What Would You Do if This Was You?

[rgcraig]

How long should a pastor stay at a church under these circumstances?

He's been pastor for almost a decade.

- Membership is 30.

- There is minimal compensation and he works a secular job fifty hours a week.

- The church building is an embarrassment, but paid for.

- Started the church from nothing.

- He pays some of the church bills out of his own pocket.

- The church members are apathetic.

[RandyWayne]

Sure he should stay. The solution here is for someone else to start a new church in the same town.

Capitalism always works, in the end.

[nahkoe]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

How long should a pastor stay at a church under these circumstances?

He's been pastor for almost a decade.

- Membership is 30.

- There is minimal compensation and he works a secular job fifty hours a week.

- The church building is an embarrassment, but paid for.

- He pays some of the church bills out of his own pocket.

- The church members are apathetic.

Is there somewhere else for him to go?

Would he be stepping down and taking a break from pastoring, or just moving on?

Would someone else be stepping in over the church if he left, or would it dissolve?

What steps has he taken to inspire the members?

What steps has he taken to inspire himself?

What is he doing to build himself up?

Working 50 hours a week is hard on it's own. Add pastoring to that mix, is he burning out? Especially with apathetic members.

Or, is his working and being unable to pour his time and energy into the church part of the apathy problem?

How long has he been at that church?

Are there any members who are not apathetic who are supporting him and the church and would be willing to take steps necessary to move in a different direction than the current apathy?

Just the first few questions that came to mind. It sounds like a rough situation all around, and I don't know enough details...

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

How long should a pastor stay at a church under these circumstances?

He's been pastor for almost a decade.

- Membership is 30.

- There is minimal compensation and he works a secular job fifty hours a week.

- The church building is an embarrassment, but paid for.

- He pays some of the church bills out of his own pocket.

- The church members are apathetic.

Sadly, God might call him to stay and serve that congregation his entire life long. He must do as the Lord leads him.

[rgcraig]

I'll add that they started the church from nothing.

[rgcraig]

He has begged God to release him, to no avail.

He still has a burden, but struggles with feelings of failure.

[Sam]

A membership of 30 in 10 years. That doesn't sound so bad. There are churches smaller than that that have been around more than 10 years.

When he came there to start a church, was that a burden and calling from the Lord? If so, has that calling or burden shifted to another location? Or, is God telling him, we've given it 10 years, that's enough, close the doors and give up. Or is God telling him, you've done well for 10 years, you deserve a rest, turn this over to someone else.

[rgcraig]

It sounds like God hasn't released him yet.

In other's experiences, when God hasn't released you what advice can you give when you are depressed?

[Esther]

Lots of good questions and thoughts.

One thing to consider is if he is working that many hours he probably couldn't handle pastoring more people.

If he could find a helper that would be great.

For instance, find a bible college kid to help him in the summer for room and board and a little pocket money.

He could help him pray, do some preaching and give the pastor a break.

And he oculd do the outreach during the summer.

[Blubayou]

Ester- I was thinking along the same line- recruit a family if possible from a Bible School or a larger church who want to be used in a church. They could travel on the weekends to the church or in a best case relocate. It would give the pastor a break, infuse new people and ideas into the church and could energize the pew warmers.