Just as we had finished imposing ashes on the foreheads of worshipers, my friend and fellow pastor David Bennett turned to me and said, “Alan, remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” And with those words, David marked me with the sign of the cross with ashes. And that is when it hit me: It’s Lent. Forty plus days of Lenten lunches, Wednesday Bible studies, prayer services, extra time needed to plan extra sermons, meetings, and everything that comes with a very full plate of ministry. Another year. Another Lent.
On Ash Wednesday, pastors got their hands dirty to impart ashes on the foreheads of parishioners with the words, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Millions of Christians attending services will hear those familiar words and then go home without realizing what is about to take place for their clergy. Ash Wednesday not only marks the beginning of Lent, but also the beginning of a trying time for pastors.
During Lent the church calendar fills up and the pastor’s daily agenda fills up. Pastors and ministry leaders try hard to plan and lead meaningful spiritual encounters. Lent is a time of reflection and examination of our faith. People tend to start seeing pastors with challenges, problems, concerns and other needs. Somehow it seems people become needier during Lent. I mean that in the best possible way. Pastors are called to serve and help people. We are glad to fulfill our calling. However, during Lent, pastors often find that demand for their service increases. People go into the hospital, someone dies, another has a crisis, and a transient is in the pastor’s office looking for money but you are late for a meeting. Most pastors know the increased flow of need is coming, but that does not mean your pastor is ready for it.
Just as much as you see Lent as an important time of reflection for your spiritual life, your pastor needs Lent too.
Pastors are usually people pleasers. Their personality is geared towards trying to make folks happy. One of the dangers of ministry is for us pastors to think that we’ve done our job if we’ve made everyone happy. That’s just impossible. You can’t make everyone happy. This tends to flow into how we meet people’s needs. We want to meet needs. We give. We serve. We give. We serve. It’s a cycle. Pretty soon your pastor’s own spiritual life is bankrupt because they keep feeding and meeting the needs of others.
One of the most important things I ever did for myself as a pastor was to make sure I took at retreat during Lent. To take three or four days to get away to pray, worship, and be fed spiritually. I’ve found this practice to be critically important. As I was “filled up,” I was able to balance the demands of need during Lent with peace and not stress.
Often, pastors do not feel the freedom to get away during Lent because of the increased need to be present for extra services, Bible studies, prayer meetings, and the like. This Lent, encourage your pastor with time, resources and support to feed their spiritual life with sustaining practices that they give to others. Speak with your leadership about the importance of the spiritual needs of your pastor. Pray for your pastor and make sure he or she knows that you are thinking about their needs.
Make Lent a time of renewing spiritual enrichment for your pastor so that they can serve and fulfill their call to minister effectively.