What Does A Pastor Do? (Preschooler Edition)

Every Sunday, I stand in front of my congregation and preach the Gospel. I have overcome any fear of speaking in public that I may have once had. I have spoken to very large groups and very small groups. I have spoken to people I know and respect, and I have spoken to absolute strangers. Very little unnerves me. But this morning, I got a request that made me shake in my boots.

On the way to school daughter asked me to tell her preschool class about my job. <shiver>

Doesn't seem like a big deal to you? Here are the factors to think about.

The attention span and comprehension of 5 year olds. A mix of backgrounds - some may be religious, but statistically most would not be. The concept of "God" may be a meaningless word to them. A desire to be respectful of teachers and parents who may come from different faith backgrounds - I am a guest, after all. And then, the thought that a child may feel left out or excluded or different by their families religious practices (or lack thereof) - and the last thing you want to do is make a 5 year old feel bad; it sure isn't their fault!

So in I went, and here is what I said.

Because I was wearing clericals (a shock, I know) I talked some about uniforms, and how this is my uniform so that people who need a pastor can find one. Then I moved on to what I do.

I explained the job of a pastor as consisting of three primary things.

1. As a a pastor, I get to tell people about and teach about what I believe is the most important and exciting thing in the world. Every day, I get to share the things that make me happier than anything else in the world. What makes you happy?
2. As a pastor, I get to spend time with people when life is hard and help them to feel better. So when people are sad, or hurt, or sick, or upset they ask me to come be with them and help them feel better. Has anyone ever helped you to feel better? 
3. As a pastor, I get to spend time with people during the happiest times of their lives and help them to celebrate. So, when I baby is born, and at weddings, and at birthdays - all of the best and happiest times of life - pastors get to help people to celebrate. What have been some of the times you have had fun celebrating?

Preaching. Comforting. Celebrating.

So, ok, there is more to pastoring than that. But it's not a bad summary for a preschool audience. In fact, it's not a bad summary of the Christian life of discipleship. 

Proclaim - Comfort - Celebrate. Repeat as needed. 

The Best Advice Ever

What do you say to someone who is thinking about seminary?

How can you encourage someone who might be called to ordained ministry? 

Very often - for all the right reasons - those of us who love the church respond like vampires. Fresh blood! Quick, don't let it get away! 

And so we encourage. "You really should go to seminary." "Parish ministry is awesome." We talk up the best parts of parish ministry (and there are lots of them) and we talk up the gifts of the person we are trying to encourage (which also may be many). 

This is an important role to play. If you talk to anyone who is in ministry, chances are that countless people along the way encouraged them to consider seminary. With most clergy (although certainly not all), we experienced lots of affirmation of our gifts on the road to parish ministry. To be clear: For these encouragers and affirmers, I am deeply grateful. I would not be where I am without them. 

But while listening to a recent Freakonomics podcast, I was reminded of the greatest advice I received on my road to ordination. It came from my Grandfather, in the last months of his life. 

Grandpa Hansen was a pastor. 57 years of ordained ministry. He had served in the ULCA, the LCA, and the ELCA; he was a mission developer, a regularly called parish pastor, and an intentional interim. He was also a preacher's kid, growing up in parsonages as a child of the church. He was also the father of a pastor. Gramps knew the church. 

Toward the very end of his life, Gramps had some short-term memory loss. He remembered my parents, but as we gathered for Sunday dinner I had to be re-introduced to him. 

"This your grandson, David," said my Mom. "He's in seminary, preparing to be a pastor like you and Chris. Do you have any advice for him?"

Gramps looked up and thought for a moment, said, "Consider another line of work," then when back to eating his Sunday lunch. 

The best advice I ever got in my preparation for ministry: "Consider another line of work."

Here is the truth:

If you are called to ordination, nothing else will make you feel as fulfilled as ordained ministry.
And if you are not called to ordination, nothing else will make you feel as miserable as ordained ministry. 

Consider another line of work.

Is there another way to live out your calling? Are there aspects of parish ministry that appeal to you, but others that you hate to think about? Consider another line of work.

Are you pursuing ordination to make someone else happy - parents, pastor, or others? Are you considering ordination because you "should"? Consider another line of work.

Often, our first reaction when someone pushes back against a feeling of being called to ministry is to get defensive. But the truth is, the pushback is necessary. Sit with the idea of doing something else. Give it serious consideration. 

