Earlier this week, I saw a post on Facebook from a pastor friend of mine that I thought was appropriate to share with all of you.
All of my pastor friends fall into one of three categories right now:
1. Out of concern for the safety of their members, they have canceled services, resulting in some accusing them of bowing to the government.
2. Out of concern for the spiritual health of their members, they have continued to provide in-person worship services, resulting in some accusing them of not caring for people.
3. Out of concern for their members, some have continued to meet while enacting safety measures such as social distancing and masks. Ironically, in an effort to find the right balance and compromise, this group has drawn criticism from both sides.
I had some additional thoughts about these three statements. None of these pastors have ever led a church in the midst of a pandemic and they are just doing their best to lead well through this difficult time. All of them are trying to honor God and love the people they serve. Each of them is giving very careful and prayerful thought to these difficult decisions.
I spoke at a Pastors Appreciation Banquet in southern Missouri last week and this was the main topic of discussion. Leading a church is a challenging job in a normal year, but right now it’s almost more than some of them can bear. All I can do is listen and pray for them.
When a mayor or a governor shuts down restaurants, bars, and businesses, it’s pretty typical for us all to take sides and complain one way or another, but we tend to forget about the leaders in our churches and other non-profit organizations. They are pulled in different directions and many of them have no one to turn to.
If you attend a local church, I would strongly encourage you to call your pastor today. I’m sure each and every one of them could use some encouragement right now.