As a pastor, I sometimes envy those holding “real” jobs with clear duties and measurable goals.

A construction crew member lays a foundation. A mechanic fixes a car. A house painter completes a room. These people can look back on their day knowing what they accomplished.

It’s not as easy for pastors — especially those serving small churches and juggling multiple roles.

Early in my pastorate, I realized I didn’t fully understand the job. I had visions and dreams, of course. Yet it was unclear how I should be spending my time or what a successful ministry day looked like.

Although I tried learning and meeting expectations, I quickly realized the number of things people expect from their pastors exceed hours in the week. Managing everything the congregation thought I should be doing would have required a team of pastors.

Knowing what people feel they need is important, but expectations alone can’t drive ministry.

Another temptation was to pore over data to determine what was going well and what needed improvement. Why did more people come one week than another? How many appointments did I have? What was the reason for fluctuations in giving?

What initially seemed like a solution turned into a perplexing puzzle.

Numbers can highlight important information, but they don’t provide the full picture.

Ministry is a slog at times. People can be fickle and attendance seasonal. Some numbers reveal as much about a town’s demographics as the pastor’s faithfulness.

How can ministers evaluate the job we’re doing? The answer lies in paying attention to prayer and Bible study, pulpit ministry, and the daily details of pastoral work.

Prayer and Study

Some of the most important moments of a pastor’s week are quiet and hidden.

Congregants might not always recognize our need for solitude, but pastors must make space to pray, read the Bible, and study.

The first place to look for guidance and direction is in God’s presence. Time spent kneeling before the Lord, walking with Him, speaking to Him, and hearing from Him is vital to ministry.

During prayer, I invite God to search my heart. I lift up congregants and their needs. I listen carefully to what the Holy Spirit reveals about me and my ministry.

The pastor’s first task is prayer. Every hour we devote to conversing with God is an hour well spent. Through prayer, we receive insight, wisdom, correction, encouragement, and strength.

We should regularly pray with understanding and in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15). When we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for us (Romans 8:26).

Of course, we also commune with God by studying Scripture. In an important sense, God primarily speaks to His church through His Word. Therefore, pastors must be students of the Bible, correctly handling the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

Further, we should study quality commentaries and works of theology as we prepare to teach and preach. Such resources can help us read and proclaim the Word rightly through the corporate witness of the Church.

Pulpit Ministry

The most visible part of a pastor’s work week happens during the gathering of God’s people for worship.

We read the Bible, pray, preach, and change lightbulbs 
at the church. And 
at the end of the week, we can’t 
help but wonder whether it was enough.

Providing regular times for the congregation to come together, honor God, hear and respond to His Word, encourage one another, and pray for the sick are crucial and biblical aspects of church ministry.

We prepare all week for these moments, but we must also remain attuned to God. As Pentecostal leaders, we should pay attention during the service to how the Spirit is moving so we can follow His lead. That might mean providing space for spiritual gifts, adjusting a sermon point, or allowing more time for the altar response.

Every believer is part of God’s priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) and can serve a prophetic role in the Church (1 Corinthians 14:1). However, pastors have a special calling to preach the Word (2 Timothy 4:2), model Christ’s character (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Timothy 4:12), and equip the church for works of service (Ephesians 4:12).

While these things can — and should — happen on and off the platform, the weekend service is a prime opportunity for ministry to the entire congregation.

Pastoral Business

Much of what a pastor does falls into the sphere of less public, daily church business. This includes administration, pastoral care, and personal evangelism.

Between times of prayer, study, and weekend worship, pastors manage an endless stream of demands and responsibilities.

With every job, there are humdrum activities, such as paying bills, answering emails, and changing lightbulbs.

The pastor shouldn’t have to take care of everything. Even in a small church, the leader can delegate some jobs to volunteers. However, the pastor is often the first person to notice what needs done.

Pastoral care is one of the most meaningful services a church leader provides. This might involve making a hospital visit or counseling someone through a loss. It can also mean simply pulling weeds alongside a volunteer in the church flower bed and talking about God while you’re there.

A pastor also shares Jesus with unbelievers. This includes not only those who attend services, but also people in the community.

When we are prayerful and sensitive to the Holy Spirit, there is no shortage of opportunities for spiritual conversations. It might be an exchange with a barista at the coffee shop, a fellow parent during a soccer game, or a neighbor across the street.

These dear souls are a precious part of our week. They are the harvest to which Jesus sends us as workers. We can pastor and lead them to Christ, but only if we are paying attention.

——

The reality is, there’s no simple metric for measuring pastoral success.

We read the Bible, pray, preach, and change lightbulbs at the church. And at the end of the week, we can’t help but wonder whether it was enough.

A brick layer looks at a project and sees exactly how it’s going, but church ministry isn’t always that clear.

It’s because pastors specialize in things that are unseen. We listen to God in quiet places of prayer, devotion, and Bible study.

We follow the Spirit’s leading in corporate worship gatherings and the daily business of walking with people through life’s ups and downs.

Even in ordinary moments and tasks, pastors look for ways to serve God and others.

Pastors take the gospel into their communities, sharing Christ’s love and message with people who are longing for hope and purpose.

Stay faithful to this calling, and you will one day hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23).

This article appears in the Fall 2025 issue of Influence magazine.