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What Do Pastors Do All Week?


I would like to give you an insider's look at what pastors do during the week. I really would. It actually pains me not to be able to do so. Alas, I cannot. 

You might wonder why. That I can share. If I were to tell you the secrets of Monday through Saturday as lived by a pastor, then I wouldn't be honored to hear the skepticism is people's voices asking what we do all week, as if the week is just one long hop from communion-filled clouds to soft mounds of Bibles. 

I'm not complaining because I know you can relate. You have each had 40+ hour work weeks. There are many weeks where you wonder if you can continue to drag your body in and out and about. Then you have those weeks. You know the kind; where big deadlines approach or the corporate heads decide to make an appearance. (If anyone shows this to the superintendent, I obviously don't mean him.) 

Easter, which we just celebrated last week, can be that kind of week for pastors. From helping to organize all the special music pieces, to planning extra services (on top of the regular services), to making sure the sound system doesn't pick this week to die (that's another story), the extras can pile up. 

It's a special week. And it deserves the special attention we give it. But have you ever noticed something? Even after we celebrate Easter together, we all come back the next week expecting more. So, eve as we plan Easter, we have to look beyond. We must keep planning ahead. 

Deep breaths.

Rather than eternally filling our cups, Easter should give us a hunger for more. Honestly, every Sunday should accomplish this. I remember, when the kids were younger and more easily fooled, they would wake up and proclaim their hunger for breakfast. I'd protest, 'We just fed you yesterday! Do you mean we have to do it again?!?' Their quizzical looks would turn to smiles as they realized that their parents had, in fact, planned ahead for more than one day's worth of meals. 

What do pastors do during the week? Among other things, we plan ahead. We look forward. We dream of what will be. Easter fills us with visions of what could be, as every Sunday is a celebration of our resurrected Savior. Each week is a continual reminder of the price which was paid on our behalf, a debt cancelled and sealed with a gift. When we view each week this way, what could be viewed as a burden is seen as a blessing. 

Yes, we look forward. We hope you do as well. 
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