The reality and hardship of pastoral ministry

Jonathan Hayashi March 21, 2024

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With posts on social media, many people have gotten a scope of what pastoral ministry is like. Here's what they said about pastoring being a strange profession:

- You pour your heart and soul into people who now act like you don't exist.

- You honor people who later turn out to slander and treat you like a villain.

- You are under a constant microscope and being monitored for faults and failures.

- Your mistakes are broadcasted as proof that you're unqualified for ministry.

- Your words are used against you by anyone disgruntled, annoyed, and petty people.

- You shepherd and protect sheep from wolves but are later accused of being the wolf itself.

As a rookie whipper-snapper pastor who's been in for the past 10-plus years in pastoral ministry, I guess I get where these people are coming from.

Here are some responses I have to the "strangeness" of pastoring.

1. People act like you don't exist.

This makes me think of Jesus when all the disciples turned away and hid when he went to the cross.

Peter denied it with an oath: "I do not know the man, Jesus" (Matthew 26:72).

2. People ghost you and will "block" you.

This part is the reality that perhaps crushes many ministers. However, with soul-crushing reality, God holds us fast with his irresistible grace. You can look to Christ who always will hold you close to His side.

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Corinthians 4:8-11).

3. People treat you like the antichrist.

The hardest part of ministry is not preaching a "solid sermon" but forgiving those who hurt you and loving them still. I am reminded that those who hate me are not hating me but hating the one within me, who is Jesus, which the world has rejected.

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18).

4. People go after character assassination.

I look to Jesus, and the people crucified the King of Jews and did not even recognize it till the end. That alone is eye-opening, but what is jaw-dropping reality is that Jesus looks to them and has compassion with love.

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

5. People are fault finders who destroy reputations.

Pastoral ministry no doubt can have those who try to tear you down, but it is a noble calling from God.

"If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task" (1 Timothy 3:1).

Pastoral ministry is also a glorious calling

However, one reality the two social media posts have missed is this: pastoral ministry is a glorious calling.

I was reminded of that as I was on campus at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with the For the Church 2023 conference.

There is no doubt ministry is challenging and difficult, but this calling is from heaven above and God has entrusted the pastors to shepherd His bride. Gospel ministry is a glorious calling and sometimes, if we are not careful, we can get lost in the forest by focusing on the trees. Charles Spurgeon said it well one time, "We tend to engrave our suffering in marbles and write our blessing in a sand"

• God the Shepherd who is good is with you (Psalm 23:1-4).
• Jesus the Savior of the world is beside you (Acts 4:10-12).
• Spirit the Helper sent by God is within you (John 14:26).
• Divine One the Friend of sinners is there for you (Matthew 11:19).

Yes, pastoring is weird, but pastoring is so much more glorious indeed. What a joy, what a delight, and what a glorious calling God has placed upon our lives to shepherd God's people. What you do matters pastors!

• Let us not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9).
• Let us hold fast as we share in Christ (Hebrews 3:14).
• Let us stay faithful to the task until the end (Philippians 1:6).
• Let us press on towards the goal of the upward call of God (Philippians 3:14).

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Dr. Jonathan Hayashi earned his B.A. from Moody Bible Institute with a double concentration in Pastoral Ministry and Biblical Studies; a M.A., in Congregational Leadership from Moody Theological Seminary, and Doctorate of Educational Ministry in Biblical Counseling from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He presently serves on the Executive Committee at Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO) and serves on the Board of Trustees at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as Senior Pastor at Northern Hills Baptist Church Holt, Missouri from 2020-2022. Learn More »

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