9 signs of a workaholic pastor*

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1.  You aim to work more hours than the hardest working lay person in your church. Yup, DEFINITELY a stroke of genius to base your working life on a person who is doing such a top job of the whole 'work/life/family/balance' gig.  You will provide a most excellent model to your laypeople of how to get that balance all sorted.  (Ed's note:  pick up sarcasm here...)

2. You are sick all the time.  'But Jenny', you cry (between coughs), 'it's go hard for Jesus (*cough, cough*) or go home'.

3.  You have some small people living in your house with you.  You are not quite sure who they are or where they came from, but they seem to do good things for your reputation as a 'family friendly pastor'.

4.  You like to drop into conversation how long it is since you had a day off (obviously the longer it is, the more impressive you look).

5.  When you are questioned about how much you are working, you deny it and add, 'besides, there is so much of the Lord's work to do' (leaving the questioner unable to argue with the 'Lord's work').

6.  You are very busy doing mysterious churchy-type stuff on your computer - aka commenting on vital blog discussions.  (Ed's note:  comments are now open and waiting for your insights).

7.  You aren't often actually AT the church that employs you.  'But Jenny', you cry again, 'those committees and conventions and conferences and courses and weekends away and overseas missions trips and checking out other people's ministries and TV appearances and book promotion tours and mega evangelistic events on a tropical island with free accommodation for all pastors, really, really NEED my input.'

8.  You like it when people comment on how tired you look.  You smile gently and quietly reply with a 'No, no, I'm fine, just serving Jesus.'  But internally you think, 'Yes,  I AM working really hard and I'm pleased you have finally noticed, because you're all just a big bunch of slackers leaving me to do everything'.

 9.  You suspect that you might have got married at some point and that there might be a spouse in your house somewhere. In the meantime, that free housekeeper is proving quite handy.


*I have no-one in particular in mind!

Comments

Eb said…
Tell us more about this mega evangelistic event...
April 22, 2013 at 10:39 AM
michael jensen said…
what if I am narcissistic as well?
April 22, 2013 at 2:18 PM
Jenny said…
I know - so much to keep track of ;)
April 22, 2013 at 2:38 PM
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