Any job or responsibility has things we don’t like doing. Pastoring a church is no exception. As pastors, we believe we are called by God to equip His people for ministry. (By the way, one of my pet peeves is calling a pastor The Minister. The Bible teaches that we are ALL ministers. Right?) But no matter how convinced we are of our vocation, there are always tasks that we wish weren’t part of the job.

LET’S TALK…

Here are four things pastors dread doing…

1. Talking about money. We dread bringing up money because it feels self-serving (we get paid from the church offerings) and many people say that all the church wants is their money. However, money is a matter of stewardship. Jesus taught that where we put our money shows what we really care about (Matthew 6:21). What I have found is that most people want to be generous to the church, but can’t because of debt. One of the best things we did while I pastored was to offer a regular financial seminar to help people manage their money. (See Financial Peace University).
2. Confronting others about a problem I was taught that most problems will go away, if you ignore them. Well, that simply isn’t true. Problems tend to grow when you turn a blind eye. That is especially true when you need to have a crucial conversation with someone.  We need to see these “confrontations”  differently. It is an opportunity to clarify. It can be a chance to come closer to someone, not push them away. Always talk with love and grace. (Colossians 4:6).
3. Saying “no.” One of the reasons pastors get into ministry is because we love people. That can lead us to try to make everyone happy all the time (a recipe for insanity). But frankly, it’s impossible not to say “no” to anything. We can’t lead without sorting out the extra demands of our time and ideas for new ministries that are not in alignment with the direction of the church. Andy Stanley said it this way, “Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing.” (Blog on Saying No)
4. Letting someone go. Whether paid or volunteer, if a person is not a fit, making a transition is tough. I like what one pastor told me, “We should always be leading up or leading out.” If a change is needed, become an advocate to help the person find a new place of ministry. I wish I would have done more of that!

BEFORE YOU GO…

So what do you dread doing as a pastor? How are you addressing it? I’d love to hear from you.