tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096696136024576011.post7088183595135866980..comments2024-02-28T07:57:08.325-07:00Comments on Faith, Grace, and Hope: Burn OutPastor Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01483149432826000955noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096696136024576011.post-51355382540004638072010-08-22T20:36:41.448-06:002010-08-22T20:36:41.448-06:00I love your even-handed way of talking about the r...I love your even-handed way of talking about the responsibilities re: burnout, Julia. Yes, it goes to the pastor knowing limits and taking care of herself, but also to a congregation that knows how to be in partnership.Diane M. Rothhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07749136181846671327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9096696136024576011.post-90810630171140026772010-08-20T08:30:11.643-06:002010-08-20T08:30:11.643-06:00Responding to this: "If the pastor does all t...Responding to this: "If the pastor does all the work, the congregation can become like children, believing that it will all be done for them, or they make become angry, because they are never allowed to enter fully into the covenant with God through their own actions." <br /><br />How true and how true at home, as well. I read that if your kids complain too much, you are probably not asking them to do enough around the house. <br /><br />I think about a great pastor that was at my church when I came here just over 3 decades ago (time sure does fly! And it has made me realize that the PEOPLE are the local church, not the pastor.) This pastor is a great, warm pastor and a workaholic. A LOT got done, including a lot of teaching, but I think his hand (or his whole body) was in everything. <br /><br />Later we had another pastor who some people considered lazy. He started a lot of committees for all areas of running the church. He attended the meetings, but said little. The people became empowered, I believe, and I think that was the start of very good lay leadership in this church. I think that people, at least those over 50, would now have a hard time accepting a pastor who wanted to be in control of everything. <br /><br />And perhaps CONTROL is the issue when a pastor does everything.<br /><br />But also, pastors should realize that they leave a legacy to those pastors who follow: they will be compared, even if times are different. If the pastor and spouse do EVERYTHING, this sets up an expectation for the future. If the pastor turns over the reigns of some programs, then people become the ministers and servants of each other, and this becomes "normal" and expected for the future.<br /><br />Example: About 20-some years ago, the pastor was to be on vacation when we had VBS. Oh, the uproar. But since, VBS has been entirely lay led, lay run, and very successful, and NOT on the plate of any of the pastors since then, although they don't ignore it, and they may make an appearance, they don't have that responsibility.LoieJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com