Prayers for Hurting Pastors

June 16, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Last Saturday was the culmination of eight consecutive days of Annual Conference meetings in Iowa and Florida. A friend of mine, commenting on my marathon of church business sessions, asked me, “Exactly which level of Dante’s Inferno would you call that?” Annual Conference gatherings have developed a reputation, perhaps unfairly, as being either stiflingly boring or depressingly divisive. But at their best, these holy conferences spur inspiration and encouragement, reminding us of the value of being connected as United Methodists around the world.

Such valuable moments often occur in the connections that are born and rekindled among the clergy who share their experiences over the previous year. Sometimes, there are joys to celebrate, such as exciting new ministries and joyous family occasions. But often, the stories are more sobering. Some colleagues shared with me the difficulties they have had in the church they are serving. Others were burdened by health concerns, either for themselves or for a loved one. Many bemoaned the harsh effects of a brutal economy, both on their family’s finances and on their church’s ministries. Overall, common themes emerged: loneliness, isolation, anxiety, and fatigue. For so many in the connection, this has been a tough year to be a pastor.

In 2005, researchers Dean Hoge and Jacqueline Wenger published a book titled Pastors in Transition: Why Clergy Leave Local Church Ministry. Sponsored by Duke Divinity School and the Lily Endowment, their research studied the current state of American clergy, and analyzed why so many ministers were leaving the church. As part of their survey of disgruntled clergy, they asked this question: “How important was each of the following possible reasons why you left your position in local church ministry?” Here were the top four responses:

I felt drained by the demands on me.
I felt lonely or isolated.
I was not supported by denominational officials.
I felt bored or constrained in the position.

I would venture a guess that every pastor, at one point or another in their ministry, has had at least one of these reasons cross their mind. These responses remind me of this Sunday’s Scripture reading, in which a certain clergy person was on the verge of burnout. Elijah had ventured into the wilderness, fearing for his life. Ahab and Jezebel had just placed a death warrant over his head, and he felt abandoned, anxious, and alone. When God came to him to ask why he was hiding, Elijah responded with some of the most visceral, raw, and painful words in the Bible:

I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.

Elijah was at the end of his rope, ready to give up, and walk away from the ministry. If he had been interviewed by researchers Hoge and Wenger, he likely would have concurred with all four of the top reasons to quit, right then and there. But, there was good news for him; even though he was ready to resign, God was not about to give up on him.

God led Moses to a cave on Mt. Horeb, and prepared him for a timely word of encouragement through most unorthodox means. Rather than speaking to Elijah through familiar modes of fire, earthquake, and wind, God chose to speak in a still, small voice, audible only when Elijah head learned to master the silence, and quiet the voices around and within him.

I think there is a message in this story for every discontented clergy, and for the lay people that love them: quiet your heart, and listen carefully. Set aside your tensions and burdens for a moment, and hone in on the very voice that called you into ministry to begin with. For lay people, this is a call to pray words of support and love for clergy, everywhere, who are battling through tough times and troubled hearts.

I know that many of you regularly offer prayers on my behalf, and I am truly heartened and strengthened by them. But if you also wish to pray for those clergy who are struggling and suffering, perhaps you can include the following:

· Pray for those who are crushed by the growing demands of ministry, and doubtful of their abilities to negotiate an ever-expanding set of responsibilities.
· Pray that in moments of weariness and fatigue, they will remember the early days of their ministry, and recapture the excitement of their calling.
· Pray for calm and discernment for those pastors caught in unhealthy power struggles within the congregation.
· Pray for those pastors dealing with bouts of loneliness and isolation, that they may realize what Elijah discovered: they are not truly alone, and there are companions imminently available to them.
· Pray for those struggling with issues of integrity, that they may achieve and maintain the holy standard to which they are called.
· Pray for the emergence of laity and other servant leaders to join them in shared ministry, alleviating a clergy person’s undue burdens.

At the end of the clergy session of the Florida Annual Conference, Bishop Timothy Whitaker enthusiastically declared to us that he was determined to make this the best year of his ministry ever, and implored us all to do the same. His challenge resonated through the halls of the Lakeland Center, and I am stirred by it to this day. And Julius Trimble, Bishop of the Iowa Conference, is fond of repeating his favorite phrase to United Methodist clergy and lay people throughout the state of Iowa: “Be Encouraged.”

As we venture into a new appointment year together, I am newly energized to be your pastor, and grateful for the chance to serve with you in ministry. Let us together hold up in prayer all struggling congregations and their pastors, that they may remember that the same Spirit that was revealed to Elijah in the still, small voice is alive and active in their midst.

Be encouraged, indeed,

Magrey

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org



VBS THIS WEEK
We are well under way with our “High Seas Expedition,” this year’s Vacation Bible School experience. Continue to pray for the children who are experiencing God’s love, and the adults who are offering their time and energy. Join us this Sunday as the children share their songs and their lessons from this exciting week.