South African Theological Seminary

The Life of a Pastor

The Worker is as Important as the Work

Pelham Lessing & Alton Chua

6-25-2012
 The Life of a Pastor: The Worker is as Important as the Work

Introduction
The purpose of this research paper is three-fold. Firstly, in order to familiarize you with basic
reading content relating to the intricacies of the life of a pastor, this paper is drafted as an
introductory research paper. Secondly, it seeks to identify the challenges a pastor typically
faces. The scope is confined within three broad areas, namely, personal life, family life and
ministry. Thirdly, it proposes strategies to help mitigate the various challenges so as to maintain
a pastor’s overall well-being.

This paper covers challenges arising from the pastor’s personal life, which include the calling
into ministry, personal conduct and moral integrity, as well as personal spiritual growth. Those
arising from the family life encompass relationships with the family, the spouse and the
children while those arising from the ministry include stress, conflict and spiritual warfare.
Having presented these challenges; strategies to overcome them are developed on the bases of
the insights drawn both from the literature and pastors interviewed.

Background
A recent survey conducted by LifeWay Research among 1,000 American Protestant pastors in
August 2011 found that almost all of them felt privileged and positive to be in the ministry
(Roach 2011). However, it also revealed a majority also experienced loneliness and
discouragement. Another survey conducted through the Fuller Institute of Church Growth
among pastors painted a bleak picture: 80% indicated that ministry had affected their families
negatively, 50% dropped out of full time ministry within five years, 70% reported not having
a close friend, 37% acknowledged having been involved in inappropriate sexual behaviour with
someone in the church (as cited in Meek et al., 2003:339).

These findings are not surprising given the breadth of tasks pastors are expected to undertake.
Pastors help guide church members through the travails of life. Their responsibilities involve
not only offering spiritual leadership and church management in the main but also include the
readiness to provide guidance on emotional and family issues. At the same time, pastors
themselves are not immune to the same needs to which they seek to minister in others’ lives.

In fact, studies have consistently shown that pastors who eventually left the ministry
succumbed to physical, emotional and social challenges (Beebe 2007; cf. Spencer et al., 2012).
In particular, extant literature points to contributing factors such as interpersonal conflict with
church members, role overload and burnout. It is sad to see pastors starting with great fervor
to serve the Lord in the beginning, only to be crushed by a sense of dissatisfaction, futility and
disillusionment mid-way in their ministry.

Threats and challenges confronting pastors stem from a variety of sources. A few of these have
been identified in the study guide (see page 4). At a personal level, a pastor has to constantly
renew his or her calling and personal vision in the ministry. On the family front, on average a
pastor has to cope with different family stressors such as financial strain, lack of family privacy
and evolving needs of spouse and children. Pressures arising from the ministry include self-
imposed demands as well as those fellow workers and church members.

Section 1: The Life of the Pastor

1.1 Pastor’s Personal Life

1.1.1 The Effective Call into Pastoral Ministry

Pastors invariably respond to the full-time ministry in faith, believing that God has called them
to proclaim the Gospel, equip the Christians and make a difference in the world for Jesus. While
almost all started with enthusiasm, an increasing number actually drop out of their ministry
mid-way (Spencer et al., 2012). Numerous reasons have been cited in the literature to account
for the termination from the ministry. These include relational problems with members, lack
of personal and professional boundaries, loss of hope for positive change and financial pressure
(Beebe, 2007:262). Some scholars have traced the problem to even before the onset of the
pastoral ministry: the failure to properly evaluate the reasons for joining the ministry in the first
place.

When a large crowd gathered to follow him, Jesus turned around and challenged them to go
deeper in their commitment. Specifically, self-denial and cross-bearing were identified as the
criteria for discipleship (Lk 14:25 – 27). Interestingly, using the analogies of building a tower
and going to war (Lk 14:28 – 31), Jesus also highlighted the need to count the cost of following
him. In other words, for people who contemplate to enter the full-time ministry, their decision
must not be driven only by emotions and social pressure. Healthy doses of rationality, an
awareness of the costs involved as well as the fortitude to stay on the course are needed.

There are a number of challenges associated to a pastor’s call into the ministry. First is the
shift in the source of motivation. MacDonald (2003:32 – 67) differentiates between driven and
being called. A driven person is one who is bent on achieving goals. Typical symptoms of a
driven person include gratification only through accomplishment, preoccupation with symbols
of accomplishment and being highly competitive. In contrast, a calling is “an inner conviction
given by the Holy Spirit and confirmed by the Word of God and the body of Christ” (Lutzer,
1998:11). A called person gains a sense of divine initiative and receives the assurance that he
or she is doing what God desires. Thus, a called person is one who possesses “strength from
within, a quality of perseverance and power that are impervious to the blows from without”
(MacDonald, 2003:58). He or she understands stewardship, has an accurate self-image and
holds hold an unwavering sense of purpose.

However, in reality, the line between driven and being called may well be artificial. The apostle
Paul himself openly declared his calling into the ministry in several of his epistles (e.g. Rom
1:1, 1 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:1). He is undeniably called by the Lord. Yet no one would argue that he
was not driven to extremities for the sake of the Gospel, including being imprisoned, beaten
and exposed to various kinds of dangers (2 Cor 11:22 – 27). Personally, a more meaningful
way to examine the shift in the source of motivation is to distinguish between harbouring a
personal agenda versus having a God-given agenda. A pastor who harbours a personal agenda
in the ministry tends to seek glory for himself or herself. Conversely, one who is compelled
by a God-given agenda tends to remain in the posture of humility and consciously seek to
ascribe glory to God.

Another challenge relates to vision conflict, which is defined as “the feeling of disparity
between what pastors expected to happen by answering the call to ministry and the events that
actually take place” (Spencer, et al., 2012:92). Vision conflict may occur if pastors are not
adequately prepared for what they will experience in the ministry. There seems to be an inner
expectation for ongoing ministry to thrive amid trials and frustration in the personal life of
pastors. This is particularly so if ministry lives are constructed around great demands, a high
level of stress and unrealistic expectations. Weber and Goetz (1996) support the notion that
pastors may underestimate the difficulty associated with a ministerial role when they note that
“the pastor who is most Christlike is not the one who is fulfilled in every moment of his ministry
but the one whose ministry has in it unbelievable elements of crucifixion” (p. 30). Vision
Conflict can entail a sense of personal failure based on unrealistic expectations about what
comprises ministry effectiveness. It could also result in loss of energy, growing cynicism, and
increasing apathy as well as loss of meaning and calling.

1.2.1 Personal Conduct and Moral Integrity

A pastor is first and foremost an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). Standing in Christ's stead,
his or her life ought to faithfully reflect the Lord’s person and message. The qualifications for
pastoral ministry have been outlined in several portions in the Scripture, including 1 Timothy
3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-4. These qualifications are the biblical standard by which a
pastor is judged. While their descriptions are varied, all the moral characteristics listed in these
texts can be summarized into one quality – blamelessness. A blameless life is characterized by
temperance, gentleness, prudence, and contentment (1 Tim. 3:2-3). It also manifests itself in
self-control, godliness, and considerate care for others (Tit. 1:7-8). No one should be able to
accuse the pastor of selfishly seeking his or her own financial gain (Tit. 1:7; 1 Pet. 5:2). Even
those outside the church should be able to recognize the pastor's commitment to the Christian
faith (1 Tim 3:7).

