Superman

There is not a clergy person living who has not been ribbed about only working one hour per week. I have been in ministry for thirty years, and if I had a dollar for every time someone has said that to me, I could retire tomorrow. I hope I am not becoming cynical, but I am more and more convinced that there are large numbers of folks sitting in the pew each Sunday who actually believe that. Oh, maybe they believe it is a little more than an hour a week, but I do not think that the average parishioner has any appreciation for the workload and stress that most clery persons live with daily.

Most of us readily recognize the stress associated with other "helping" professions. We are not shocked or surprised when we call our physician and the receptionist says to us: "Dr. X is not in today, but you can see Dr. Z." We accept the fact that the demands on a physician are tremendous and if the good doctor is to continue to be a good doctor he/she needs some time away. I cannot count the number of times I have heard this line repeated by a patient the morning of surgery: "I hope the surgeon got lots of rest last night, I want him to be fresh when he is operating on me!" We readily see the value in that, yet we will allow our pastor to run ragged and expect him to be fresh when he feeds our soul on Sunday morning.

Why is it that most denominations require missionary personnel to furlough on a regular basis? Could it be that we see the wisdom in not leaving a missionary "out there" too long under the pressure of working in a "foreign" environment? We see the need to bring them "home" for a time of rejuvenation. Yet, we allow our pastors to go for years upon years stewing in the same pressure cooker and never think of giving them more than a week or two of vacation here and there.

Why is it different with clery persons? Perhaps it has to do with the nature of our work. Maybe folks have concluded that since our work is of the spiritual nature that those of us who are doing it are super spiritual people. After all, we have been called by God and God is on our side. Since our work is super spiritual and supernatural God has given us some kind of super human strength to endure.

Maybe it is because we clergy persons have too often portrayed ourselves as super-heroes as opposed to real people, with real weakness, real hurts, and real needs. I will be the first to agree that ministry is a calling, and the first to acknowledge that there are times and situations that I could not bear without the supernatural power of God. I will also be the first to confess that I am not Superman!

Blessings,
Jimmy