How to Be an Acceptable Protestant Pastor
Educate yourself., Be sure to shop for a congregation that fits you in terms of your skills and temperament., Once you are a pastor, get to know everyone in the congregation personally., Once you are established, be sure to balance your time., For...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Educate yourself.
Learn as much as you can about being a pastor by attending a seminary or some other program.
Ask successful ministers what challenges they have had to meet.
Find a mentor. -
Step 2: Be sure to shop for a congregation that fits you in terms of your skills and temperament.
Make sure that you can grow together with them.
One critical thing to consistently observe is the size of the congregation and the activities of its members. , Even though it isn't possible for all of them to be like family to you, you will most likely be somewhat of a member of their family.
Start with key leaders in the congregation, then work your way through. , You can schedule office appointments.
Try to do this most often as you can be prepared to talk to the individual when they arrive.
You can also have office hours when people can drop by.
Be sure to schedule visits with the sick and home-bound to keep them connected with the congregation while they cannot come to church. , If you get non-emergency calls on this number, have the congregation hire an assistant or answering service that can field calls for you. , Take a day of sabbath each week.
Since a majority of your work is on Sunday, choose another day in the week. , Continue to grow.
Take courses, meet with other ministers, keep advancing your skills.
Be sure to keep a group of colleagues that you can go to to learn more and help direct your growth.
They will be a great resource when you have challenges arise in your congregation. , Sometimes its good to approach the middle, and dress like your average congregant.
Sometimes you should take the lead and dress a bit better or drive a slightly more expensive car. , If you are a protestant pastor, all of your parishioners will need more knowledge of the Bible, and guidance on how to develop their spiritual lives.
But many will need your help and support for their mental, physical, and emotional health.
Most likely you will be the conduit to professionals in each area, but you may be the first person to which they turn for help. , Ask them to help you keep the congregation engaged.
As a leader, you will need to determine what to delegate and what to do yourself. , This is something you will need to have the will to negotiate with your congregation.
So too is how you will lead your family life.
Though there are many pastors and pastoral families who live with little time or other resources for themselves, there are many who balance the love for their congregations with love for themselves and their families.
Having a good balance is a challenge, not an impossibility. , Hope.
Love.
Care.
I think most people realize that this is not a life that will be easy, but perhaps it can be rewarding no matter how hard it is. -
Step 3: Once you are a pastor
-
Step 4: get to know everyone in the congregation personally.
-
Step 5: Once you are established
-
Step 6: be sure to balance your time.
-
Step 7: For emergencies
-
Step 8: use a special cell phone.
-
Step 9: Be sure to take good care of your physical
-
Step 10: spiritual and mental health.
-
Step 11: Be certain to take time out to become more knowledgeable about being a pastor.
-
Step 12: How you dress
-
Step 13: where you live
-
Step 14: and the car you drive will depend upon a balance of what is comfortable for you and your congregation.
-
Step 15: It's difficult to know beforehand what your parishioners will need from you.
-
Step 16: Whatever you do
-
Step 17: work to create lay leadership that can help you develop worship and other activities for the congregation.
-
Step 18: How you are compensated is up to you.
Detailed Guide
Learn as much as you can about being a pastor by attending a seminary or some other program.
Ask successful ministers what challenges they have had to meet.
Find a mentor.
Make sure that you can grow together with them.
One critical thing to consistently observe is the size of the congregation and the activities of its members. , Even though it isn't possible for all of them to be like family to you, you will most likely be somewhat of a member of their family.
Start with key leaders in the congregation, then work your way through. , You can schedule office appointments.
Try to do this most often as you can be prepared to talk to the individual when they arrive.
You can also have office hours when people can drop by.
Be sure to schedule visits with the sick and home-bound to keep them connected with the congregation while they cannot come to church. , If you get non-emergency calls on this number, have the congregation hire an assistant or answering service that can field calls for you. , Take a day of sabbath each week.
Since a majority of your work is on Sunday, choose another day in the week. , Continue to grow.
Take courses, meet with other ministers, keep advancing your skills.
Be sure to keep a group of colleagues that you can go to to learn more and help direct your growth.
They will be a great resource when you have challenges arise in your congregation. , Sometimes its good to approach the middle, and dress like your average congregant.
Sometimes you should take the lead and dress a bit better or drive a slightly more expensive car. , If you are a protestant pastor, all of your parishioners will need more knowledge of the Bible, and guidance on how to develop their spiritual lives.
But many will need your help and support for their mental, physical, and emotional health.
Most likely you will be the conduit to professionals in each area, but you may be the first person to which they turn for help. , Ask them to help you keep the congregation engaged.
As a leader, you will need to determine what to delegate and what to do yourself. , This is something you will need to have the will to negotiate with your congregation.
So too is how you will lead your family life.
Though there are many pastors and pastoral families who live with little time or other resources for themselves, there are many who balance the love for their congregations with love for themselves and their families.
Having a good balance is a challenge, not an impossibility. , Hope.
Love.
Care.
I think most people realize that this is not a life that will be easy, but perhaps it can be rewarding no matter how hard it is.
About the Author
Zachary Perez
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow organization tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: