What's a Pastor to Do?

At the Friday night book club meeting (I was invited to discuss my book with this fine group) a question emerged near the end of the meeting: "As a pastor, how do you have time to write anything?" This is a very common question that people ask, and I don't usually give much time answering it. Many people may not consider that pastor's actually write and practice sermons every week (this alone can be very time consuming) or that pastors also write letters, newsletter items, postcards, and tons of emails . . . and some even write blogs!

Nevertheless, the fact that I can write is an amazing thing in itself. Last night I reread The Discipline description of what a pastor is supposed to do, and I was amazed that I have time to breathe, eat a meal, or sleep. I'm also amazed that Becky and I were together long enough (at least twice in the past twenty-five years) to start a family!

Basically--here's what a pastor in the UM church is supposed to do:

Oversee the total ministry of the church by supporting, guiding, training and administering lay leadership; preaching, teaching, and overseeing the worship each week; administering the sacraments, training children and teens in confirmation; encouraging the weak and lonely; seeking the lost; give oversight to the total educational programming of the church; find money to keep the church financially solvent; perform weddings and funerals (all with due counsel); provide counseling for broken marriages, parenting needs, those entering military service; seek out and train those who may want to enter ordained ministry; participate fully in the life of the district and conference ministries; order the church; develop mission, set goals, raise funds to support the broader mission of the church; serve in supervisory responsibilities within the conference; visit from house to house; keep all church records or see that they are accessible; oversee staff; work with staff parish, finance, and councils for the general oversight of the church . . . and anything else you can think of!!!!

Now, the interesting thing about this job description is that this is Boiled Down! The actual job description in The Discipline continues for three, single-spaced pages! Which provokes me to ask this question: Who the heck wrote this stuff??

The worst thing about The Discipline is that it has been written by committee. And I learned a long time ago that I didn't want to be involved in any writing project to be completed by a group. I mean, I've been there . . . and it doesn't work.

Reading The Discipline also reminds me of why I don't read The Discipline. Not even Jesus Christ himself could understand it, and as for me and my house, I'll keep on writing after everyone else in the church has gone to bed.