Being blameless in the sight of man and God should be upheld throughout the course of the
pastor’s life. It is not merely a one-time decision but a pattern of godly lifestyle (Vincent,
[2000]). The pastor’s personal conduct therefore serves as a credible model for others to
follow. In this way, the transforming reality of Christ's saving work is displayed (1 Cor. 11:1).
Furthermore, this reinforces the fact that the message the pastor proclaims is one of truth and
power.

Using the Life Attitudes Inventory, Capps and Haupt (2011) identify eight deadly sins, namely,
greed, lust, pride, anger, gluttony, envy, apathy and melancholy, and empirically investigated
pastors’ and seminary professors’ perception of these sins. The results revealed that lust was
considered the deadliest sin, followed by melancholy. Envy was ranked the last in the list.
Interestingly, when asked about the sins with which they personally struggled, pride and envy
emerged the top two while lust was identified at the end of the spectrum. Apparently, there
exists an inverse relationship between respondents’ rankings of the deadliest sins and their
personal struggles with them. This finding could be interpreted possibly as an expression of
hypocrisy on the part of the respondents. To be sure, in the sight God, sin does not come in
different shades. Whether serious or trivial, sin is said to have been committed whenever the
law of God is broken.

Even so, it must be recognized that different pastors may be susceptible to different sins,
depending their personal disposition and contextual influences. For example, a pastor who has
a track record of leading highly successful ministries may have to deal with the problem of
pride more than one who has always been involved in a low-profile ministry. Nonetheless, one
of the recurring issues with which a pastor has to constantly grapple is that of moral integrity.
A pastor can lead others only if he or she can gain their trust. If trust is lost, then all influences
the pastor can potentially exert will be negated. The apostle Paul was mindful of the importance
to maintain a sense of moral integrity with the believers. He wrote “Now this is our boast: our
conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our
relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity” (2 Cor 1:12, NIV).

Moral integrity means to “uphold not simply the appearance of morality but morality itself”
(Batson, et al. 1997: 1336). It involves maintaining consistency of one’s actions, values,
methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. Hence, it is a virtue that lays the
foundation for all other virtues.

An insidious behaviour that can undermine moral integrity is moral hypocrisy. Conceptually,
moral hypocrisy can be defined as appearing “moral yet still benefit oneself” (Batson, et al.
1997: 1335). In other words, it is the motivation to appear moral while “avoiding the cost of
being moral” (Batson, et al. 1999:526). More specifically, people give the impression that they
are moral but when their self-interest is challenged, they will fail to uphold what they initially
believed was moral.

There are at least three different faces of moral hypocrisy (Batson, et al., 1999:526), namely,
(1) the desire to present oneself as moral yet still self-serving, (2) the bringing of one's standards
in line with one's behaviour rather than bringing one's behaviour in line with one's standards
and making a standard more salient; and (3) the effort to align behaviour to one’s purported
moral standards only because it is costly to live with a behaviour-standard discrepancy.

Of the three, the first seems to present itself as the strongest temptation to pastors. After all,
pastors are compelled to portray the image of godliness at least in the public arena. However,
the psychological pressures of holding the pastoral office are in themselves often inadequate to
ensure that pastors’ personal lives are just as above reproach as what church members have
come to expect. Thus, if pastors are not careful, they may live a life of deception, secretly
having two morally incompatible personas, one in the public and the other in private.
Such behaviour is sometimes called “compartmentalization” where one puts different aspects
of life rationally into distinct emotional-behavioural rooms (Goodall, 2005: 35). The
implication of compartmentalization is immense. A pastor who compartmentalizes tends to
think that actions made in one sphere of his or her life has nothing to do with other aspects. As
a result, personal problems such as marital infidelity and cyber-sex are tolerated or even
indulged till, they are exposed publicly later.

1.3.1 Personal Spiritual Growth

In the Scripture, the process for pursuing spiritual maturity is referred in different ways,
including sanctification (meaning to be progressively set apart for God’s use, Rom 6:19),
transformation (meaning being changed from the inside, Rom 12:2) and growth (meaning
developing spiritually, 1 Pet 2:2). At the heart of spiritual growth is the idea that “we are
designed to become increasingly more of who we were created to be (2 Cor 3:18)” (Cloud
& Townsend, 2004:193).

Armstrong (1984:176 – 179) highlights several spiritual rewards pastors stand to gain
particularly if they are involved in sharing the Gospel to others. These rewards include
spiritual growth, theological growth and emotional growth, which contribute to the overall
personal growth of pastors. Spiritual growth is marked by the development of intimacy
with the Holy Spirit. Theological growth is spurred as pastors are engaged in the practice
of apologetics. Emotional growth comes about as pastors discover a new joy of bringing
people to Christ.

However, it is fallacious to think that pastors will grow spiritually just because they have
been sincerely serving the Lord and have been tending to the spiritual needs of members.
In fact, one of the hazards in the pastoral ministry is that pastors could be so caught up with
the spiritual development of others while neglecting their own (Prime & Begg, 2004:85).
Such a situation is not only ironic leads to dire consequences. If left unchecked, these
pastors can have “a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim 3:5, NIV).

Bicker (2011) notes that “most pastors with a little experience and training can provide
adequate ministry activity with little or no spiritual development in their lives….. We can
make hospital visits and offer comforting words and even say a little prayer without having
spent much time studying Scripture or enjoying times of personal prayer…. We can grow
our churches while our own souls are slowly spiritually starving”.

It does seem that pastors may face the challenge of stagnation of personal spiritual growth
amid the flurry of ministry activities. Interestingly, personal growth is often associated with
adversity rather than normalcy. In a study conducted among Chinese pastors who were
imprisoned due to their faith, Ting and Watson (2007) found that persecution led to losses
of personal freedom, physical trauma, spiritual isolation, and collapse of social support.
Different approaches were used to cope during the period of incarceration which included
seeking to experience God’s presence, letting go and surrender to God, identification with
the passion of the Christ and His disciples, preparing to suffer, normalizing their suffering,
worshipping and reciting Scriptures and believing in a greater purpose. More significantly,
“the long-term effects of suffering were overwhelmingly transformative” (Ting & Watson,
2007:207). These pastors who suffered for the sake of the Gospel switched the focus from
self to the churches, embraced humility, increased their trust in God’s provision and gained
a redefined view of suffering.

In other words, personal growth tends to come more in excruciating circumstances than in
moments of glory and strength. This is consistent with the findings reported by McKenna,
et al. (2007). In particular, pastors who were “under fire” or trying to lead in a stressful
situation tended to acquire lessons on handling relationships. In times of difficult
transitioning period, pastors learned lessons related to values and God’s roles in their
personal lives. The pastors in this study disclosed that they grew the most through adversity
and recognizing their brokenness but emerged on the other side as stronger leaders and
more dependent on the grace of God. Thus, pastors experience personal growth “when
leading on the edge of their comfort zones” (McKenna, et al., 2007:179). It is little wonder
that James wrote “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many
kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance
must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James
1:2-4, NIV)

Apart from suffering, personal growth can be promoted through ways such as constantly
submitting to God (Rom 12:1), exercising dependency on God (Prov 3:5–6), taking
ownership and the responsibilities over the tasks for which we are called to do (Lk 9:23)
and asking for forgiveness from God and others, as well as forgiving others (Matt 6:12–15)
(Cloud & Townsend, 2004:194). The moment pride creeps into the life of a pastor, personal
growth will be stunted. Similarly, not stepping to take on the tasks God has assigned or
harbouring unforgiveness against others will likely hinder personal growth.

