I have composed a grid of care for pastors and educators. It consists of six dimensions and three levels. Care of pastors and educators within the church includes the responsibility of the pastor or educator but also the responsibility of the congregations and the judicatory to which they belong. I will provide a brief description of the three areas here and then give examples over the next couple of weeks of what each of the three entities can do in these areas:
Physical and Emotional Health
It is vital for ministry that members of the church staff maintain themselves physically and emotionally. Doing so testifies to the way in which all members can care for the gift of life God has given each of us.
Family Health
We expect that the families of our pastors/educators will be models of health and faith for the rest of the congregation. Those very expectations often put stress on the family. In addition, the schedule and demands of ministry increase the stress on the pastor’s or educator’s family.
Financial Health
When congregations struggle with budgets and clergy and educators are reluctant to advocate for their own salary, the financial stress increases on their families. Judicatories can assist in helping church staff and congregations arrive at a just and fair compensation that maintains the health of the pastoral relationship.
Spiritual Health
Spiritual leaders are called to be the mediators of God’s spirit breathed into the congregation. If a person only breathes out, s/he soon runs out of breath. If clergy/educators are to avoid becoming cynical or even angry at the disappointments of ministry and avoid the dangers of egotism that come from public praise, it is important that they develop a discipline for attending to their own spiritual life.
Vocational Health
Clergy/educators enter the ministry with a great deal of idealism. They believe that God is calling them to express their love of God in a way that serves others and can make a difference in the world around them.
The demands of ministry can create tensions that distance them from the enthusiasm of their original call. If they lose touch with the why of their call, they can forget the value of continuing to struggle with the challenges of ministry. They find themselves involved in labor that either distorts or is contradictory to their call. The result can be cynicism, anger, defeat, or despair
