Pastors Burning Out Their Faithful Members...

[The Glory Land]

This is happening everywhere today, pastors do need help, but the only ones that are always doing the work are the same members. After many days of this, they just cannot do anymore,they are burnt out, they quit, or they just leave the church. At the same time these families are falling apart, no family time because they were at the church almost every day. This is not Gods plans, for preachers to abuse their faithful members. But what can the pastor do? I like to hear from some of you on this matter. 

[Bro K]

Maybe we should get back to do what the church was first intended to do. A place where the children of God could assemble and be taught the words of God.

 

Pride goeth before the fall !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Miss Daisy]

In a super small church like mine there are only a very few who actually step up and fill multiple roles. My pastor plans for stuff he'd like to do but we don't have the workers or the members. Right now it'd take everyone that comes to fill a roll and no one would be in the classes.

[The Glory Land]

Members need to learn how to kick in and help, and other need to learn how to say, I would love too, but I cannot this week. Its not a sin, to say no to the pastor.

[heartstrings]

On work days not everyone shows up but, we always have enough help when we need it. Not always the same folks show up either.

Some folks never show up but then, those only come to service on Sunday mornings anyway. As to Sunday school, three of us men take turns teaching. If someone can't make it, he lets one of us know so we have time to study for the teaching. We have at least 4 who can play piano, my daughter included. If someone can't be there, another will play. Last week, our two song leaders were on a trip, so I was asked to fill in as song leader. Nobody is told they HAVE to be there and nobody is made to feel guilty if they're not: but plenty enough people help out willingly and faithfully.. Our pastor also has an administrative job with a government agency and sometimes has to be out of town, so someone fills in when he's gone too. Everyone, for the most part, is willing to help, everything gets done, and not everything is always by the same people.

[quinkie]

I have always heard that in most churches 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. That is true in our church. It seems the same people are the ones who do all the work.

[Steve Schwenke]

Personally, I believe that too many of the IFB pastors have made their "churches" into their little kingdoms, and they view the members as their own personal servants.  I believe that we have placed too heavy an emphasis on what "ministry" is, but have neglected the SCRIPTURAL DUTIES God has given to every Christian.  These men seem to judge their members' spirituality based on how much "activity" and "ministry" they are involved in at their little "kingdom." 

But here is where they go off the rails.  The NT local church was involved in very SIMPLE ministries, and the emphasis Paul gives us in the Pauline Epistles in living right and doing right while we take care of our God-given responsibilities.  People think that a man is "spiritual" because he does all these "things" at the church. 

My contention is that it is JUST AS SPIRITUAL to work a steady job, have a good testimony at work, be a good dad and husband, and take care of the family and home God has given them.  I KNOW it is "spiritual" because God has devoted large portions of Scripture to these very things.  All of the various "ministries" in the typical IFB need to be SCRAPPED, and the pastors need to encourage their men to be MEN - at work and at home. 

If we are called to be witnesses, can we ONLY be witnesses at a church wide door-to-door "program?"  You see, somebody is marked as "spiritual" because they show up for "visitation" night, but the guy who is a steady, consistent witness at work and in his neighborhood is relegated to the "sidelines" because his schedule does not allow him to be at the church every night of the week doing something.

To be honest, most of what passes for "ministry" these days is nothing more than hot air and spinning the wheels.  There is a lot of "activity" but no real work being accomplished.

 

We have a door to door program, and I encourage everyone to come, but also recognize the fact that MOST simply CANNOT make it - and for legitimate reasons.  But they CAN pray for us when we go out, and they CAN help us prepare literature for the teams that can go out.  Everybody can do something.  But more importantly, I encourage EVERYONE to be a witness 24/7 - and I think that is what is missing in modern IFB's.  They think "serving the Lord" is some grand thing tied up in a big "church ministry."  But they are wrong.  "Serving the Lord" is fulfilling your God-given responsibilities as laid out in the Scripture. 

