Pastors aren’t always…

• great preachers (I’ve preached my share of stinkeroos).
• knowledgeable of every piece of Biblical minutia (They aren’t walking commentaries). 
• in good mental health (People battle depression, loneliness, anxiety… pastors do too). 
• mindful of social media (Have you posted stuff you regret? Pastors do too). 
• care-free. (Some church stuff stinks. Sometimes comments sting and pastoring is hard.)
• up-to-date on every political happening (They don’t watch Fox News or CNN all day. Neither should you).
• perceptive of the character flaws in individuals (Pastors can be duped, just like you).
• male (we have three great female pastors at Central church).
• aware that Sister So and So had a birthday (Birthdays and anniversaries aren’t memorized).
• the best pray-ers in the church (Have you heard Sister So and So pray? She touches heaven. I wish I had remembered her birthday and wish I prayed like her). 
• healthy (sickness happens—through poor habits or poor genes or poor who-knows-what).
• attentive to every financial decision in the church (Someone bought new communion trays? Cool!)
• timely in returning phone calls, texts and emails (Sometimes they’re too busy. Sometimes they forget).
• astute financially (Bible college doesn’t have a lot of high finance classes).
• good judges of temperature in the sanctuary (Last Sunday in the foyer: “Pastor, it’s too hot” and “Pastor, it’s too cold”).
• good judges of the noise level in the sanctuary (Last Sunday in the foyer: “Pastor, it’s too loud” and “Pastor, it could be louder”). 
• mind readers (I didn’t know about that thing you never told me about. Sorry).
• snappy dressers (GQ or Mademoiselle models we ain’t).
• up on the latest cultural lingo (see above usage of the phrase “snappy dresser”).
• grammarians. (see above usage of the word “ain’t”).
• auto mechanics, HV/HC repair men or carpenters (Jesus was a carpenter, most pastors aren’t).
• the best choice to drive the church van (Some pastors are bad drivers. Or so I’ve been told…). 
• prepared to handle criticism (Silently count to ten before you respond… 1…2…3… BOOM! Oops.)
• in the best place, spiritually (Shocking, but true. Sometimes like Elijah in 1 Kings 18, pastors are on top of the world. Sometimes like Elijah in 1 Kings 19, they are curled up in a fetal position).
• perfect. (In fact, they are rarely perfect. Ok. Never. They make mistakes, just like you).
• prayed over enough (Our enemy knows if the pastor gets messed up, the potential for many to be hurt is real. Pray for your pastor. Every day. Right now. Pray).

Pastors are called by God. That’s it. Pastoring is a calling. It’s not a job. It’s not a career. It’s a calling. Successful pastors know the challenging work of pastoring is a matter of knowing, trusting and keeping one’s eyes on Jesus and always remembering God’s call upon his/her life.

I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8