Some pastors may have formal job descriptions, but I doubt that most do. It would simply take too long to list all the things that one has to attend to. Besides, what church board or committee would want to actually wade through that long list on a regular basis when doing an evaluation?
Instead of providing a detailed job description, the United Methodist Church lists four main areas of responsibility for its pastors:
- Word: preaching, teaching, and counseling
- Sacrament: communion, baptism
- Order: administrative oversight, financial operations, budgeting, reporting to the denomination
- Service: extending the ministry of Christ into the world
For the pastor who needs things to be boiled down, let me recommend what Eugene Peterson has written on the subject. Peterson says that the real work of a pastor is to cure souls. Even if the day-to-day responsibilities of running a church involve a variety of other activities, the basic job can be boiled down to these three things: teaching prayer, developing faith, and preparing for a good death (The Contemplative Pastor, page 59). Those responsibilities aren't easy, but I find that Peterson's short list keeps me focused on what really matters.
If you are a pastor, I encourage you to focus on the three-fold task of curing souls. If you are on the committee that evaluates your pastor, then encourage him or her to stick to what matters.
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