Scott Williams writes about the “perks” of being a pastor, which often amount to laziness as everything is “work” for the pastor.
This touches on a little bit of the content of my latest podcast. I talked about how when you are vested in the system, it is hard to detach. Well, Scott Williams post explains a little bit of the life of a pastor vested in the system. At one point, he writes,
many pastors would react to reading this words. some are justified. others simply do not know or remember what it is like to have a real job. they live in a bubble of pseudo-activity and flexible scheduling. no one yells at them everyday at work. they don’t have to drive 2 hours to get to the job site. they don’t have to get up early, or pack a lunch, or listen to complaints all day. they can shut off their phone and not be fired. they don’t get disciplined for being 10 minutes late to work. they can deduct their mortgage from their taxible income. they can write off any activity or expense. they are the only one paid to be at a funeral.
Of course, there are the workaholic pastors who really are as busy as they say they are, but when I was a pastor… honestly… I think MOST of the pastors I knew considered themselves busy, but much on their schedule is what others consider social. Of course, sometimes there’s an obligation to be social as a pastor, and if you’re obligated to be there rather than choosing, then yes, that is a demand on your time. However, lunches and coffee shop meetings are not nearly as demanding as we’d like to think they are.
Sure, pastors can abuse the system and be lazy. But so can people who work 9 to 5 office jobs if they send personal e-mails or blog or post at the Ooze during their 8 hours of work time!
I disagree with the idea that if we’re having fun or enjoying something, it’s social and not work. Why does work have to equal drudgery? Why can’t work be creative and life-giving? If our pastors are living healthy lives, we should celebrate that and them. And we should work to change society so that more jobs are healthy and generous, like pastoring can be at its best.
Jackie Wyse
November 1st, 2005
i understand this Alan. pastoring was hard in some ways, but being your own boss is such a benefit. while pastors have to answer to the congregation or board at times, it’s not the same as answering to a boss. not knowing if i can get a day off work, even when it’s for something important … that’s just not a good thing.
there’s a lot of benefits to pastoring full time. if you can keep it from consuming your whole personal life.
tammy
October 31st, 2005
I guess we’re looking at a different argument. I’m saying a pastor is a differnt job, and you’re saying a pastor shouldn’t be a job. =)
An apostle and a pastor perform the same duties in that they were/are working to spread the testimony of Jesus. Both had side duties that they wish(ed) they could shed.
What about 1 Corinthians 9:14? It says that those who preach and teach should be paid. How can it be wrong that a group of people decide that the same person should preach and teach?
You are correct that we should all be “on call”. And I can see the role of a pastor being an excuse for many people who aren’t willing to offer that type of commitment. (“..we have a pastor to do that..”) And that is too bad.
Ya,I’ve picked up on some of the hints you are anti-establishment. =) I enjoy hearing a different side than what I’m used to. It challenges me to look further into why I believe what I do.
Mike
October 31st, 2005
Mike -
Would you equate the role of an apostle establishing the Church to that of a pastor of a local church? I sure wouldn’t.
And really, we’re all on call in the body of Christ. But when we pay someone, we expect them to be available rather than hope they’ll be available.
Of course, if you know me through this blog and podcast, you’ll know I’m very anti-establishment. I think the role of the pastor within the establishment is seriously flawed.
Anonymous
October 30th, 2005
He also wrote “this is a very one-sided blog”.
Acts 6 touches on this. “We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the word of God, not administering a food program”
Sometimes that teaching is going to be in more of a “social” setting. And it is going to be in the evenings.
A pastor is always “on call”. Whether or not it’s a Ned Flander’s type parishioner or a hospital calling. And a pastor is always under the microscope.
And what’s this about pastor’s get getting complaints? They got them in Acts 6 and they get them today. “…the service is too long, the music is too loud, fast, slow, etc, etc”
I’m not a pastor, so I may be way off the mark. Pastors may get some perks like that, but they have a MUCH different (harder?) job than most of the rest of us.
Mike
October 29th, 2005