings to go visit someone in the hospital.
Discouragement from time to time because of a program or idea that just doesn’t seem to be working.
Maybe the AC goes out, or the bathroom requires maintenance.
Complaints about the music or temperature in the room.
All while trying to work a full time job in most cases, balancing their family, as well as church life.
Yes surely the leadership of the church is under attack now more than ever before.
So theres no offseason, Sunday ends and they prepare for the rest of the week, and the week after that. So what can be done to help take the load off the leadership?
Pray for them. Pray for your Pastor. Pray for the ministry. Intercede for them and fight with them. Get involved so they don’t have to do it on their own. Tell them you love them and appreciate them from time to time because from experience that alone reminds us why we continue to do what we do.
Your prayers have the power to revitalize them and restore them. Your prayers give them strength. Pray for them.
My Pastor doesn’t know I typed this but it needs to be said from time to time in order to remind us the weight and burden that sits on the shoulders on the men and women of God.
God bless,
-Bro. Taylor