John Bright in his History of Israel made the comment that one of the beliefs that helped the Jews survive exile, rather than being absorbed into the foreign cultures in which they were planted, was their belief in the Sabbath. Once every seven days, the Jews took time out to remember who and whose they were. In doing so, they also recognized the necessity of rhythm in life. In our neglect of the Sabbath in our fast paced world, we ignore a practice that can protect our humanity and our faithfulness.
The pastor who ignores the need to find Sabbath moments in his rhythm of life contributes to the dehumanization of his or her time stressed congregation. A balance of genuine self-care with a high commitment to the pastoral call to serve can actually become a testimony to the faith. What better way to witness to the truth of the faith than to demonstrate in one’s own life a way to navigate the stresses of society and maintain good relationships with both God and neighbor.
In yesterday’s blog, I raised the problem of talking about how the congregation cares for the pastor because it sounds so self-serving. However, what the pastor can do is raise the question of how we all care for each other, which includes the church staff, as an important aspect of living out the faith. Sermons and seminars could raise the awareness of the importance of this aspect of community.
You could also explore the various ways you recognize and affirm the work of both other staff members and Elders, Deacons, choir members, etc. It isn’t only breaks in work schedule but also affirmation of the meaning of one’s efforts that can nurture our humanity. What you are seeking to do is create a culture of caring within the congregation that extends to every member and employee.
Another aspect of self-care is helping the congregation become mature in their understanding of the ministry of the congregation. What I mean by that is to break the culture of dependency that congregations often have on their pastor. The more that a pastor’s ministry is focused on “equipping the saints” for ministry both within and outside the congregation, the more ministry is a shared opportunity. Programs like the Stephen’s Ministry, where members are trained in pastoral care of each other is an example of this.
Rather than make this one more burden in an already overstressed profession, take it one step at a time. Think of the demands of your profession and identify one task that could be done by others. Then begin to explore how people might be invited to share in that ministry.
