Pastors live with an unspoken expectation that we should minister in a perpetual state of excitement. Would our members be surprised or disappointed to know that we are not equally excited about everything that is going on in our church?
For example, all pastors are naturally excited about upcoming Easter services. Who doesn’t love celebrating the resurrection and the potential kingdom impact of Easter? Not to mention the candy and crowds! But should we be equally as excited about the Sunday before and after Easter? That is not realistic or authentic in my opinion.
Why would we even try? Maybe, because we have a desire to “serve the Lord enthusiastically” (Romans 12:11). Nothing wrong with that! “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men” (Col 3:23).
Does that mean we should be equally enthusiastic about everything we do in ministry? I just finished doing a funeral…on my day off. Although I “served the Lord with gladness,” I can’t say that I was excited about doing that funeral.
Pastors sometimes feel pressure to show equal excitement about all of the ministries in our church, lest we show a hint of favoritism. Well meaning members and staff lobby for their ministry’s rightful place in the promotional rotation, budget and church calendar. Some of them even pressure the pastor to give a shout-out from the pulpit. Maybe pulpits should come with hidden compartments for pom-poms?
So how do we live with the dichotomy between obedient enthusiasm and authentic excitement? I want to suggest a four practical ways to stay excited about ministry without getting exhausted from it. Keep reading
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