Hope for Hurting Pastors

Dear Hurting Pastor or Ministry Leader,

Welcome to "Hope for Hurting Pastors." I am so glad that God has led you to this blog. Over the year 2010 I personally went through a very painful time in pastoral ministry. As I realized that the outcome to this adversity was most likely going to continue to decline, I began to ask God every day for four things. I asked Him that when this trial was all over, whenever that was and whatever that looked like, that I would be more in love with Jesus; more in love with my wife; more in love with my calling; and more in love with the local church.

I am so thankful that God answered those 4 prayer requests. I have talked to so many pastors who left the ministry or who really developed a bad taste in their mouth toward the church because of the pain they experienced. Being a pastor or ministry leader is not easy. Sometimes the church can be a vicious place. But being a pastor is still worth it!! The church is still worth it!! It really is!!

Over that difficult year God taught me many lessons that helped me to not lose my love or passion for my calling and for the church. Many of these lessons I put into short written form. I did this as a means of healing for my own life but also with the intent that God might use it in the lives of others who are experiencing ministry adversity. If you are a hurting pastor or ministry leader, or if you know a hurting pastor or ministry leader, my prayer is that as you take the time to read the archives of these postings of the lessons I learned from Scripture, that God will use it to bring encouragement and hope to you or the one you know who is currently going through their own ministry trial.

Today I am blessed to be the Lead Pastor of an amazing church in northern Michigan where I am in awe at how God is working. I praise the Lord for the way He worked in my life and used adversity in pastoral ministry to cause personal growth. As He promised in His Word, His mercy really is new every morning. His compassion really never fails. And His faithfulness really is great.

Please feel free to leave a comment on any of the postings on this blog or email me directly at the email address listed below. I would also invite you to visit my other blog that is updated daily at the link below. Blessings to you!

Scott Distler
Evangelical Free Church
Gaylord, Michigan
skdistler@gmail.com
www.folkslisten.blogspot.com

The Church in my PRAYERS

It is very easy when we go through ministry trials and difficulties as a pastor to develop a bad taste in our mouth toward the church. This is something we all need to guard against. As Paul went through serious adversity in ministry, he never lost his love for the church. In Philippians chapter one we have already seen that Paul kept the church in his MIND (loving the church through his intellect) and he kept the church in his HEART (loving the church through his intimacy). Today we see that Paul also kept the church in his PRAYERS (loving them through his intercession). In verse 9-11, Paul prays for the church.

He prays that their love would abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment!

He prays that they would be able to approve the things that are excellent!

He prays that they would be sincere and blameless!

He prays that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness!

He prays that they would bring glory to God!

So, hurting pastor, as you go through this time of ministry hurt, don't give up on God and don't give up on His church! Keep the church in your MIND! Keep the church in your HEART! Keep the church in your PRAYERS! Three cheers for the church!

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

The Church In My Heart

Even in our darkest days of ministry adversity, we must never lose our love for the local church. Paul didn't. Even chained to Roman soldiers while sitting in a dungeon, his love for the church was still clear, We saw in our last posting that Paul had the church in his MIND. Today, continuing from Philippians chapter one, we see that Paul also had the church in his HEART. If having the church in his mind involved loving the church through Paul's INTELLECT (how he thought about them) then having the church in his heart was loving the church through his INTIMACY (how he felt about them).

Having the church in your heart, even when being a pastor leaves you battered and bruised, means that you still care for the church - even if it sometimes might appear that the church doesn't care for you. Make no mistake about it, some of Paul's adversity came from inside the church (see Philippians 1:17). Yet, Paul didn't give up on the church. He continued to have a sympathetic and genuine interest and concern for the church. He says it point blank in verse 7, "I have you in my heart!"

Having the church in his heart also meant spending time with them. In verse 8 we read that he "longed for them with the affection of Christ Jesus!" When we go through the painful times of ministry, the temptation is to pull away from other people in the church. Don't do that! Even when it hurts - continue to keep the church in your heart!

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

The Church In My MIND

Even in Paul's time of ministry affliction, the church remained something that Paul truly loved. We see this clearly in Philippians chapter 1. In verses 3-6 we see that Paul kept the church in his MIND. This involved loving the church through his intellect. - how he thought about them. This was "fleshed out" by Paul through four principles:

First, every time someone in the church came to Paul's mind, Paul thanked God for them. Verse 3 says, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you." Loving the church, even in difficult ministry times, can occur as we take time to thank God for those who make up the church each time God brings them to our mind.