1.2 Pastor’s Family Life

1.2.1 Relationship with family

Unlike so many other professions, the pastoral office is one in which the philosophy and
performance of the vocation is so intimately entwined with the commitments, values, and
behaviour of one's private life and one’s public life. As a result of the unique nature of their
work and their role in the community, pastors and their families face substantial level of
stress. In fact, many pastors reported living in a fishbowl because of the perception that
their lives are closely scrutinized by church members and others in the community.

When problems and stress arise at a pastor’s home, they are doubly painful to the family.
For one, such difficulties cast doubt about the stability, sanctity and faith that church
members tend to count on in their pastoral family. Due to the pastor’s moral standing and
high visibility in the church and among the community, serious marital problems could
undermine the pastor’s image and ministry effectiveness. Presnell (1977:272) observes that
“one could hope for a more compassionate and tolerant understanding of the pastoral family
as human beings, but their role as exemplary persons is well fixed in the structure of the
profession”.

Domestic woes which erupted within the pastor’s private family life can have public
ramifications: church members’ faith in the Lord and even in the institution of marriage
may even be shaken. Because of their perceived fishbowl existence, many pastors and their
families are hesitant to confide in others. It is no surprising to find that some pastors are
unwilling to acknowledge problems at home until further denial is no longer viable. By
then, the issues could have festered beyond the reach of easy intervention.

Apart from the external challenges that impinge on their family relationships, including
unrealistic expectations from others and intrusions into their family life, pastors also face
internal challenges. One is the pastor’s own expectation of his or her spouse (Armstrong &
Morledge, 2005:44). Most pastors need their spouses to offer a sympathetic ear given that
pastoral ministry can be a lonely calling. Additionally, most pastors expect their spouses to
play a supportive role in the life the church. This means being present, actively involved
and enthusiastic. However, their spouses should not be too bossy, officious or usurping.
Pastors who are parents also expect their spouses to join them in shouldering the
responsibilities and commitments of parenthood. It does seem that pastors do have a list of
expectations of their spouses. Whether legitimate or otherwise, when these expectations
are not met, pastors will respond either by enduring depression and discouragement
inwardly or expressing outwardly with rage and anger. In any case, relationship in the
family will be under strain

Another internal challenge is the spouse’s expectations of the pastor. Armstrong &
Morledge (2005:46) argue that pastors’ spouses “have a right to expect their mate’s support
and interest in their lives, their activities, their careers or professions. They need sympathy
and understanding for the burdens they carry, for the challenges God has called them to
face in this world.” Pastors’ spouses should expect to be protected, to the extent they want
to be, from impositions of church members. With their own need for intimacy, togetherness
and time to be alone, they should expect their pastor spouse to be sensitive to those needs.
Pastors’ spouses also need the assurance that the activities and demands from the church
do not always take the first priority in their families. Thus, pastors have to meet the
challenge of maintaining a delicate balance between serving in the ministry and tending to
the needs of the family.

Single pastors are not spared from challenges arising from their families. As sons and
daughters, they have the obligation to meet the needs of their parents. Particularly in the
Asian and African context where filial piety is deeply-ingrained into the culture and where
singles usually stay with their parents until they are married, single pastors also need to
strike a balance between pastoral duties and fulfilling their roles as children at home.

Another challenge single pastors have to confront is the biased perception that they lack
maturity. Armstrong & Morledge (2005:54) note that “people tend to attribute a higher
level of maturity to young married pastors than to young single pastors”. In particular, in
the eyes of typical Asian and African parents, an unmarried son or daughter will always be
a child. The situation could be awkward if the parents of a single pastor also attends the
same church. The single pastor’s authority may unwittingly be undermined by his or her
own parents.

Regardless whether single or married, another challenge pastors face in the family lies in
the area of finance. Most pastors do not draw an exorbitant salary from their pastoral work.
In particular, those just starting out in the ministry could be feeling more financial strain
than some other professionals. Presnell (1977:274) attributes this to a “growing materialism
among clergy families and increasing rebellion against what they consider outdated notions
of sacrificial servanthood, involving penurious living”. Almost all pastors within various
church communities neither enjoy significant pay revision annually nor hefty year-end
bonuses. The fact that they chose to enter the full-time ministry in the first place is an
indication of their willingness to sacrifice. Still, as they continue in the ministry, having to
contend with a limited family budget could pose as a strain to their families. To be fair,
pastors have to be adequately remunerated so that they would not be distracted by their
financial obligations. Especially in cities where the standard of living has been escalating
in the last few years, pastors on meagre salary will find it difficult to cope.

1.2.2 Marital Relationship

Marriage is the first institution created by God in that the principles of the kingdom are
being manifested (Mannoia & Walkemeyer, 2007:185). The intimate husband-wife
relationship is often reflected as the covenantal relationship between God and the nation of
Israel in the Old Testament, and that between Christ and the church in the New Testament.
Effective pastors are those who prioritize building a marriage that brings glory to God.

Nonetheless, whether intended or otherwise, pastors’ marriages are highly visible and
symbolic unions in the eyes of church members and the wider community. They are
assumed to be a model of durability, morality and strength. Yet, pastors and their spouses
are not immune to the conflict and worries that characterize ordinary family interactions.
Just like those to whom they minister, pastors are susceptible to misunderstanding,
illnesses, debts, rebelliousness, disappointment and sorrows in their marital relationships.
In fact, given that pastors are often exposed to the constant demands from their ministries,
their family cohesiveness could be undermined. As a result, their marriages may encounter
“emotional and legal divorce, separation, immorality and loss of intimacy” (London and
Wiseman, 2003:90). Statistics on pastors’ marriages paint a bleak picture. Among 1,050
pastors surveyed in 2005 and 2006 by Krejcir [(2012), 77% reported that their marriages
were not good and 30% admitted they had either been in an ongoing affair or a one-time
sexual encounter with a church member.

Schumm (2003:215) proposes the Marital Pyramid Model to explain why marriages,
particularly those within Christianity breakdown. In gist, the Marital Pyramid Model
constitutes a three-level structure. The lowest level comprises personal, foundational
values and worth ascribed to self and others. These include honesty, dependability, respect,
trust, as well as commitment to marriage. The middle level concerns general interpersonal
skills such as communication skills, negotiation skills, conflict resolution skills and being
able to work with others. At the highest level is where one applies character and
interpersonal skills to the specific and day-to-day needs of the spouse. This levels calls for
creative ways to meet time-specific and personality-specific needs of the spouse. Each
partner seeks to make small, quick and inexpensive gestures geared to the daily and
romantic needs of the other on a regular basis to remind each other of their love and
commitment.