There are lots of important vocations (lived out to the glory of God, there are only important vocations). There are lots of ways to serve God. There are lots of ways to minister to God's people. Ordained parish ministry is just one. 

I'm not saying you aren't called to ordained ministry. Maybe you are - truth is, I hope you are. But give thought to where your mission in the world is. What would you do if not ordained ministry? What would you pursue if not this? And if you did those things, would you be just as fulfilled as you would in parish ministry?

Are you thinking about seminary? Listen to the wisdom of Rodney Hansen: Consider another line of work. Rule out all other possibilities. 

And if, having considered all other lines of work -- having ruled out all other options -- you discover that the call to ordained parish ministry still rings loudest in your heart, then jump in. 

What about you? What is the best vocational / career advice you have ever received? 

(Freakonomics Podcast, The Upside of Quitting, transcript and audio)

(Considering seminary? Here are some tools to begin the conversation. Talk with your pastor to explore your options.) 

5 Pieces of Advice for New Pastors

For the last year, I have served as Dean of my local conference. For those not in the ELCA, a conference is a small geographically defined division of the church. Among my responsibilities is the installation of pastors who are new to the area as they begin a new calls.

So I deal with pastors who are are starting in a new position in a congregation and community. I also deal with new pastors - pastors who are newly ordained and learning what it means to be a pastor in the parish. I get to think about what would be helpful for new pastors and people in new calls. Whether I am preaching an installation sermon or sitting down for coffee, I often get to ponder: What is the best advice for new pastors? As it happens, today as I sat down after noon midweek worship, I am watching the most widely publicized pastoral transition in the world -- there is white smoke, a new Pope has been elected.

So whether you are newly ordained, starting a new call, or just found out that the conclave elected you as Pope, here is my advice for a new pastor.

1) Love the people.
Welcome to your new call. First, love the people in your church on Sunday morning. They are strangers to you, you don't know their names yet. Sit and learn at their feet. Who are they? What matters to them? What are their values? What are their needs? Listen, listen, listen, and love your new people.

2) Love the people.
There are people who will peek around the church, checking you out. Will you be different from your predecessor? Will you be the same? Often they are hurt. Scarred. Damaged. Looking to see if you are a threat or a comfort. Love the hurting people.

3) Love the people.
Outside the doors of your church, there are lots of people. Some of them are potential members of your church. Many of them will never be members of your church. But they are your community. Get involved in the life of your community outside the sanctuary doors. Know how the community celebrates and how it hurts. Learn what the needs are in the community and where the broken people are. Get out in the the community, and love the people.

4) Love the people.
Soon. Maybe not your first Sunday, maybe not your second, but soon, there will be conflict. The honeymoon will end. Someone or a group will criticize your decisions and the way you do things. They may insult you and hurt your feelings. Your instinct will be to defend yourself, or even to fight back. Don't. Bite your tongue. Sit back and wait. Listen to the criticism, with grace and humility. Love the people, especially when they are hard to love.

5) Love the people.
Take care of yourself. As you jump into your new position, the tendency will be to try to do everything. If you are exhausted and spiritually drained, you are no help to anyone. Pay special attention to your prayer life. Pray for your congregation. Pray for your leaders. Pray for your community. And do not be afraid to ask them to pray for you! Do not be afraid to let them love you and take care of you. Love the people, and let them love you.

What advice would you add?

Leading Leaders

Every January, the congregational council of St. John sets aside to talk about the year ahead. We talk about our dreams for the future of St. John, about the specific duties of the various committees within the church, and what our time together will be like.

For the last two years, we have spent some time setting out our expectations of one another. Rather than a job description handed out by the pastor, the Council breaks into small groups and comes back what they think should be expected of council members. What we have come up with is extremely helpful set of expectations for leaders in our church.

A council member should:

• Lead by example
• Be regular in worship
• Stand by his or her convictions
• Be knowledgeable about the congregation
• Be involved in the ministry of the congregation
• Listen well, and often
• Be open to new ideas and options
• Be a team player / Support council decisions
• Keep confidences
• Be compassionate and caring

A council member should not:

• Be uncompromising or hard-headed 
• Focus only on the short team; be short-sighted
• Have a personal agenda
• Be indifferent or dismissive
• Be unwilling to change