Second, rid yourself of every negative thought about those in the church. In verse 4 Paul said that he "always offered prayer with joy" for all of them. People do things that hurt. Do your best to rid your mind of every negative thought about those who have caused you pain. Replace those negative thoughts with thoughts of joy.

Third, realize that there involvement is needed. You may not always agree with them. You may have been hurt by them. But the truth is that each member of the Body of Christ still plays a vital role in the church. Paul, in verse 5, speaks of their "participation in the Gospel." Every believer, even the ones we struggle with the most, is a vital member of Christ's body.

Fourth, remember that God is making them into the image of Christ. In verse 6, Paul reminds us that the God "who began a good work in us will complete it." God is not done working on you, nor is He done working on others in your ministry. You're not perfect yet - neither are they!

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

Three Cheers for the Church

When you face ministry obstacles that produce hurts and scars in your life, it becomes very easy to become disenchanted with the local church. One of the my daily prayer requests during my toughest time in ministry as a pastor was that when it was all said and done that I would have an even greater love for my calling as a pastor and for the local church. I am so thankful that the Lord answered both of those prayers.

When Paul went through a very tough ministry experience that landed him in prison, he wrote his letter to the Philippian Church that was all about joy. It's hard to have joy in ministry when you are going through unfair and/or untrue accusations and hardships. That is why I think every hurting pastor ought to sink their teeth into this four chapter book that the Spirit of God inspired the Apostle Paul to write during his ministry trial.

In chapter one of this book we see that Paul's obstacles in ministry did not diminish his love for the church. In verses 3-6 we see that Paul continued to have the church in his MIND. In verses 7-8 we see that Paul continued to have the church in his HEART. In verses 9-11 we see that Paul continued to have the church in his PRAYERS. Over my next several posts I will talk about each of these and we will discover that even in the most difficult times of ministry, the local church is still worth it! Three cheers for the church!

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

The Opportunity to EXALT Jesus!

Paul teaches us through his own example in Philippians chapter one that in every ministry OBSTACLE there are also ministry OPPORTUNITIES. We have already seen the opportunity to EXPLAIN the Gospel and the opportunity to ENCOURAGE believers. In our post today we see the third and final opportunity that Paul describes which is the opportunity to EXALT Jesus.

After sharing in verse 14 how other believers found courage to speak the Word of God without fear because of Paul's response to his ministry adversity, Paul goes on in verse 15 to divide these believers into two groups. On one hand there were those believers who preached Christ out of good and sincere motives. On the other hand, there were also those believers who preached Christ, but their motives were anything but sincere. They did so out of envy, strife and selfish ambition. In other words, along with preaching Christ they also had a goal of damaging Paul's ministry and reputation while tarnishing his character. I love Paul's response in verse 18 when he basically says, "Who cares what they say about me as long as Christ is proclaimed!" What an outlook! What an attitude!

Maybe today in your ministry you are on the receiving end of some verbal attacks from other believers. Perhaps there are some, maybe even from within your own ministry, who are trying to tarnish your reputation, ministry and character. Sometimes (OK - most times) it is very hard just to let that go. But I have found what Paul exemplified to be the proper course of action. Don't worry what they say about you - as long as they are preaching Christ.

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

The Opportunity to ENCOURAGE Believers

We learn from Paul's letter to the Philippians that every OBSTACLE we face in our ministry produces OPPORTUNITIES that would otherwise not be there. In my last posting we saw that one of these opportunities was in being able to EXPLAIN the Gospel to people. As we continue in Philippians 1:14 we see a second OPPORTUNITY in every OBSTACLE which is the opportunity to ENCOURAGE believers.

Paul tells us that due to his imprisonment (that is what obstacles in ministry feel like - prison), many brethren found far more courage to speak the Word of God without fear. The obstacles that came into Paul's ministry, and the way he handled those obstacles, was used by God to encourage believers in their faith and in their walk with the Lord.

What a blessing this is when as a pastor you find yourself in a ministry pit. As I went through the most hurtful time of my ministry life, I was amazed at how God used the pain and suffering I was experiencing to bring me into contact with other believers I would have never met otherwise. I was able to see God use that painful time in my life to be a ministry and encouragement to these followers of Jesus.

