It’s really that simple…

 

Parish ministry is so varied…so scattered. There are so many things to do.

 

I know most people like to joke and say that clergy only work on Sundays. One day a week.

 

And don’t get me wrong. Sunday is a big piece of things. There. Is. Sunday…

 

And all the planning for Sunday…

 

Making sure the Choir is on track. Ensuring the readings are right. Making sure the bulletin is as accurate as possible…

 

After a while, you get into a routine. And Sunday pretty much runs like clockwork. But you still have Sunday…

 

And Sundays take preparations, especially if it matters that they’re done well…

 

Especially when everyone already thinks you only work on Sundays…so Sunday better be right.

 

But beyond Sundays…

 

There’s the rest of Parish Life.

 

Meeting parishioners. Meetings with the various guilds & ministries. Visiting the sick and those who cannot come. 

 

Managing crises in various families. 

 

Mediating the dynamics of parish politics…

 

 

There’s the dynamics of the congregation in the community…

 

Civic and non-profit boards. City, State, National government relations. Community events, panels & other appearances…

 

Maintaining relations of influence. Mediating Community disputes. Making government work for those who feel ignored. Finding jobs for the underemploymed, unemployed & unemployable. 

 

In many situations, the pastor is a community organizer and full time politician (even in the purest sense of politics), who also charged to lead services where hope is seen in a world that seems to harbor disdain for hope…and faith…and Love!

 

Then add in the demands of a family…

 

Of marriage & family life…of parenting. Of being a child to aging parents. 

 

 

 

In the midst of all of that, the preacher is supposed to have time to dive deeply into the Word of God and uncover something that would cause you to wonder…

 

Something to challenge you…

 

To stretch your mind and encourage growth in your faith…

 

Something to take you deeper and give you something deeper to consider as a deeper part of your life…

 

 

 

It’s the difference between hearing/reading the Word…even hearing it preached, and having it unpacked…

 

Finding that takes more than a few hours on a particular day as part of an unpredictable routine. 

 

To be consistent with that takes more bandwidth than a preacher has when there’s also the responsibility to congregational life. 

 

Something’s gotta give…

 

Maybe the preaching remains high and something else suffers…

 

Some other important duty or relationship is left ineffectively attended and causes a rift. 

 

Or…

 

The pastor does well at managing those other things, but sermon preparation suffers.  

 

And yes, the preacher might hit it out of the park ever now and again…

 

But that’s still different than having the time to make that consistent. 

 

 

So what am I suggesting?!