Pastoring is rewarding.

I resigned my church exactly 5 years ago.  I had pastored for 12 years and have since served as a worship pastor and evangelist.  I’m content with my context of ministry but I thought I’d share why I miss pastoring.  

Pastoring is rewarding.  I’ve poured my heart and soul into people and watched them completely turn their lives around. The outpouring of gratitude that I have received has been overwhelming.  There is a network of people who have made themselves available to help me in any way they can because of the investment I’ve made in their lives.  For that I am thankful.

Pastoring is rewarding.  I’m too much for some, yet too little for others.  But to the people I pastored, I was everything they needed.  God blessed our relationships in such a way that can only be described as having our “hearts knit together.”  I could preach a sermon that would encourage one, save another, and build another’s faith to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  For that I am blessed.  

Pastoring is rewarding.  I’ve always tried to be generous with my resources.  God blessed me while I was pastoring in inexplicable ways.  Faithful saints provided for my family with unexpected offerings, meals made in love, and offers of help with refusal of compensation.  They’ve worked on my vehicles, fixed my plumbing, repaired my A/C, and cooked me countless meals. For that I am indebted.

Pastoring is rewarding.  Words that I don’t even recall saying have been remembered, cherished, and brought back to my memory by people who held on to those words for comfort and strength.  For that I am amazed. 

Pastoring is rewarding.  You give everything you have.  It’s hard to explain giving your all, emotionally, physically, and spiritually to a congregation, but at the end of the day, I can’t think of a better group of people to have given every ounce of my energy to, than the people who called me pastor.  For that I am grateful.

Pastoring is rewarding.  You try your best to protect the sheep from the wolves.  Prayers are offered, warnings are given, and counsel is rendered because you are more than a hireling.  For that, I have no regrets.

 Pastoring is rewarding.  It’s my dream job.  Still is.  Probably always will be.  May the Lord continue to bless all the shepherds who read this today.  Your work is not in vain and great is your reward! 

Andrew Gonzalez