by: Jim Schlottman
11/1/2007

Since Quiet Waters Ministries serves pastors with Intensive Counseling, I am often asked why pastors today are having so many more problems then the pastors of yesterday, or if the pastorate has changed. The implication is that in the past pastors did not have any problem. I can assure you they had problems. As one older pastor told me, they toughed it out. However, the real answer is that pastors in years gone by did not deal with the many pressing issues that you are dealing with today. Today pastors are under attack as never before owing to time, financial, and relational pressures that are unique to ministry in todays fast-paced culture.

The perception that pastors today have more problems is not true. Also, they are not less able to deal with their problems. What has changed is the world in which you minister. Today the world is more dysfunctional than ever before. In just the most recent issue of Christianity Today there are two articles that deal with attacks on Christianity by the media. The pastors of the past did not even have some of the media we have today.

How many pastors 25 years ago had to deal with parents whose children are inundated with video games that train them to kill? How many movies were in the theaters with sex outside of marriage as the central theme? Or how many had to address movies like the recently released, The Golden Compass that I am told ends with the children killing God.

And that is just media issues, all of which seem to be picking up speed in the direction of evil.

As the spiritual leader of your congregation do you often feel the pressures of our fast-paced culture? Do you feel like Texas Bix Binder who said, If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.*

Often when you are fighting the battles mentioned above, you look back NOT only to find that the herd (congregation) is not there, but God seems to have been left behind. When I see that happening to me, I put on my Prayer Brakes.

How often do you go ahead of God in trying to address issues? It happens often to me. I am trying to solve all the world issues, with all my strength only to find that I am doing it with only my strength and not Gods. The only way to keep in pace with God and to have Him by your side is to be on your knees.

Putting on my Prayer Brakes is taking a Prayer Break from fighting the battles and literally falling on my knees in prayer.

Remember, praying the pastoral prayer during the Sunday services is not the same as spending personal time with the Lord in prayer.

At Quiet Waters we are finding too many pastors who are spiritually dry. They are afraid to spend time on their knees with God. Why are they afraid? You have heard me say it before -- they fear that someone in the congregation will accuse them of goofing off.

Put on your Prayer Brakes right now and fall on your knees. Spend some time with the Lord right now. Do not try to go it alone.

*From the book "Don't Squat With Yer Spurs On! A Cowboy's Guide to Life" by Texas Bix Bender. Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith, Publisher, 1992.