Marital challenges can emerge from any of the three levels. At the lowest level, if pastors
themselves secretly hold on to values that are contrary to Biblical standards, then their
marriages are likely to crumble in the long run. In fact, even if they possess supposedly
godly values but are inept in relating well to their spouses (failure at the middle level), their
marriages, too, may breakdown. In other words, mere subscription to Biblical values in a
marriage does not guarantee marital bliss. Thus, success at the lowest level of the pyramid
is a necessary but insufficient condition for successes in the higher levels. Interestingly,
during courtship where the experiences are generally pleasant, there is a tendency to focus
mostly at the highest level of the pyramid. However, marriages turn sour in part because
spouses “think they no longer need to worry about such things or they simply become so
stressed and busy they lose heart and energy for them” (Schumm, 2003:216).

Apart from the lack of romantic gestures, an empirical study conducted by Presnell
(1977:274 - 277) highlighted several other challenges that plague pastors’ marriage. These
included money, time, concern for self, communication and sexual problems. Even though
the study was done more than three decades ago, many of these challenges still resonate
among pastors today. Financial challenges have been discussed in earlier section. The
lack of time for each other and scheduling conflict were found to be the overarching issue
that correlated with marital problems. Pastors were frequently criticized by their spouses
for not knowing when to quit and return home, and for placing the care of others above that
of their own. Concern for self refers to the feelings of isolation, the need for personal
friendship and support, as well as the aspiration to pursue personal enjoyment and interests.
An over emphasis on the concern for self either on the part of pastors or their spouses is
likely to erode their marital relationships. Communication breakdown was found to be
common among pastors and their spouses. Specifically, partners not only differed in their
styles of expressing viewpoints but also in the ability to understand each other well.
Unfulfilled sexual needs in marriages were also another issue uncovered in Presnell’s
(1977) study. In general, husbands have greater sexual need than their wives. This could
create a significant conflict if the husband’s need is not being met as often as he would like
or the way he would like it to be met.

1.2.3 Relationship with Children

The apostle Paul sets out the requirements for bishops and overseers who “must manage
his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner
worthy of full respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can
he take care of God’s church?” (1 Tim 3:4-5, NIV). To be sure, the apostle Paul certainly
does not mean that the father is seen as the king who reigns supreme at home, and whose
qualification to serve in the church is tied solely to his ability to squelch rebellion at home.
Instead of issuing a rigid code of conduct, the apostle Paul offers a broad statement about
maturity in handling domestic affairs.

The reality is that the split between pastoral and parenting duties is never easy. Depending
on the age and the developmental needs of their children, pastors face varying parental
challenges as with all other parents. With infants and toddlers at home, pastors may need
to share the responsibility with their spouses in attending to their basic needs including
feeding, bathing and cleaning. This can be both a joy and a strain at the same time. The
relentless routine of taking care young children is undoubtedly taxing physically albeit
emotionally rewarding.

Pastors with school-going children face another different type of stress. Today, most
cultures places great emphasis on education, the pressure to perform well academically not
only affects children but also exerts a toll on parents. Thus, apart from ministry work,
pastors whose children are lagging behind in school will have an added burden to ensure
that their children can cope with academic demands.

As their children mature and enter adulthood, pastors face the possible challenge of having
to deal with a various aspects of their children’s lifestyles. These include choosing life-
partners and career opportunities. Along their children’s developmental journey, pastors
would also be conceivably concerned with the spiritual aspects of their children and helping
them grow in the Lord.

While parenting challenges can be substantial, it is worthwhile to note that pastors’ children
themselves are not spared from stress. Without intending to, well-meaning church members
and others in the community tend to hold them to a different standard. A positive
stereotypical view holds that pastors’ children are “academically superior, highly
motivated, possess firm moral values, and demonstrate a commitment to serve mankind.”
(Strange and Sheppard. 2001:54). They are assumed to be more inclined to like the church,
more knowledgeable about the Bible, and more sensitive to spiritual things. They may
even be expected to choose some form of ministry as a career.

Coupled with expectations are also a number of constraints which coincided with being
pastors’ children. For example, their social network of close friends is jeopardized if the
network is somehow connected to the church. They may feel isolated as a result of not
having a reliable, confidential social network. Additionally, many pastors’ children often
feel that their father’s or mother’s work and ministerial duties interfere with the quality
time spent with their parents. Thus, in some ways, pastors’ children grow up with ample
reasons to resent, or even distrust the church (Armstrong & Morledge, 2005:52).

Amongst pastors, one of the challenges arising from dealing with their children has to do,
ironically, with their own impatience (Wynn, 1960:9) and the lack of appropriate parenting
skills. Most pastors completed their theological training with little exposure to child
development. They are used to having congregations who are affectionate and respectful.
Thus, when their own children respond unfavourably or rebel against their demands
especially religious ones, pastors may feel hurt and bewildered. When children do not live
up to the expectation of obeying their pastor parents, their insubordination may be
perceived as bringing dishonour and shame to the church and the pastors’ families. This
may create a vicious cycle in which the exertion of tighter control over their children
generates a greater extent of defiance and even overt rebellion. The result will be a strained
parent-child relationship.

Section 2: Pastor’s ministry

2.1 Stress from ministry

Stress occurs when pressure exceeds one’s perceived ability to cope. It is actually an
individualistic, subjective experience. This is why a stressor to one person could well be a
non-issue to another. Even then, stress in the ministry is well-documented. Pastors may
possess a genuine desire to engage members at a personal and spiritual level but ironically
find these members a source of stress due to their incessant expectations to fulfill a host of
emotional demands. These demands on pastors and their families, which include the
invasion into their private lives by church members, are potentially detrimental to the
attitude and well-being of pastors.

A study by Lee (1999) identified four types of congregational intrusiveness which

negatively affect the well-being of a pastor. They are personal criticism against the pastor,
criticism against the pastor’s family, the presumptive expectations of the pastor’s flexibility
and availability, as well as boundary ambiguity. Of these four, an earlier study by Lee
(1995) found that presumptive expectations and boundary ambiguity are most common.
Presumptive expectations involve imposing ministry responsibilities to the pastor without
regard to the present workload. An example of a presumptive expectation is when church
members demand the pastor to help resolve a personal crisis at a time which is inconvenient
to the pastor. Boundary ambiguity means the blurring of lines between the pastor’s family
and the social and church environment. For example, members may make an unannounced
visit to the pastor’s home (Han & Lee, 2004:475). As a result of these intrusions, pastors
may experience stress from the ministry.

Besides congregational intrusiveness, other sources of stress in the ministry include new
pastoral responsibilities and articles, arduous relationships with church members,
dwindling membership numbers and financial constraints in the church. It seems that events
and experiences that rock the status quo in the ministry could potentially produce stress.
Hence, pastors in a transitional stage in their lives, such as those just entering into the
ministry, those resigning from a church to join another and those whose job scope has been
enlarged due to a promotion, for example, are susceptible to stress.

Another potential stressor in the ministry has been identified as compassion fatigue.
Compared to professional counsellors and mental healthcare professionals, pastors are
more frequently being approached for help and consolation during times of psychological
distress or trauma. Dealing with a variety of problems such as bereavement, terminal
illness, alcohol abuse, marital and family difficulties, and physical and sexual abuse, the
emotional demands of ministering to church members can be tiring and stressful. It is no
wonder pastors, particularly those who are earnest to minister to others, are susceptible to
compassion fatigue.

