Last week, someone informed me that because I no longer received a paycheck from the church, I was no longer a pastor.
And I guess in the broadest sense of things, that’s right. Katie and I have been searching for the right church for a long time now – and I haven’t received a paycheck from the church during that entire time. So if receiving a paycheck defines a call….then I guess I am no longer a pastor.
But I happen to believe being a pastor is more about a call and less about a job.
Being a pastor means taking the middle-of-the-night phone calls of despair. Yep….still do that.
Being a pastor means having hard conversations with people who ‘don’t wanna hear it.’ Check.
Being a pastor means helping folks see Jesus better, understand Him more completely, love Him better. Ummmm…..yes.
Right now, my paycheck is illusive. That doesn’t make me a magician. (Although, sometimes when all the bills are paid, I do wonder if that might be the next career path for me!)
I am a pastor. And whether or not I ever see another paycheck from a church, I will always be that. God created me with that heart. Ministry is NOT just a job….unless it is. And if it is, I say to you — you know you can make a lot more money with a lot less heart-ache doing something else, right?
If you’re a pastor -BE THAT – in whatever context (and with whatever paycheck) you find yourself.
Everyone's Called to Youth Ministry 