Top Ten List of What Pastors Need from Churches

I’ve been “pastoring” at a church for a little over a year now. I say “pastoring” because I live in Chicago and the church is in Seattle, and I am alternately studying for my exams, teaching an undergrad course, and consulting/pastoring with First Cov. Seattle in a creative, fun arrangement – but none of this usually isÂ what isÂ considered “pastoring.”Â One of the many blessings of thisÂ creativeÂ arrangement is that I have learned a ton aboutÂ the reality of pastoring and the view ofÂ congregational life from a new and unique point of view. I’ve learned a bit more about the pace a church moves at, the currency that needs to be built around relationships/trust/time, how conflict is handled/not handled within the ongoing dynamic that is congregational life – and so many other things. I love FirstÂ Cov. Seattle, and all that we’ve been teaching each other, and after working at this level I also have more questions about serving the local church, and how to do it well and how to be healthy while doing it. AsÂ someone who has more experience doing administrative, consulting, and meta-level work (working forÂ regional or denominational efforts that impact multiple churches), getting into the thick of things with one particular church and it’s history, people, and future has beenÂ a very interesting and rewarding journey.

On this journey of learning how to love and serve a church, I’ve done some reading and reflecting on the particular vocation of pastoral ministry in the church setting. In this vein of learning, I recently read aÂ list from a more seasoned Covenant pastor on what a pastor needs from the congregation that he/she is serving. AsÂ I went down the list of things that Brad Bergfalk wrote, I found myself nodding, wondering a loud, and being intrigued with his insight. He opens with a bit of explanation:Â Â Â Â

“I recently blogged about an exit interview that I had with the Pastoral Relations Committee of my congregation. Their willingness to ask me some pretty pointed questions about how well they cared for me and my family over the years has got me thinking about what pastors need from their congregations. While this list may differ from pastor-to-pastor depending upon a given situation, I suspect if more churches were willing to address these needs early on, they will discover that there is little their pastor will not do for them along the way.

1. Pastors need their congregations to be honest and transparent in their

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relationship with the pastor and one another. Lack of honesty often results in misplaced and unmet expectations that neither the pastor nor the congregation bargained for.
2. Pastors need for their congregations to recognize the sacrifice that their family is making and as a result be attentive to the need of the pastor to attend to his or her family during the critical points in his or her family life.
3. The Pastor needs a congregation who is willing to err on the side of generosity when it comes to salary, benefits, and vacation. If a pastor must fight for such things early on, thereâ€™s a pretty good chance the pastor will be fighting for things throughout their ministry there.
4. The pastor needs time to read the Bible reflectively, pray fervently, and plan thoughtfully and desires a congregation that recognizes the value of these practices for the long term health and well-being of the the pastor and the congregation.

5. The pastor needs time to cultivate meaningful friendships both inside and outside of the congregation. If the pastor is expected to attend every meeting that takes place in an active church, there is little chance that the pastor will have time to have friends outside the life of the church.
6. The pastor needs to know that he or she is not alone in their desire to promote healthy Christian practice. There is nothing worse than attempting to promote healthy spiritual practices only to discover that no one in the congregation shares that desire. Tell your pastor often when something they have said or done has been helpful for your spiritual growth.
7. The pastor needs a congregation to offer praise liberally and criticism gently and preferably not at the same time.

8. The pastor needs to know that when they make a mistake they will be recipients of the same degree of grace that they offer to those who fail in the congregation.

9. The pastor needs people who commit to pray for them and their family throughout their ministry and are interested enough to ask the pastor from time-to-time how they can pray for them.

10. The pastor needs the freedom to pursue hobbies that restore their sense of well-being in the midst of congregational life. Whether itâ€™s painting, biking, or stamp collecting, a pastor with hobbies is a more well-rounded pastor than one who is exclusively dedicated to the ministry of the church.”