By Elizabeth Prata
I can understand why doctors and counselors are saying more than ever, teens and youths are depressed. If they are on social media often, and they are, spending hours each day, then they are absorbing the tenor of that social media, which is negative.
Christians are doing the same in many cases, sad to say. Everything is bad, politics arguments, false teachers, apostasy, fights, quibbles, misunderstanding, brouhahas, then the inevitable calls to stop fighting…repeat.
Now while it is true that the world is sinking at lightning speed into darkness, violence, and evident sin, and while it is true the church in the US (and elsewhere probably) is the same, what we believers do NOT need to do is comment on it every minute.
We have the joy of the Lord despite outward circumstances. I write this because a pastor posted this on Facebook about being a pastor:
THE PRICE OF BEING A PASTOR
Being a Pastor is listed among the four most difficult professions in the United States because, a Pastor must be:
•Preacher
•Example
•Father
•Husband
•Counselor
•Conference caller
•Planner
•Minister
•Visionary
•Director
•Mentor
•Friend
•Reconciler
•Marriage counselor
•Youth Counselor
•Leader’s trainer
•Bible teacher
•Intercessor etc etc
Besides being:
•Keeper of the Temple
•Cleaning staff
Every Pastor constantly confronts
Reviews like:
The Pastor doesn’t visit me
Sermon don’t fill me up
The Services are to long
Temp is either to cold or to hot
Pastor’s children are not an example according to others.
One of the most difficult things in the life of a Pastor is to know that at some point the people they love will abandon or even betray them.
The Pastor is often the loneliest person in the congregation.
You may see a Pastor be surrounded by people, but very rarely people who are interested in their problems, needs or even in their lives. And let’s not mention the demands that congregations place on Pastors’ children.
For this I would like to give you advice: if you have a Pastor or have as friends Pastors’ children take care of them, pray for them, connect with vision that God gave them, support them, but above all love them. Remember they are human and in the same way they go through the same needs as you.
Even if you don’t believe it, many Pastors and their Families have sacrificed comforts, rest, personal plans and so many things including some of their own family’s needs to attend God’s call.
Value the time a Pastor puts into work, the prayers he makes for everyone, the burden he voluntarily carries for ministry. You don’t know how much he’d appreciate knowing you do.
Jeremiah 3:15, And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
… For all pastors 
–end of sad pastor’s comment
OK, all that is true. One thing he didn’t put on the list is that a pastor must sometimes face persecution and death, at least the ones often do who minister outside the US.
All this is scriptural and expected. I know he didn’t post it as a complaint but simply as a reminder to be fair, nice, and encouraging to one’s pastor or elder. All well and good. But where is the joy?
Well my friend Pastor James Bell posted a response. Now, the Shepherd’s Conference just concluded last week where 5000+ men from all over the world gathered to be ministered to, encouraged, and to worship together. This is a conference founded by Dr. John MacArthur at Grace Community Church in CA. He is almost 85 years old. He is this and the last century’s Spurgeon. His output continues to be like no other living man on earth. His 55 years of ministry in this one church is astounding in the days of church hopping, fame-seeking pastors who like to create brands, author books to ‘rise higher’. JMac is famous in a good way. (and I love him!)
But guess what? For every more well-known MacArthur faithfully and steadily expositing the scriptures, persevering amid trials, betrayals, splits, and pressures from government, and dire health issues, there are 50 more who are not known. Who anonymously preach, love, discipline, repeat- week after week.
One of these I happen to know is James Bell. He is in TN. He is very soon to be 80 years old. He ascended his pulpit just 6 years after MacArthur did and has remained for 49 years. Get that. Forty-nine years. He has preached longer than that but his length of time at one pulpit being faithful to the Lord is something to be noted and praised for the Spirit leading him there and sustaining him all these decades.
Well anyway, on to the response Pastor Bell posted to the sad pastor listed above:
Having been a full-time pastor for 55 years, (one congregation for 6 years, the next for almost 49) … yes, I’ve had a ‘few’ experiences AND tough times … Amazingly, I have survived several church wars … etc… etc… HOWEVER, although there is SOME truth in the long list under ‘The Price of being a Pastor’ and some truth in similar POSTS placed on FB from time to time– I, for one, DO NOT LIKE such presentations.
WHY? Such lists do not have a proper BALANCE; they have the wrong FOCUS; they easily degenerate into feeding a PITY PARTY.
1. Every Christian in a local congregation faces many TOUGH, difficult situations… there will be differences in each one’s list; BUT ALL FACE DIFFICULTY…
2. The Bible gives clear instructions as to how we are to treat one another… and some special ones, as to relating to Elders/pastors.
3. As a pastor/elder, MY FOCUS is not to seek sympathy from the congregation– BUT TO MODEL AMAZING GRACE in the midst of whatever trial I may be facing; to be focused on THE HIGH CALLING… the privilege to have the opportunity to function as the LORD’S servant.
4. My real tests, trials, troubles, etc… ARE MY OPPORTUNITY to MODEL CHRIST in the midst of the congregation and before a watching world. LET US NOT CALL ATTENTION TO OURSELVES… nor to seek pity… but let us REJOICE and be FOUND FAITHFUL in our high calling.
5. IN A WORLD OF growing self focus among pastors– let us forget ourselves and deny ourselves, and take up our cross daily, and be those in whom and through whom others will SEE CHRIST!
Now. THAT is wisdom! THAT is joy! That is a clear view of the pastorate, the congregation, the church life, and a good scriptural perspective.
For me, the key word in Pastor Bell’s post was “balance”. I write discernment essays and cry out against false teachers. That’s a ‘negative’ work if you want to look at it that way. But there are also posts about grace, joy, song, praise, spring’s renewal, triumphs, and more. Each and every ministry should have balance. Each and every Christian should have balance and display that balance to the world.
Social media is increasingly used by our Adversary for ill, and part of that ill is an ever quickening slide into darkness, negativity, anger, gossip, screed, and so on. Social media reflects the world. We Christians are not of the world. We are in the world, but we have a peace and joy that surpasses understanding. Sometimes, you’d never know it if all you do is view us on social media, (as pagans and teenagers do).
My encouragement to you (and me also) is to recollect your recent conversations, review your recent posts, check your recent texts. Are they skewed to one side, the dark, angry, or negative? Joy is a fruit of the Spirit says Galatians 5:22. Let’s bear fruit for the Name of Jesus.
A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)
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