Comments on: It’s Monday & Your Pastor Wants to Quit

By: Aaron Foster

Aaron Foster — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:35:45 +0000

Ministry would be easy if it wasn’t for the people…

As I say that I’m reminded of what God chose as the prize… Us. (James 1) Then I realize that no matter what my “success” might be as a pastor, how imperfect my messages are, how I’m not able to everywhere at the same time, and that I only work one day a week… I remember that lives… people… their walk… is what I love most… because I want the good Lord to have HIS prize!

Yes, I get down, everyday. I think about quitting, everyday. I thought about it today. But if we all quit… then who would lead the lost… towards LIFE?

We are shepherds. We are granted to help with the flock. We must trust that God will help us as we cross through the valleys.

Thank to all of you for submitting yourself before God and before others. I know it’s hard but our world needs us.

By: Jonathan McIntosh

Jonathan McIntosh — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:31:17 +0000

Pastor P.W.
Thanks for your honesty.

I am definitely available to talk.
Email me and we can set up a phone call.
My email address is jonathan@rethinkmission.org.

Till then, you may want to read: http://www.rethinkmission.org/church/how-not-to-plant-a-church/ where I talk about how my pursuit of ministry almost destroyed my marriage.

I’ll be praying for you and your wife.

By: Pastor P.W.

Pastor P.W. — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:48:51 +0000

I am thankful and hope someone responds to this because so often men of faith(Pastors) talk good but really don’t want to minister to one another it’s just talk… so here I go.
I feel like I want to give up the ministry after serving in some capacity or another for over seventeen years because I was called into ministry(not assigned by my Pastor)after being called by the Lord, I then sat under my Pastor but once the Lord called me into Pastoral assignment that’s when…ALL Hell broke loose of course the enemy takes notice. My wife said when she was called in by my pastors church women and my Pastor and asked do you want to be married to me she responded with…”I don’t know”… that did indeed hurt me and has every since… then after being the Pastor of a church for 2 years she admitted that she wasn’t involved and wasn’t committed to the church(2 YEARS IN!)I sort of noticed after doing EVERYTHING! in the church all the time myself. She admitted wanting the church to fail and she still I feel doesn’t put her christian walk first(Not as the Pastors wife)but as one who is committed to the Lord. I have had the people always coming to me especially the women and I need her to carry that mantle but she still questions everything not some things which is OK but she doesn’t still want to do much and don’t know how to do anything in the church without me, I am burnt out about that combined with the people(Which is par for the course)but the truth is that I don’t want to Pastor anymore because I want to leave everybody including my wife and concentrate on ministering around the world and indulge myself into Gods word(For which I have lost my passion for). I am at a struggle point and I am drowning, I want to be left alone to love the Lord and am so tired of lying, unreal people, thank you.

By: kevin s

kevin s — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:21:54 +0000

The hardest part for me would have to be the lack of consistancy among the key leaders.we are a church plant all volunteer, including me. We see good movment but immaturity @ the leadership level is a persistant problem. We have some very high level leaders that are amazingly committe,but the few that can’t carry water and bail @ crucial moments gets me down.couple that with a lack of finaces to pay the pastor, church planting and growth conferences that celebrate the in your face success of some churches(mainly from deeply christian areas or extememly well funded)all of this creates a perfect storm of discouragment. I love what I do,I have done it for free for 5 years, but I can’t honestly say I would do it for another 5 without some major changes.especially financially.

By: Bill Vorhees

Bill Vorhees — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:42:10 +0000

Thanks for posting this Jonathan. It’s cool to read the honesty and insight of other pastors, and it makes me realize that I’m not alone in my discouragements.

I’d also be interested in reading about the other side of the coin. Something to the effect, “what are the things that make ministry exciting/fulfilling?” Or, “What kinds of buffers have you placed around you and your ministry to prevent ministry burnout?”

By: Jonathan McIntosh

Jonathan McIntosh — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:58:34 +0000

Pettiness… whiners… Bob, I agree.

But like you, I also feel that the church I recently left was one of the greatest in the world – and I miss the people dearly.

By: Bob Myers

Bob Myers — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:39:46 +0000

Pettiness in people is the most exhausting thing for pastors. Churches and even certain church cultures cow-tow to the whiners, and it takes a toll.

The other thing is when rules, policies, and tradition stand in the way of any innovation for any ministry applications. Stressing safety more than reaching people, stressing the messes and costs of ministry more than the greatness of the task. That’s what really, really, hurts motivation and drive.

However, I find little of this in my current church, and I feel like I have the greatest job in the world in many, many respects.

By: Kevin Bruursema

Kevin Bruursema — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:04:53 +0000

Had to share this quote that my mentor gave me yesterday…
“The thing about pastoring is our real success totally depends on other peoples’ response to God.”

By: Kevin Purcell

Kevin Purcell — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:44:21 +0000

Just heard some pastors today talking about the frustration of little observable movement among the people they minister with. That is the hardest thing to deal with. Like watching my kids grow, I can’t see it but those who saw them a year ago and then today notice. Hopefully others see our churches that way even though we don’t. Sadly many see grandma a year ago and then see her today and say, “Whoah! She looks terrible.” I pray no one notices our churches and sees that, but some do. And when they do it is like a punch in the gut to that pastor.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:39:59 +0000

The one I have heard more than any other is “Do I really matter?”

I think a number of pastors are convinced that their churches live and die by their performance.