Hauerwas and Willimon (1990:247) describe compassion fatigue in the following way: “It
strikes people who take on too heavy a load of other people’s burdens, leaving little time
or energy for themselves. Victims become disillusioned and depressed, and often start to
show cracks in their professional veneer.” Pector (2005, 19 - 20) notes that pastors who
suffer from compassion fatigue tend to be those who are persistent in giving themselves to
their work despite physical, mental, and spiritual depletion. Some researchers (e.g. Boyle
and Healy 2003) have used comparable terms such as emotional labour or compassion
stress when referring to compassion fatigue. The outcomes of compassion fatigue include
psychological distress and diminished intrinsic job satisfaction (Kinman, et al., 2011:675 –
678).

If not well managed, compassion fatigue can eventually lead to burnout. Beebe (2007:258)
describes burnout in the ministry as a “complicated construct resulting from the multitude
of interpersonal interactions and conflict resulting from role expectations and overload that
occur within the typical performance of the ministerial office.” Factors leading to burnout
include inordinate time demands, unrealistic expectations from others, sense of inadequacy,
fear of failure, loneliness, and spiritual dryness (Chandler, 2008:274).
Apart from the pressures that arise from the ministry, pastors who tend to hold
unrealistically high expectations on themselves to achieve success may also put them under
the constant threat of stress. It is not uncommon to find pastors who feel “driven to achieve
and succeed in an increasingly competitive and demanding church environment” (McIntosh
and Rima 1997:14). There is a contrasting difference between striving toward perfection in
spiritual terms and perfectionism. Jesus’ exhortation to be “be perfect, therefore, as your
heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48, NIV) is a recognition that perfection does not come
from the individual but from God. Furthermore, the journey towards perfection is the
working of God’s grace in our lives (1 Pet 5:10). On the other hand, pastors suffer from
perfectionism tend to be motivated either by the fear of failure or the attainment of overt
goals. While it is not inherently wrong to be aim for success, a warped sense towards
accomplishment and success is unhealthy physically, emotionally and mentally. It also
takes God out of the equation in ministry altogether.

2.2 Conflict in Ministry

Conflict is a part of life. In fact, it should not be perceived as something as inherently bad.
Conflict is an inevitable part of close relationships, especially in those where partners have
a strong personal investment. As with partners in a marriage, church members and their
pastors make an emotional, social, financial and spiritual commitment to the church. They
bring along different ideas and many taken-for-granted assumptions about what the church
should be and how it should function. In other words, those involved really care about the
church.

However, conflict is not always comfortable. A great deal of emotional energy can be
expended towards managing, confronting or avoiding conflicts. A study conducted by
Hoge and Wenger (2005:77) among 200 pastors in the United States showed that some
30% of pastors left the ministry due to conflict with church members. A deeper probe
revealed that the top five issues related to conflict were pastoral leadership style, finances,
differences in worship styles, conflict within the pastoral team and new building or
renovation issues. It is interesting to observe that many of these conflicts were of a prosaic
nature. They were unrelated to deep doctrinal differences or inflammatory issues such as
gay and lesbian marriages. Rather, they were associated to the day-to-day functioning of
the church. Pastors and church members clash when there is a disagreement over leadership
styles, over how the budget is being allocated, or how the worship service should be
conducted. Hoge and Wenger (2005:84) posit that these conflicts are not only resolvable
but can also offer invaluable growth opportunities for both the pastors and church members
had they been well managed.

In Hoge and Wenger’s study, two recurring themes emerged from pastors who faced
congregational conflicts. One, the churches aspired to grow but were unwilling to make the
necessary changes to do so. The difficulties pastors confronted included making
organizational adjustments in the churches and getting members to reach out to the
community. In gist, church members were not keen to move out of their “comfort zone”.
In many cases, the “old guards” that had gained control of the church for many years no
longer had the interest necessary for new programs but were unwilling to relinquish their
roles. The second theme was the assumption that when a conflict arose, the pastor must
somehow be at fault. This perception, which was held by denominational leaders, only
made pastors more aggrieved.

Apart from issues with church members, another aspect of conflict has to do with
interactions with denomination leaders. This pertains to pastors whose ministries are under
the ambit of established denominations such as the United Methodists, the Assemblies of
God and Presbyterians. Feeling drained by demands, feeling of loneliness and perceptions
of not being supported were commonly cited interpersonal issues with denomination
leaders. Among all the pastors who left the ministry due to denominational conflict, a
disproportionate number were from the United Methodists (Hoge & Wenger, 2005:103).
This could be attributed to the fact that within the Methodist denomination, pastors’ career
development is intrinsically linked to a centralized authority. The likelihood of conflict
with denominational leaders thus increases. As for pastors with the Assemblies of God,
they face a unique issue (Hoge & Wenger, 2005:112). Specifically, Assemblies of God
pastors work in a culture of independence from higher church structures. They do not
expect to count on the denomination to meet their financial and spiritual needs. While this
autonomy gives pastors the latitude to make independent decisions, the lack of
institutionalized ties also means that pastors receive little social, moral and financial
support from denomination leaders.

2.3 Spiritual Warfare in Ministry

Beyond human elements of stress and conflict, pastors face the supernatural reality of
spiritual warfare. Different shades of meaning of the term ‘spiritual warfare’ have been
offered. For example, Greenwood (2005:21) refers it as “an invisible battle in the spiritual
realm involving a power confrontation between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of
darkness” while Brown (2007:26) defines it as “the battle waged in the unseen spiritual
realm, which is revealed in the natural physical realm. These concepts of spiritual warfare
convey images of the universal struggle between good and evil, and that we have a part to
play. Furthermore, if we ignore the spiritual dynamics of evil, we also tend to ignore the
power of God, and his provisions against fighting evil. Then we will be baffled each time
evil prevails despite the best of our intentions and human tactics.

Satan is characterized by darkness, deception, divisiveness, distortion, distraction,

deflection and destruction (Brown, 2007:26). His schemes are subtle (Gen 3:1), he plants
doubts (Lk 4:3), and he spreads lies (Jn 8:44). His attacks are often devious. These could
include emotional turmoil, sickness, financial attacks, and even death.
The Scripture is explicit about the role of Satan: he “prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.” (1 Pet 5:8, NIV). Furthermore, the Scriptures offer a
unique, behind-the-scenes perspective of Satan’s interference in the lives of God’s people.
For example, the personal calamity Job had to go through did not take place without God’s
knowledge and approval (Job 1:12). The angel dispatched in answer to Daniel’s prayer
were hindered by principalities for 21 days (Dan 10:13). Even Jesus experienced spiritual
warfare at the beginning of his ministry as he was confronted by Satan in the wilderness
(Matt 4:1 - 11). The common refrain “if you are the Son of God...” used three times was a
challenge to Jesus’ identity and mission as the Saviour.

The apostle Paul was also cognizant about the reality of spiritual warfare in the ministry.
In his letter to the Ephesians, he reminded them that the “struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world
and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 6:12). Fittingly, he
went on to exhort the Ephesians to put on the whole armour of God (Eph 6:13 - 17) and to
pray in the Spirit (Eph 6:18).