 

That is why so many people get "burned out."  These full-time pastors who have never worked a day in their life have no idea of the pressures modern society puts on men and women.  They seem to be stuck in the 60's, when the blue laws were in effect.  The upper middle class is disappearing.  It is a 24/7 work week, it is hard to get good jobs, etc. etc. etc. 

 

And on top of all that, these churches COULD do more to reach the "Judea/Samaria" regions around their churches, but do not because they are so busy running their little "kingdom" that they completely ignore the surrounding communities. 

 

Yes, these issues really bother me!!!!

 

In Christ,

[ASongOfDegrees]

Personally, I believe that too many of the IFB pastors have made their "churches" into their little kingdoms, and they view the members as their own personal servants.  I believe that we have placed too heavy an emphasis on what "ministry" is, but have neglected the SCRIPTURAL DUTIES God has given to every Christian.  These men seem to judge their members' spirituality based on how much "activity" and "ministry" they are involved in at their little "kingdom." 

But here is where they go off the rails.  The NT local church was involved in very SIMPLE ministries, and the emphasis Paul gives us in the Pauline Epistles in living right and doing right while we take care of our God-given responsibilities.  People think that a man is "spiritual" because he does all these "things" at the church. 

My contention is that it is JUST AS SPIRITUAL to work a steady job, have a good testimony at work, be a good dad and husband, and take care of the family and home God has given them.  I KNOW it is "spiritual" because God has devoted large portions of Scripture to these very things.  All of the various "ministries" in the typical IFB need to be SCRAPPED, and the pastors need to encourage their men to be MEN - at work and at home. 

If we are called to be witnesses, can we ONLY be witnesses at a church wide door-to-door "program?"  You see, somebody is marked as "spiritual" because they show up for "visitation" night, but the guy who is a steady, consistent witness at work and in his neighborhood is relegated to the "sidelines" because his schedule does not allow him to be at the church every night of the week doing something.

To be honest, most of what passes for "ministry" these days is nothing more than hot air and spinning the wheels.  There is a lot of "activity" but no real work being accomplished.

 

We have a door to door program, and I encourage everyone to come, but also recognize the fact that MOST simply CANNOT make it - and for legitimate reasons.  But they CAN pray for us when we go out, and they CAN help us prepare literature for the teams that can go out.  Everybody can do something.  But more importantly, I encourage EVERYONE to be a witness 24/7 - and I think that is what is missing in modern IFB's.  They think "serving the Lord" is some grand thing tied up in a big "church ministry."  But they are wrong.  "Serving the Lord" is fulfilling your God-given responsibilities as laid out in the Scripture. 

 

That is why so many people get "burned out."  These full-time pastors who have never worked a day in their life have no idea of the pressures modern society puts on men and women.  They seem to be stuck in the 60's, when the blue laws were in effect.  The upper middle class is disappearing.  It is a 24/7 work week, it is hard to get good jobs, etc. etc. etc. 

 

And on top of all that, these churches COULD do more to reach the "Judea/Samaria" regions around their churches, but do not because they are so busy running their little "kingdom" that they completely ignore the surrounding communities. 

 

Yes, these issues really bother me!!!!

 

In Christ,

Yeah, you might be right but most of the churches I've been to the folks just didn't plain give a hoot. I've know of a few that closed the doors because the members were uninterested. And I know a lot of the folks were no spiritual giants at home and work either. The unsaved are watching these churches and those churches where the people are more involved will draw their attention. Not some dead church where the pastor can't even get someone to help him fix a busted toilet.

[JerryNumbers]

What is a dead church?

 

Some churches are very busy, & have many members, yet in truth they're a dead, but most call them a very lively church.

 

There's also many churches across this country that have few members, & most people will call them a dead church, yet in truth they're truly lively.

 

And if the truth be said most churches in this country has a lost man as its pastor, & he does not know how to preach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ so that people can get truly saved.

 

And of course our mission is to go, teach, & baptized, teaching ALL things Jesus has taught us though the Holy Bible.

 

Jeremiah didn't have many converts yet he was a godly preacher proclaiming God's truths.