Pastoral Time Management

[Blood-Bought Pilgrim]

I have a question particularly for those who serve or have served as paid pastors, though others with insight are welcome to contribute. As a pastor, do you ever seek to set aside time in your weekly work schedule for general education/study that isn't directly connected to something you are teaching on? For example, setting aside 1-2 hours of office time per week to read theological works in order to broaden your general theological understanding, or setting aside a few minutes each day to work on your biblical languages, etc. This would be assuming of course that the time set aside does not prevent one from properly discharging the specific duties he needs to get done each week.

I can see arguments on both sides; on the one hand, the pastor is being paid to carry out ministry to the church and so his "work" time should be devoted to that specifically. On the other hand, in order to minister well a pastor must be constantly growing in wisdom and understanding and sharpening his biblical and theological skills. Additionally, a pastor's "work" time tends to be much more porous and undefined anyway, since pastoral duties arise outside of "office" hours all the time.

I look forward to hearing thoughts from you all, and if any of you do build that sort of time in I'd love to get a sample of what it looks like in an ordinary week.

 

[Adam GB]

Following this thread. I'm a pastoral intern looking forward to full-time pastoral ministry, and I'd also appreciate wise counsel on this question. Thanks for posting this Andrew.

 

[jfhutson]

I think it's worth noting that in order to maintain their credentials, lawyers, doctors, accountants, and other professionals must spend a certain amount of time on continuing education, and most employers of such professionals will not only expect that they do it "on the clock" but pay fees for seminars and travel to conferences where such education is provided. I don't really see why it should be different for ministers. Surely you can't be expected to remember everything you learned in seminary, and surely you should be expected to grow in knowledge.

I think presbyteries should require some showing of continuing education for the ministers under their charge (not sure if they have authority to do this but they should PCA BCO 13-9d gives them the power "to require ministers to devote themselves diligently to their sacred calling and to censure the delinquent"), and calls should include provision for it.

 

[John The Baptist]

I have no qualifications to answer this, but my two cents is that there should be some time allotted.

But also, a minister should probably be spending more than an 1-2 hours a week reading, excepting particularly busy times.

 

[Blood-Bought Pilgrim]

But also, a minister should probably be spending more than an 1-2 hours a week reading, excepting particularly busy times.

I certainly agree, I was just trying to be conservative with an example of scheduled time that isn't directly related to an upcoming teaching or preaching engagement.

 

[ArminianOnceWas]

I would assess that to be a legitimate usage of time, as long as the reading is not merely hobby oriented but clearly helpful in ministry.

As an example, I know one pastor who is fascinated by Presbyterian history. He seems to spend all his leisure devoted to reading that content and will engage anything on sociological and historical aspects of American history that he considers relevant toward understanding a general and broader cultural and historical framework in Presbyterian life. Sometimes, his reading will have him consult with biographies of politicians as an example or other prominent persons to engage his interests. In my perspective, his reading clearly extends to hobby as its challenging to consider how an obscure politician, like a late 19th century state legislator who had relatively little to do with religion might be applicable and relevant to his pastoral ministry. Again, I don't fault him for his interest, however, I'm not convinced that would be an ethical time for pastoral resources, and to his credit, he doesn't claim to do so.

 

[py3ak]

In my context, flexible regularity is much more of a goal than set schedules or targets. There is also significant overlap between what I read for work and what I would read in any case, so the question as to whether it was "work time" when I read something doesn't really come up, except that there are some things where I know I am in unwinding mode when I get to them.

With those qualifiers, however, yes I will include general reading for personal profit which I expect to spill over into a benefit for ministry, as what Lloyd-Jones called "leaf-mold." It's not special preparation for a particular occasion; it's general preparation/maintenance that enriches particular occasions in unexpected ways. For instance, I've read 2 out of 3 volumes of Miriam Lichtheim's wonderful collection of Ancient Egyptian Literature; I make weekly progress in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics; and I recently finished E. Brooks Holifield's, A History of Pastoral Care in America. None of those relate in any direct way to my public work, but I believe I derive benefit from all of them.

 

[SolaScriptura]

Professionals have to engage in ongoing education because of continual advances in their fields.

The ministry is unique. At this point, when I read doctrine, I’m learning more of what I already know. But there’s more to the ministry than doctrine. It’s about relating to people. Decades ago I said that the best ministers are generalists and should be able to have at least a surface level discussion with just about anybody regarding just about anything. And I meant that. So I read broadly. And I’m not gonna try to pretend to be a subject matter expert in everything, but I know enough about everything to ask the questions that get people talking about themselves, which most people love doing. And I know enough about most topics that I can at least ask intelligent questions. But that requires constant ongoing reading. So that’s what I do.

Plus, I continue to develop my technical skills. I can always preach better. I can always read better. I can always publicly pray better. I can counsel more effectively. I can engage in the ministry of administration with greater efficiency. All these technical areas that I can improve upon. And another thing that I’ve said for decades is the moment we tell ourselves that something is “good enough“ you are on the glide path to mediocrity and decline. So I’m always pushing.

So my general knowledge base I’m always seeking to improve, and my technical skill set I’m always working on. I literally always - always - have one book in progress related to some technical skill associated with the ministry.

And oh yeah, I still make time to read what I already know so that I can perhaps learn better ways of articulating and explaining the doctrines of our faith.

All this in addition to the prep work for sermons and lessons.

 

[MarrowMan]

In terms of my particular reading I attempt to read a Systematic every year, a volume related to church history every year, and a substantial work on piety every year.

Yet, I balk at the idea of "continuing education" as though comprehensive study of texts related to my sermon preparation doesn't constitute continuing education.

I think we get ahead of ourselves when we begin to think our sermon prep is not inherently continuing education.