As pastors serve in their ministry, they cannot afford to be spiritually dull to conflicts which
are supernatural in nature. However, even though spiritual battles continue to be waged, it
is important for pastors to be reminded that Satan is already a defeated adversary through
the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. As a created being himself, Satan stands powerless
in contrast to the God, the Almighty creator. Thus, no matter how dire the prevailing
conditions may appear, victory ultimately belongs to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Section 3: Strategies to overcome challenges

3.1 Insights from the Literature

As a way to summarize the earlier three sections, Table 1 illustrates the major challenges
pastors may confront. Even though these challenges have been discussed under three
different aspects, namely, personal life, family life and ministry, it is worthwhile to
emphasize that many of these challenges are intricately inter-related. For example, familial
obligations (a challenge identified in the family life) could adversely affect personal growth
(a challenge identified in the personal life), which makes pastors even more susceptible to
stress from congregational intrusiveness (a challenge from ministry). Thus, in reality, many
of these challenges are not overcome in isolation but are treated holistically and
systematically. Nonetheless, in this article, for the purpose of readability, challenges under
specific aspects are traced to pertinent coping strategies.
Table 1: Summary of Challenges

Aspects Nature of Challenge Descriptions

Personal God’s calling Shifts in the source of motivation; vision
life conflict;
Personal conduct and Susceptibility to sins; moral hypocrisy;
moral integrity
Personal spiritual Stagnation of spiritual growth
growth
Family Relationship with Stresses from public perceptions; intrusions into
life family family relationships; spousal expectations;
familial obligations; perceptions from family
members; finance
Marital relationship Insufficient quality time spent; concern for self;
communication and sexual problems
Issues with children Problems at different developmental stages of
children; own impatience in dealing with
children
Ministry Stress from ministry Congregational intrusiveness; new pastoral
responsibilities; arduous relationships with
church members; financial constraints;
compassion fatigue; unrealistically high
expectation of self;
Conflict in ministry Congregational conflict; denominational
conflict
Spiritual warfare Spiritual attacks including emotional turmoil,
sickness, financial attacks, and even death

The term “coping” refers to efforts to master conditions of harm, threat, or challenge when
a routine or automatic response is not readily available. This involves meeting demands,
external or otherwise, with new behavioural solutions or refining old ones (Monat &
Lazarus, 1985:5). In any case, coping entails some level of adaptation. Adaptation is not a
static state but is characterized by various points on a continuum. Good adaptation is
associated with a balance in positive dimensions of physical and psychological health. It
results in the absence of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and physical illness amid the
challenges (Lavee, et al, 1985:811). Maladaptation, on the other hand, is represented by
the presence of these symptoms in concert with an imbalance in personal, family and
ministry functioning.

3.2 Overcoming Challenges in Personal Life

Challenges in a pastor’s personal life include vision conflict, morality and personal growth.
To mitigate against vision conflict, several coping strategies have been suggested. For
example, MacDonald (2003: 157–170) suggests a number of practices including keeping a
journal to record personal prayers and thoughts as well as seeking solitude and silence to
hear from God. When pastors become more conscious of the presence of God in their daily
lives, the less they will be concerned about fulfilling their personal agenda and goals in the
ministry. This helps pastors maintain their spiritual bearing in their personal lives.

Warren (2012) proposes a number of measures to help pastors and Christian leaders to keep
their personal conduct and moral integrity in check. The first is to never consider oneself
above temptation. We need to be aware of how vulnerable we are. An initial defense is an
attitude of humility. The counsel from the Scripture is in order: “So, if you think you are
standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall” (1 Cor 10:12, NIV).

The second is to keep a close watch on personal spiritual condition. The Scripture teaches
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov 4:23, NIV). This
invariably involves not only self-reflection but also self-discipline. In his letter to the
Corinthians, the apostle Paul explained “…I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:
lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Cor
9:27, KJV).

The third measure is to remind oneself of the damaging consequences of moral failure. The
cost of moral failure is exorbitantly high for pastors. Not only will the flock be stumbled and
peers affected, but family members are also likely to be dragged down by the agony of sin. The
Scripture depict a simple life-cycle of sin: “but each person is tempted when they are dragged
away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to
sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (Jam 1:15, NIV).

As a coping strategy against the stagnation of personal growth, Prime & Begg (90 - 99)
highlight four aspects of our devotional lives which must be nurtured. The first is worship.
Different dimensions of God’s character can be drawn from the Scripture, and thereafter,
contemplated. Hymnbooks and Christian songs are also helpful in enabling us to find new
and creative ways of expressing our adoration to God. The second aspect is prayer. The
practice of prayer is indispensable to any pastors, for prayer is the lifeline that connects us
to God. Rather than merely a means for us to off-load our cares and anxieties to God,
praying enables us to be sensitive to the values in kingdom of God. It also aligns our
everyday thoughts and behaviours to the will of God. The third aspect is reading the Bible.
Each area of our devotional life involves the Scripture in some way. Loving God, our
highest priority, expresses itself in our obedience to his Word (Jn 14:15). The spiritual
food that his Word provides nourishes our soul. Through his Word, we gain a glimpse of
Christ’s glory so that our characters are transformed into his likeness (2 Cor 3:18). The
final aspect is reading Christian books. Christian classics and books that stimulate our
devotion to Christ are invaluable to our personal development. We gain insights from God-
fearing Christian writers, and our knowledge of God can be deepened through their
writings. However, not every religious book related to Christianity is theologically or
doctrinally sound. Some biblical scholars such as Elaine Pagels and Bart Ehrman are
themselves non-believers and whose works openly undermine the divine authority of the
Bible. So, pastors need to be discerning in what they read.

3.3 Overcoming challenges in Family Life

Challenges in the family life encompass those arising within the family structure, marital
relationships and interactions with children. To cope with demands of the ministry and
familial obligations, pastors need to be intentionally balanced (Meek et al., 2003:342). This
means that pastors have to intentionally protect themselves, their marriages, and their
families by drawing effective boundaries, prioritizing time with their families and refusing
to accept the expectations of the image of a perfect pastoral family. Such intentionality can
take several forms, ranging from scheduled family vacation to the conscious effort of not
bringing work home.

For married pastors, Wilson & Hofftman (2007:50) identify five ways in which intimacy
in marriage is expressed. One, spiritual intimacy refers to the activities done together as a
couple to help build each other’s faith in the Lord. Pastors and their spouses can read the
Bible and pray daily together to forge spiritual unity between themselves. Two, emotional
intimacy is related to the extent to which pastors and their spouses can share positive and
negative feelings about each other. This requires openness and the practice of risking being
vulnerable to each other. Three, intellectual intimacy covers envisioning and planning for
the future, making joint decisions as well as engaging in discussion on topics of mutual
interests. When used appropriately, humour can also build intellectual intimacy in couples.
Four, social intimacy involves spending time with other couples, serving together on a
community project and making time for each other. Five, physical intimacy includes
holding hands, giving each other tender touches and massages at the end of a long day. In
general, healthy marriages maintain a balance among the five expressions of intimacy.