Suddenly the hurt I had and was experiencing became worth is as one of these believers said to me, "I know this may sound bad, but I am so glad you have gone through the painful ministry experience that God has taken you through because if not, God never would have brought you into my life - God has used you greatly in my life!" It's true, hurting pastor. In the midst of the OBSTACLE you are facing, God has planted amazing OPPORTUNITIES to EXPLAIN the Gospel and to ENCOURAGE believers.

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

The Opportunity to EXPLAIN the Gospel

In my last posting we saw that in every obstacle we face, in life and in our ministry, there are opportunities that God has opened for us. Paul made that clear to the Philippians when he said that he wanted them to know that the horrific circumstances that had happened to him (being arrested, beaten, shipwrecked, snake bit, jailed) had brought about opportunities that never would have happened otherwise (Philippians 1:12).

Paul goes in in verse 12 and tells us that one of these opportunities was a furtherance of the Gospel. Because of his circumstances, he was bale to explain the Gospel to people he never would have had the opportunity to do so with had these "misfortunes" not occurred. In verse 13 he shares that the cause of Christ had become known throughout the whole praetorian guard and throughout the entire household of Caesar. The praetorian guard was a special group of soldiers who protected Caesar and the palace. There were between 9,000 and 10,000 of them and Paul was chained to two of them at all times. These guards were changed every six hours. And as Paul sat chained to each of these men he had the opportunity to explain the Gospel to each of them. That opportunity never would have taken place had it not been for the hurts he had experienced in his life and ministry.

Was it worth it? In the closing chapter of the book to the Philippians, Paul says in verse 22, "All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household." How do you think these member's of Caesar's household became saints in Jesus? Because Paul's suffering landed him in prison in the palace where he was able to explain the Gospel to many people he otherwise would never have met. The same opportunity can be found in the midst of your suffering and hurt as well - even in ministry!

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

Obstacles and Opportunities

Are you facing some serious obstacles in your ministry, be they people or circumstances? Please don't forget that in each and every obstacle lies opportunities. We see this clearly in the life of Paul as he wrote to the Philippians. In Philippians 1:12, he wants his readers to know how true this is as he begins with the words, "Now, I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the Gospel." His obstacles brought opportunities. What obstacles had he faced?

He had been arrested, accused of degrading Rome by causing riots; accused of degrading the Temple by bringing in a Gentile; accused of degrading the Law by preaching grace. He had been tried before Felix, before Festus, and now even King Agrippa. He had been beaten, shipwrecked, become the victim of a poisonous snake bite, and now he was sitting in a Roman dungeon. Pretty defeating circumstances, wouldn't you say? But yet, he wants his readers to know that these circumstances had brought about opportunities that would never have been realized apart form the suffering and pain he had experienced in his ministry.

The same is true with you, hurting pastor. Your pain...your hurt...your sleepless nights...your tears...these sufferings are not fun, but if you keep your spiritual eyes open, you will see opportunities in the middle of your obstacles that would otherwise never have been there. In the next few blogs we will see the opportunities Paul found in his ministry obstacles. I think you will find the same opportunities in your obstacles as well.

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

Let God Close The Door

Another foundational principle that I planted my feet on during the time in which I was looking for a new ministry was to let God close all of the doors. As I said in my earlier posts, I cast the net wide as I sent dozens and dozens of resumes out to any church I found that was looking for a Senior Pastor that was at least 250 people in average attendance and whose doctrinal statement I completely agreed with. The result was moderate to serious dialogues with 13 different churches. These churches were from 11 different states ranging as far west as South Dakota, as far north as Michigan, as far south as Kentucky, and as far east as Connecticut. These churches represented 12 different denominations.

As I began communicating back and forth with the search teams from these churches, there were some that didn't appeal to me near as much as others. But I was committed to not looking at this process like I was shopping for a new car. I didn't want to "test drive" these churches and see which one I liked best. I didn't want to negate any one of them simply because I wasn't crazy about the color or because a certain feature I really desired was missing. In other words, I didn't want to pick the church that I liked the best. I wanted to end up going to the church that God had arranged in His sovereignty just for me.

As a result, I committed to not close the door on any of these churches by myself. I would let God close all of the doors. That way I would know that where I ended up at would be exactly where He wanted me and not simply the place that looked the most appealing to me. And that is exactly what God did. One by one, He closed the doors until only 3 churches remained. Then there were just 2 churches. And finally, God led me to the Gaylord Evangelical Free Church (GEFC) in Gaylord, Michigan. And because I let Him do all the closing of doors, I was fully confident and at peace that GEFC was where God had called me.

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.