Posted on August 23, 2026 by Rev. David Gunderson, tLMFT
Church Worker Wellness
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As a pastor greeting people after the worship service, I often heard members say “good morning” or “thank you for the sermon,” and others simply shook my hand and went their way.
But not Charles.
Charles was a seventy-year-old retired house painter who had never married. When Charles came through the line, he might shake my hand, and that was it. Unless he had an issue with the sermon, which unfortunately he often did.
One Sunday after the late service, Charles told me he didn’t like what I had said in the sermon, and he wanted to talk about it right then and there. Normally, I would give a church member a few minutes to discuss an issue and then offer to visit or call them later in the week. I tried that with Charles, but he continued to follow me, demanding to discuss it now.
I had been at church for five hours, conducted two services, and led a Bible study. I was tired and hungry. My family was waiting for me to leave so we could go to dinner with relatives visiting from out of town. I shared all this with Charles, but he continued to insist that now was the time to argue his case.
At that point, I smiled politely, stated that we could talk about this another time, and left the building.
My story could be repeated by many pastors, deaconesses, and other professional church workers. Church members often stop us in order to visit with us about this or that. Most of the time, we do stop to listen to them. We do it because we are in the business of caring for others, and to care for others requires taking time for them.
But being a good, faithful caretaker also means taking time to care for yourself in order to better take care of others. The following are ways to help church workers take care of themselves.
My experience with Charles on that Sunday may have shocked some people, but I was simply enforcing a boundary I had created to protect my personal time and my time with family. Setting boundaries in ministry is necessary in order to allow one to have a life outside of work.
Boundaries are like a fence that prevents intruders from entering. Unfortunately, when setting a boundary, some people will be upset because you are not immediately meeting their needs. Others will ignore the boundaries in order to get their way, which means the church worker needs to enforce the boundary in a spirit of gentleness (Galatians 6:1).
Due to my many past experiences with Charles, I knew I had to finally walk away because he would have spent an hour arguing his point of view.
If one wants to have a meal uninterrupted by others, then don’t answer the phone during dinner hours. Let the message go to voicemail and return the call when it works best for you. (Make sure your voicemail box always has room for folks to leave a message!)
Save time by using texts or email to deliver messages. When texting, add a positive note like “God’s Peace in Christ!” at the end of your message.
Using Zoom for meetings can be a time-saver. Instead of everyone coming to the church for a meeting each month, schedule a Zoom meeting every third time. Even better, consider whether a meeting is actually necessary or whether the information could be shared via email.
Make sure people know what day of the week is your day off. If you don’t publish it, then people will assume they can contact you anytime.
Remember, it’s okay to have more than one day off in a week. Most members have the weekend off, so consider taking time to attend your child’s soccer game or school event, go fishing with a friend, or take a trip out of town.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus often took time away from the crowds to spend with His disciples or to simply spend time in prayer with His Father.
That statement came from a Chinese fortune cookie I recently read, but it is true. The most powerful stewardship tool in your life is the ability to say “NO!” when certain requests are made of your time and talents.
This doesn’t mean we always say “No” to everything, but instead of saying a quick “Yes” to something, one needs to consider what you will be sacrificing to do this job. Will it cut into your time with your spouse, your family, and your regular duties at work? Is the request worth this sacrifice at this time, or do you have enough to do already? Have you taken time to ask your spouse and family about it?
There is a time to say “Yes,” but also a time to say “No!” Again, some folks may not like your answer, but you need to be a good steward of your time.
Caring for yourself includes taking time for Jesus through prayer and study of God’s Word. Many church workers claim they study God’s Word as they prepare for classes, sermons, and worship services. These studies are necessary to gain information, but taking time for Jesus involves spending time in God’s Word for transformation, not information.
Taking time for Jesus is the best way one can care for oneself and, in the process, grow as one of God’s disciples. Church workers who are serious about taking care of themselves always find time to spend with Jesus!
Caring for others is an important part of our calling as church workers, but we also need to remember that we cannot be available to everyone all the time. It’s okay to set boundaries, take a day off, say “No,” and make time for your family and yourself. Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you care any less about the people you serve. In fact, it helps you continue to serve them faithfully. So, the next time you feel guilty about making time for yourself, remember: It’s okay to make time for you!
God’s Peace in Christ!
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