To confront the challenges associated with being parents, it is imperative that a quality
parent-child relationship be established and nurtured. This is absolutely necessary given
that parents do not continually enjoy unquestioned authority when they became parents. A
quality parent-child relationship is one in which “the child feels that those in authority are
caring, honest, fair, right, reasonable, dependable, openly supportive and respectful” Miller
(2006:19). If such a relationship is lacking, parents often resort to intimidation, threats,
fears and other unhealthy mechanisms of control, which only breed resentment, rebellion
and deceit.

Miller (2006:26) also highlights that problems encountered in everyday situations with
children can serve as opportunities for growth and learning. Pastors and their spouses ought
to respond to the problem in a proactive rather than reactive manner. This entails adopting
a calm attitude and reducing the tendency to express outbursts. Through the problems, both
parents and children can be drawn closer together.
The Scripture does offer some guidelines for parenting. For example, it instructs parents to
“start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not
turn from it” (Prov 22:6, NIV). The apostle Paul also weighed in on the issue: “Fathers, do
not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the
Lord” (Eph 6:4, NIV). At the heart of Christian parenting is the modelling the life of Christ
before the children, so that they will “walk in the ways of the Lord” (Jos 22:6, NIV). Hence,
instead of being obsessed with the achievements and performance, pastors and their spouses
should seek to inculcate godly values in their children. Furthermore, the anxiety over their
children’s well-being could be tampered in light of God’s protection and provision.

3.4 Overcoming Challenges in the Ministry

Challenges in the pastor’s ministry include those arising from ministry-related stress,
compassion fatigue, burnout, conflicts from congregations and denominations as well as
spiritual warfare. To cope with these challenges, a number of strategies reviewed earlier
are equally applicable here: being intentionally balanced and nurturing all the aspects of
one’s devotional life.

Furthermore, Mogler (2008:37-41) highlights a slew of physical, social, mental and

spiritual coping mechanisms. In terms of the physical aspect, keeping a regular exercise
regime, maintain a healthy diet and having enough sleep are necessary to combat stress
from the ministry. On the social front, it is imperative for pastors to be connected to a
support group where everyone can carry each other’s burden (Gal 6:2). Mentally, pastors
need to hold the right perspective insofar as their pastoral role is concerned and avoid the
perfectionist tendencies and professionalism. Spiritually, pastors need to periodically
review their position and calling in Christ and exchanging their own yoke for God’s yoke
which is light and easy (Matt 11:28-30).

Given that a prominent factor that leads to burnout in the ministry is the enmeshed
perspectives of self and role, Beebe (2007:271) suggests pastors seek clarity over role
expectation and make a conscious effort to segregate evaluations of their functioning in the
pastoral role and evaluations of themselves as persons. In other words, pastors’ personal
identity and self-worth should not be confused with their role and function in the pastoral
office. This will help ameliorate the effects of unrealistically high expectations associated
with the role as pastors.

Congregational and denominational conflicts are often complex, multi-faceted and inter-
twined. Quick solutions are commonly unavailable. Nonetheless, Hoge and Wenger (2005:
199-220) identify four points of intervention along the career trajectory of pastors to
mitigate the adverse effects of these challenges as they emerge. One, seminaries ought to
equip pastors not only with theological knowledge but prepare them for the practical
aspects of the ministry. Two, the call to a denomination or a church should not be presented
through a rose-tinted lens. Specifically, denominational leaders need to be candid about
what challenges lie ahead before placing a pastor in a new church position. Three, during
periods of adjustments to new positions, denominational ought to provide on-going support
for the pastor and be kept abreast of their well-being. Four, when crises and conflicts arise,
denominational leaders ought to provide support to pastors, including enlisting the help of
professional counsellors and mental healthcare providers where appropriate.

For pastors who are not affiliated to any denominations, Hoge and Wenger (2005:199)
recommend that pastors have mentors preferably outside of the church power structure to
whom they could bring their concerns, frustrations and problems without the fear of being
perceived negatively.

Many of these recommendations can also be used as coping strategies against the spiritual
attacks pastors face in their ministry. For example, having a support group pray alongside
pastors, seeking spiritual cover from mentors and denominational leaders, being fit
physically, socially, mentally and spiritually enable pastors to better confront spiritual
warfare. At a personal level, pastors may also do well to remember the prayer of
Jehoshaphat when he was placed in a dire military predicament: “...For we have no power
to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on
you.” (2 Chr 20:12, NIV). After all, “in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us” (Rom 8:37, NIV).

3.5 Insights from Pastors

To augment insights from the literature, five pastors were sought individually. For
confidentiality reasons, the identities of these pastors are anonymous. Pastor A is the Senior
Pastor of a huge church of nearly 4,000 members. Pastor B is the Senior Pastor of a small
church of some 80 members. Pastor C and Pastor D are working with Pastor A as the Head
of Ministry and the Head of Counselling Services, respectively. Pastor E is a foreign-
language pastor of a mid-sized church of some 1,000. Among the five pastors, the longest
tenure is 23 years while the shortest is 6 years. All are males and are married.

The five pastors were asked to identify major challenges in their ministries and what
strategies they used to overcome. On average, each discussion lasted between 30 minutes
to one and a half hour. Consistent with what has been uncovered in the literature, challenges
these pastors face can be categorised generally into three aspects, namely, those related to
their personal life, their family life and their ministries.

Two main challenges in the personal life worthy of mention are stagnation of spiritual
development and the unconscious strive towards professionalism. Pastor C disclosed that
amid the flurry of pastoral activities, it is easy to neglect one’s spiritual life. Pastor E
admitted that the long tenure in the ministry could tempt one to be self-reliant rather than
God-reliant. To overcome these challenges, Pastor C revealed that he has a group of pastor
friends to whom he is accountable. These are people who have forged an enduring
relationship with him for a long time. Once in a while, they will gather and share spiritual
insights and personal struggles with one another. In this way, they keep each other in check
spiritually.

Challenges arising from family life do not appear to feature too prominently. All five
pastors reported healthy family relationships and expressed gratitude to God for giving him
very supportive family members. When asked how they manage to maintain harmonious
relations with their spouses, Pastor A explained that the daily morning walk in the park
with his spouse has been an excellent way to nurture his marital relationship. Pastor D takes
his family for a vacation at least once a year to break away from his regular pastoral routine.

Unsurprisingly, all pastors experienced some form of challenges in their ministries. Pastor
B revealed that his church suffered from severe budgetary constraints a few years ago
during the global economic crisis. A couple of staff members in his small church were
retrenched and weekly offerings collected dipped rather drastically. He shared the problem
with the church leadership who prayed earnestly for God’s provision. Moreover, the
tenancy agreement of the church’s premises was about to expire, and a new location was
needed for the church. Miraculously, the Lord brought a wealthy businessman into his
church who helped defray some operating costs of the church. Furthermore, the church had
managed to find a new location which was in more easily accessible neighbourhood at a
cheaper rental rate than the previous tenancy. For Pastor B, the short episode of crisis
yielded a rich lesson on the faithfulness of the Lord.

Pastors C, B and E all reported conflicts with members in the church. Among the salient
points of contention was the differences in opinion over how certain ministries ought to be
run. These situations were defused after the senior level of the church leadership stepped
in. On hindsight, these pastors felt that the conflicts gave them the opportunity to appreciate
alternative perspectives. Through the experience, they have also learned diplomacy in
interpersonal communication.

