Special to 0-A News
From Walter Albritton,
Senior Pastor Trinity UMC
For Sunday, Feb. 21, 1999
Recently a 55-year-old pastor
ran away from home - not to get away from his wife but to get
away from his congregation. According to news reports, the California
pastor spent three nights wandering the snow-covered mountains
in San Diego County. When he was found, the preacher confessed
to authorities that he was overwhelmed by life and just needed
to get away.
Most pastors can identify with
this pastor. Few of us would deny that there have been days when
we too wanted to get out of Dodge for a spell. But, frankly, I
am surprised to learn what a serious problem this is among clergy.
One psychologist, Richard Blackmon, was quoted as saying, "Pastors
are the single most occupationally frustrated group in America."
Blackmon says the demands upon pastors are so great that roughly
30% to 40% of pastors eventually drop out of the ministry.
Commenting on this clergy crisis,
H. B. London, Jr. noted that about 75% of religious leaders go
through a period of stress so great that they consider quitting.
London said, "The incidents of mental breakdown are so high
that insurance companies charge about 4% extra to cover church
staff members when compared to employees in other businesses."
It is not difficult to understand
why many pastors cave in under the pressure. Pastors are, after
all, expected to be on-call for a congregation 24 hours a day.
At any moment they are expected to fill the roles of marriage
counselor, crisis interventionist, personal confidant, and financial
counselor. Such expectations thrust pastors into "a constant
whirlwind of stressful events." When the telephone rings,
day or night, a pastor is expected to offer his help no matter
how weary he or she may be. A pastor must be constantly ready
to answer a call for help.
London feels that clergy are more stress-ridden that doctors who
are ministering to the terminally ill. While the doctor can walk
away from the situation when he leaves the room, the pastor, unlike
other professionals, "normally has emotional links and personal
ties to those being helped and suffers with them."
Pastors also feel the pressure
of living in a fish bowl and being scrutinized by their congregations
and the community. Pastors sometimes feel that they are expected
to live a holier life than other people. There is the added pressure
upon the pastor to wear many different hats. He is expected to
be a spiritual "jack of all trades," able to leap tall
buildings, serve as a counselor, business administrator, personnel
manager, and still preach powerful sermons Sunday after Sunday.
Pastoral psychologist Archibald
Hart recently observed, "Their strong religious beliefs mean
they won't kill themselves; they just spend their time wishing
they were dead."
That is a rather stinging observation about today's clergy! I
hope that the situation is not as bad as some think. What is the
solution to the problem? London and others recommend that pastors
set limits for themselves so as to avoid burnout. It helps to
have hobbies and interests outside of the church. A support group
of fellow pastors can be a great help. It has often been a help
to me.
It will help also for the pastor
to admit that he cannot do everything and to concentrate on the
things he or she can do best. It helps me to remind myself often
that I cannot help eveyone, nor can I be everything that other
people expect me to be. I know that I am a very, very fortunate
pastor. While I am sometimes frustrated with the heavy demands
upon me, I never feel like quitting, and I am constantly thankful
that people need me. Even more, I am thankful that I finally understand
that I cannot really solve the problems of other people, as much
as I might want to.
My job is to put people in touch
with the One who can help them, the same One upon whom I am leaning
for strength every hour. It helps to realize that you are not
God; you are just a fellow struggler who can introduce God to
hurting people.
When the pressure mounts in
my own life, I try remembering to remind myself to do the best
I can and leave the rest to God. He is very good at renewing my
peace, relieving my pressure, and restoring my sanity.