Monday Blues: Never Resign on a Monday!

This article was written by Pastor Tom Ascol and was originally posted on the Founders website.  Used with permission.

"It’s common wisdom among pastors that no important decision should be made on a Monday. Especially a Monday morning. The nature of pastoral work causes the Lord’s Day to be a day that typically requires a great expenditure of physical, emotional and spiritual energy for a man who gives himself to regular pastoral preaching. Standing before a church that is gathered together with unbelievers, knowing that they expect and need to hear the Word of God accurately and helpfully proclaimed is a weighty responsibility. Preaching is spiritual warfare and it is a rare Lord’s Day that I do not go home painfully aware of the attacks of our enemy that have come before, during and after my efforts in preaching. I suspect that most preachers know something of what I am talking about.

The result is that most pastors are not at their fighting best on Mondays. I have probably resigned my pastorate a hundred times in my mind…on Mondays. Fortunately, it only takes a little experience to recognize this pattern and to guard against putting too much stock in Monday-morning contemplations of life-decisions.

Pastoral PTSD (By J. A. Medders)

Pastor Medders helpful article on "Pastoral PTSD" first appeared here.  Even though our fiery reformational conflicts are now in the rearview mirror I know many pastors are still very much in the thick of it.  May His grace be perfected in our weaknesses (1 Cor. 15:58)! 

One of the things I have observed over the years is that trials and fiery conflicts are often the very best teachers. Pastors who have not gone through intense and prolonged periods of internal conflict themselves often offer unhelpful (naive) counsel to those battle weary ministers of the gospel whom God has sent to Corinth-like situation. 

 

Stop and reflect on this next point. Not all local church ministries are the same. Contrast the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 or compare Paul's ministry with the Philippians versus his painful experience with the Corinthians and you'll see exactly what I mean.  Some congregations treat their shepherds like esteemed servants of Christ, while others, chew up and spit out Word-driven pastors like chewing tobacco. 

 

But wait their is good news too! According to God's transforming grace, lukewarm, consumer-driven, and/or compromising local churches can be turned around- but often not without the loss of much blood, sweat, sleep, and tears (consider Al Mohler's personal testimony at Southern Seminary). J.A. Medders understands some of the unique challenges gospel ministry because he has clearly gone through the Refiner's fire himself. As such this article his article below is worth reading.

"Pastor Ted plops down in his peeling “leather” office chair, opens his Gmail, swigs his Coke Zero, and reads a two-sentence email from a church member: “Hey, can we meet? I’d like to talk you about something.” Depending on the state of Ted’s heart, he will either be encouraged or exhausted—maybe worried fearful of what’s about to happen.  I’ve been Pastor Ted. Have you?