The Sacrifices of Being On Staff At A Church
Posted: Monday, December 08, 2008
by Abigail Richards
As many know, serving on staff at a church can be demanding. However, for those who never served, it is hard to realize how demanding it is at times.
There are endless amount of people watching, judging, endless amount of work, financial struggles as well as other issues.
After four years of being a wife of a church staff member, I can now see the light at the end of a long dark tunnel. Church staff is probably the only workers who have endless amount of issues to overcome.
Hard to worship
Most staff are having to work on Sunday. Those support staff members who do not have a direct role on Sunday mornings are often called or distracted during the service. Church is no longer church, it is work. No longer can you just go to church and worship God because so much of it becomes a job.
Secrecy
Staff members are sworn to secrecy on every issue. Someone could be dying, they may be losing their job, so and so may be changing the worship style, etc. It is never ending.
Endless complaints
Members of the church can find anything to complain about. It may be the smell in the bathroom or the temperature of the facility. It is neverending. If you are on staff, you hear all those complains. If you are the wife of a staff member, you hear all those complaints.
Financial hardship
Unfortunately, churches are not the best supporters when it comes to salaries for their employees. Often times, employees work endless hours for little pay or respect.
Fellowship
It is difficult for staff members to develop true friendships within the church. Gossip runs wild throughout a congregation so trusting can be difficult. Also, church staffers sometimes move from church to church so they find it difficult to develop lasting relationships.
These are just a few sacrifices to the church staff. I think this video sums up best the life of a pastor. I guess if you can't laugh at it, then the life is not worth living.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)It might be a good idea to share some of this with your pastoral staff. They can pray and get closer to more meaningful relationships this way.
Abigail as a prior youth minister I can offer all of what you say as true. I would add that one should never forget, even though church, these are humans, subject to all that anyone is. Therefore do not expect perfection. In fact you may find that many have emotional and spitual problems greater then mostand you may be very disapointed when perception meets reality. One always needs their faith values or "church" can literally tear one apart.Best Wishes, Robert
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