Pastors Are People TooShembull

Expectations

What are your top twenty expectations for your pastor? Write them down quickly without analyzing each one. Take a few minutes to reflect on your list. Read each one aloud, listening to how each sounds as you hear it. How many of your expectations are realistic? Is it reasonable to think that one person can accomplish your list of expectations? Could you meet them all?

Now multiply your list by the number of people that attend your church. Some of the expectations will be the same as yours, but not all of them. The list grows longer with each person. Are you getting a sense of why what’s expected of your pastor can be out of control?

Where do your and others’ expectations come from? Do you think a single man or woman should be able to accomplish such a list? A list that might include:
- Our former pastor was always available.
- When I was growing up our pastor was so caring and friendly.
- I once heard a pastor who preached with amazing passion and inspiration.
- Our previous pastor’s children were so obedient, and his wife was involved in everything.

Expectations can also come from idealistic and completely unrealistic pictures of a pastor that lie in the mind of each member of the congregation.
- I think a really great pastor would preach a ‘home run sermon’ every Sunday.
- I think a truly compassionate pastor should know all my children, even if our church has grown to over 1,000 people.
- Great pastors are gifted in evangelism and outreach, without changing the culture and ‘feeling’ of the church.
- I once read a book about a pastor who gave 50% of his salary back to his church and God really blessed his ministry.”

Whatever the expectations and wherever they come from, the issue is, whether they are reasonable and helpful. Whether they are spoken or unspoken, unreasonable expectations leave a pastor feeling grossly inadequate and become a barrier to effective ministry. They usurp the legitimate role of the pastor.