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The Daily Catalyst

The 2 Things that are Stealing Pastor’s Time

The 2 Things Stealing Every Pastor's Time

Word Count: 402 – Est Reading Time: <2 Minutes

What’s Up:
Every pastor gets the same 168 hours a week, so why does it feel like you’re always running out of time? 

So What:
Because your time is being stolen. Not by thieves in the night, but by misplaced priorities and boundary-less ministry expectations. And if you don’t take back control, the mission will suffer.

The Point Is:

Priorities Create Focus
The pastors who seem to do it all aren’t superhuman. They’ve just figured out what matters most, and they say no to the rest.

Boundaries Protect Your Life
If you don’t define your boundaries, your church members will. And they’ll erase them without a second thought.

Ministry Isn’t Martyrdom
Being a pastor doesn’t mean sacrificing your marriage, your health, and your calling on the altar of availability.

Mission Over Maintenance
The mission is to make disciples. Better disciples make more disciples. That’s your job … not being everyone’s personal chaplain.

And … ?
There’s this twisted myth in the church that the pastor should be a 24/7 on-call saint: therapist, professor, janitor, and CEO all wrapped into one. That belief doesn’t just burn pastors out, it guts churches. When the leader is stretched so thin they can’t lead, the mission crumbles. The truth? You were hired to make disciples, both more of them and better of them, and remember that better disciples always make more disciples.

But priorities and boundaries are the two hardest habits to establish in ministry. Lyle Schaller’s research showed most members think the church exists to meet their needs. That turns pastors into spiritual concierge agents for a religious country club. And that’s not going to cut it anymore. The Great Commission isn’t about coddling consumers: it’s about raising up disciple-makers. And that starts with a sane, sustainable calendar.

Action!
Get your free Get More Time Planner and start protecting your calling with better priorities and boundaries: https://fun.effectivechurch.com/get-more-time