Photo by Adrian Swancar on Unsplash
You had a bad Sunday, or maybe a whole weekend. Maybe it was your fault because you missed a detail or that someone declined last minute on Planning Center. Maybe it wasn’t your fault. Maybe your pastor or executive pastor was feeling salty and got on your case about something. Or maybe, like what happened to me one time (a few times) a surly church-goer spent ten minutes griping about your mix because it was too loud or too bassy or too… whatever.
This isn’t an easy job, most of the time.
Stay. It’s ok. You’ll get it next time. This isn’t an easy job, most of the time. You make it look easy, probably, because you have experience and knowledge, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. You’re just good at what you do. Maybe you can’t see that right now, but it’s true nonetheless.
Pay is a tough one, too. This job is often thankless, and then to top it off most full-timers are getting paid maybe sixty or seventy percent of what they could make in the marketplace for similar work. If you’re part-time or contract, the pay really isn’t a thought, probably. It’s more of a bonus on top of having fun doing what you love to do, until you might not love it so much and you’d rather sleep in or not deal with sometimes demanding leadership or whatever else makes things harder than need be
Stay anyway. Stay if you’re called to stay. The Lord has a purpose for you here, now. You’re doing good work. More people notice than you think, and while that’s not our main motivation—being noticed—people are thankful for you, even if they don’t say it. You’re making a difference. The gospel is literally being heard because of you. People are connecting with the Holy Spirit in a way they otherwise couldn’t, because of you. If nothing else, the Lord sees it and it makes him happy. He loves the secret gift given in generosity and joy.
Paul knew you’d feel this way...
Paul knew you’d feel this way, and so he said “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal 6:9-10).
So, stay.
There’s a caveat, of course—don’t be abused, ok? Sure, no leader is perfect, and sheep are known to bite the hand that feeds them, but you can say something if there are problematic patterns in how you’re treated or your team is treated. You will find the courage to speak or perhaps a dose of kindness to your just rage that’s eager to fight. Turning the other cheek doesn’t mean you don’t communicate or become a doormat.
Thankfully, most of us aren’t in that situation, a culture of perpetual organizational unhealth. But sometimes this job is hard and I just wanted to encourage you.
Stay, friend. You’re doing the Lord’s work and he’s doing it with you, co-laboring alongside you to reap his harvest. You are blessed and your offering blesses him.
Thank you for what you do.
