To quote the famous poet Kermit
the Frog “ It’s not easy being green.” In the song Kermit begins to tell about
how hard life is in being green. When he reaches the end of the song, he says:
When green is all there is to be
It could make
you wonder why, but why wonder why
Wonder, I am
green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
This sums up the life of a pastor very well; it is
hard, it is beautiful, and there is nothing I would rather be. The job of a pastor
does not stop on Sunday. It is a way of life that calls one to work twenty-four hours a day. The work of
God does not stop at the doors of the church.
I grew up in the church because my
father was a pastor, my brother is a pastor, and now I am a minister. This is
not a job where a person just wakes up one morning and says” I think I will
become a pastor.”. It requires a calling from God, Spiritual Gifts from God,
and a love for others that comes only through knowing Christ.
The day of a pastor does not
start when he arrives at the office at
7:00 AM ; it starts hours before when he wakes up, grabs a cup of coffee, and
walks out to the chair on his back porch to spend some quiet time in
conversation with God to prepare himself for the activities of the day. Then it
is off to the office. Sometimes it is an office at the church; other times it
is just a home office, but either way the work day begins. It begins with
checking and answering e-mail messages, posts, and checking out the news for
current and local events. The pastor’s office duties may include counseling,
board meetings, staff meetings, or staff training.
The pastor’s duties often take him
outside the office. Activities range from hospital visitation to city council
meetings. These duties can last into an evening at a local sporting event as he
gives the invocation or an evening at a family’s home comforting them after a
recent loss of a loved one.
The pastor’s job never stops. Because
he is a father and husband, he has to
balance his duties as a pastor to include an all- night
prayer vigiles or the 2:00AM call to the hospital. On Sunday morning at
church, one should shake the hand of the pastor and tell him “thank you” for
always being there for anyone who needs him.
[1] "Bein'
Green" (also known as "It's Not Easy Bein' Green") is
a popular song written by Joe Raposo,
originally performed by Jim Henson as Kermit
the Frog on both Sesame
Street and The
Muppet Show. It was later covered by Frank
Sinatra and other performers.
