A third category of health in the ministry is the area of family health. This is a little tricky because families come in a lot of configurations these days. There is what we might refer to as the nuclear family of a man and a woman and children. There are also pastors who are single, both male and female, merged families, and, in some traditions, families made up of two people of the same sex. Whether there are children and whether they are in the home or somewhere else also affects how we conduct ministry.
I’ve probably left out some combination but my point is that our family affects our ministry and our ministry affects our family. Even a single person usually has parents or siblings who either positively or negatively are both affected by and affect our practice of ministry. Think of your family connections and consider how it affects and is affected by your ministry.
Congregations have, often unexpressed, an expectation that you as a minister will have a healthy family life. Those extended members of your family can have expectations of you because you are a pastor. Children often feel the pressure of being a PK (preacher’s kid). A wife or husband can be imposed upon by the congregation because they are married to the pastor. At the same time, they are rarely treated like a normal member of the church.
There are no easy solutions to the complexity of family life for the pastor but it is helpful to be conscious of this area of life and intentional about how you respond to some of the pressures.
At the same time, a family can be a wonderful support in the practice of ministry. Maintaining a healthy family life, regardless of what constitutes your family, can strengthen you in ministry. This week let us reflect on some of the ways to nurture that health.