Finally, the wisdom from Pastor A is worth mentioning. When asked how he handled
challenges in his life as a pastor, he identified three questions he asked himself regularly;
“who am I actually serving?”, “why am I serving?” and “how am I serving?” These are
simple yet deeply reflective questions that help him steer through the various obstacles in
his ministry and enable him to deepen his walk in the Lord.

Conclusion
This research paper seeks to identify the challenges a pastor faces and proposes strategies
to help mitigate the various challenges on the basis of insights drawn from the literature
and empirical research in community. In gist, the challenges can be organised into three
overlapping aspects, namely, those arising from personal life, family life and the ministry,
as summarized earlier in Table 1.
It seems apparent that many of these challenges are inter-related. For example, heavy
familial obligations could adversely affect personal growth which in turn makes a pastor
even more susceptible to stress from congregational intrusiveness. This is also why these
challenges should not be examined in isolation from each other, but from a holistic and
systematic perspective.

This research paper has certainly heightened awareness of the various threats and
challenges in pastoral ministry. More importantly, there is a reminder that the worker is
just as important as the work. The Lord is not merely interested in seeing his purposes
accomplished; he is also interested in fortifying and nurturing individuals in his kingdom
and he watches over those whom he loves.
 Bibliography
Armstrong RS 1984. The pastor as evangelist. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.

Armstrong RS & Morledge KW 2005. Help! I am a pastor. Louiseville: Westminster John

Knox Press.

Batson CD, Kobrynowicz D, Dinnerstein JL, Kampf HC & Wilson AD 1997. In a very
different voice: Unmasking moral hypocrisy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
72, 1335–1348.

Batson CD, Thompson ER, Seuferling G, Whitney H & Strongman JA 1999. Moral
hypocrisy: Appearing moral to oneself without being so. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 77, 525–537.

Beebe RS 2007. clergy Predicting burnout, conflict management style, and turnover
among. Journal of Career Assessment, 15(2), 257–275

Bicker D 2011. The pastor's personal spiritual life. Online Article. Accessed from
http://bivocationalministry.blogspot.com/2011/07/pastors-personal-spiritual-life.html on
01-26-12.

Brown D 2007. Standing victoriously in the battle. Oxford University Press.

Capps D & Haupt M 2011. The deadly sins: How they are viewed and experienced today.
Pastoral Psychology, 60(6): 791-807.

Goodall W 2005. Why great men fall. Green Forest, AR: New Leaf Press.

Greenwood R 2005. Authority to tread. Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen Books.

Han J & Lee C 2004. Ministry Demand and Stress Among Korean American Pastors: A
Brief Report. Pastoral Psychology, 52(6) 473 – 478.

Hauerwas S & Willimon W 1990. The limits of care: Burnout as an ecclesial issue. Word
& World, 10(3), 247–253.

Hoge DR & Wenger JE 2005. Pastors in transition: Why clergy leave local ministry. Grand
Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans.

Kinman G, McFall O & Rodriguez J 2011. The Cost of caring? Emotional labour,
wellbeing and the clergy. Pastoral Psychology, 60(5), 671 – 680.

Krejcir RJ 2012. Statistics on Pastors. Online article. Assessed from

http://www.intothyword.org/articles_view.asp?articleid=36562&columnid=on 01-28-
2012.

Lavee Y, McCubbin HI, & Patterson JM 1985. The double ABCX model of family stress
and adaptation: An empirical test by analysis of statistical equations with latent variables.
Journal of Marriage and the Family, 47(4), 811-825.

Lee C 1995. Rethinking boundary ambiguity from an ecological perspective: Stress in

Protestant clergy families. Family Process, 34, 75–86.

Lee C 1999. Specifying intrusive demands and their outcomes in congregational ministry:
A report on the Ministry Demands Inventory. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion,
38(4), 477 – 489.

London JHB & Wiseman NB 2003. Pastors at greater risk. Ventura: Regal.

Lutzer E 1998. Pastor to pastor: tackling the problems of ministry. Grand Rapids: Kregel
Publications.

MacDonald G 2003. Ordering your private world. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson
Publishers.

Mannoia KW & Walkemeyer L 2007. 15 Characteristics of effective pastors. Ventura:

Regal Books.

Mckenna RB, Yost PR & Boyd TN 2007. Leadership development and clergy:
understanding the events and lessons that shape pastoral leaders. Journal of Psychology
and Theology, 35(3), 179-189.

McIntosh GL & Rima SD 1997. Overcoming the dark side of leadership: The paradox of
personal dysfunction. Grand Rapids: Baker

Meek KR, McMinn MR, Brower CM, Burnett TD, Mcray BW, Ramey MI, Swanson DW
& Villa DD 2003. Maintaining personal resiliency: lessons learned from evangelical
Protestant clergy. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 31(4), 339-347.

Miller DE 2006. Christian Parenting in Today’s World. USA: Xulon Press.

Mogler C 2008. Burnout - causes and prevention. Norderstedt, Germany: Grin Verlag

Monat A & Lazarus R 1985. Stress and coping: An anthology. New York: Springer.

Pector EA 2005. Professional burnout: Detection, prevention, and coping. The Clergy
Journal, 81(9), 19–20.
Prime D & Begg A 2004. On being a pastor. Chicago, IL: Moody Publisher.

Presnell WB 1977. Minister’s own marriage. Pastoral Psychology. 25(4) 272 – 281.

Roach D 2011. Survey: Pastors feel privileged and positive, though discouragement can
come. Online Article. Accessed from
http://www.lifeway.com/ArticleView?storeId=10054&catalogId=10001&langId=-
1&article=Research-Survey-Pastors-feel-privileged-and-positive-though-discouragement-
can-come on 01-18-2012

Schumm WR 2003. Comments on marriage in contemporary culture: five models that

might help families. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 31(3), 213 – 223.

Spencer JL, Winston BE & Bocarnea MC 2012. Predicting the level of pastors’ risk of
termination/exit from the church. Pastoral Psychology, 61(1), 85 – 98.

Strange KS & Sheppard LA 2001. Clergy Children Versus Non-Clergy Children. Pastoral
Psychology, 50(1), 53 - 60.

Ting R S-K & Watson T 2007. Is suffering good? An explorative study on the religious
persecution among Chinese pastors. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 35(3), 202-210.

Vincent RJ 2000. Personal Qualifications for Pastoral Ministry. Online Article. Accessed
from
http://www.theocentric.com/ecclesiology/leadership/personal_qualifications_for_pa.html
on 01-19-2012.

Warren R 2012. How to Maintain Moral Integrity in the Ministry. Online Article.
Accessed from:
http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/churchandministry/clergy/Warren_Ministry_Integrity.as
px on 01-19-2012.

Weber S, & Goetz D 1996. Tour of duty. Leadership: A Practical Journal for Church
Leaders, 17(2), 22–30.

Wilson MT & Hoffman B 2007. Preventing ministry failure. Downers Grove: InterVarsity
Press.

Wynn JC 1960. Pastors have family problems too. Pastoral Psychology, 11(6), 7 - 10.