On Working Hard
As stated before, being a pastor is hard work. Wise men approach hard work by working hard. Also as stated before, if you are looking for a forty hour a week job that can be left at the office each evening, you should look for something else.
Through the years I have attended many “church growth” conferences and read plenty of the literature on the topic. Speakers spout tons of tips on what you can do to make your congregation grow. But having watched churches that grow and churches that don’t, I have observed two under reported factors:
- The work of the Holy Spirit (more on that elsewhere)
- The work of the pastor
Pastors of growing churches are pastors who flat out work hard.
Now working hard does not necessarily mean a seventy hour work week, although you should be prepared for one every once in a while. It does mean being all in when you are in. Be careful about diddling your time away checking messages, chit chatting, reading the paper, traveling the internet and so on. You have things to do. You are being paid to do them. You gave your word you would do them. Do them. Do them well. Focus; drive the work forward.
This takes personal motivation and discipline. Working hard does not mean doing everything perfectly. In fact, part of working hard is figuring out what can be left for later or left undone. Everyone will assume you are busy and working hard, so you can get away with being a slacker… for a while. Both the perfectionist and the lazy man can find refuge in the ministry. Be neither. Focus; drive the work forward.
Keep in mind that you are working a work that has eternal consequences. Keep in mind that you have a Supervisor who always watches (and is always present to lend a hand—and a big hand he has!). Keep in mind that others in your congregation are at their jobs working hard, too. Focus; drive the work forward.
And one thing more, like two sides of scissors, combine working hard with working smart and you’ll cut through the toughest of tasks. Focus; drive the work forward.