Remember how easy being married seemed to be when we were single? Or how easy it seemed to us to be parents and raise those kids the RIGHT way before we had children? The same is true for any job or calling or situation. I have been amazed at the number of people who have thought they know how to be a pastor, and have no trouble at all telling my hubby where he’s wrong. They wouldn’t do that to, say, an airline pilot (”Step aside, pilot, and I’ll show you how to fly.”) or an auto mechanic, a doctor, or a lawyer. Perhaps pastors are right there with pro football coaches? We all know the calls they need to make **big grin**.

All this to gently admonish folks to please be careful with assumptions. Few know the burdens a pastor or teaching elder face, and must face alone. Pray for them. Offer to watch their kids so they can get away with their wives. Let them know when they do or say something that has made a difference in your life.

Is that a picture of who I think it is?

I wonder how accountability or lack thereof factors into the picture. I’d guess that most of these pastors don’t have godly peers to help them stay in the Word and battle lust and discouragement. That’s why I think something like this is critical for men in ministry: Pastoral Accountability.

Don’t you think that is the main statistic. The fact that they only study the Word of God for their “job”. Maybe if they actually used it as a tool to grow a lot of the other stuff would be a little bit better too.