A well-meaning young lady at church asked me with all sincerity, “Do you work everyday? What do you do all day?”
Before I started working full time in ministry, I had the same thought about what pastors do. Yes, I know it takes a long time to prepare a sermon, and then what?
Now I know, there’s so much to do I don’t have enough time. And often it’s not the amount of time, it’s the thinking and that takes endless amount of time. And my mind doesn’t stop when I leave the church.
This week, I hardly had time to prepare my sermon for the children. It’s not something I can just sit and whip up. It takes thought and care. Phone calls and texting, visits to people, meetings, talking to people to work out schedules, planning for next steps, coordinating, developing and implementing ways to be more effective in children’s ministry. It’s the kind of work that you can’t just finish. There’s always more to do. It’s a creative process that is ongoing. Everything is based on relationships and connections. I suppose there are people who are more efficient doing what I do. I’m not that person.
Yeah, I don’t even know how to explain what I do all day. Preparing for the sermon is only a small part.
I left Awana early because I have an early meeting tomorrow. And I want to do my Perspectives reading.