In November, I began a series of posts (Part 1 & Part 2)about 4 Ways to Keep your Pastor from "Quiet Quitting." As with almost everyone, life's busyness hindered me from wrapping up this particular series with the two additional ways you can help your pastor and keep them from quietly giving up and simply fulfilling the status quo of their pastoral role.

A few days ago, our oldest dog, a 12-lbs Coton de Tulear, slipped down some stairs. Thankfully, I was standing right there when he fell, so I was able to scoop him up and prevent him from harm. However, I couldn't prevent the feeling of horror in the stomachs of my three eldest boys (15, 13, & 10). The color had completely drained from their faces as they considered the possibility of injury or even death to our beloved four-year-old pup. As parents, we're accustomed to that sick feeling when we realize that life is not in our control. But for children, this feeling doesn't happen often, and I wanted to leverage it to remind them of the importance of caring for those people and pets we value.

After talking with them, I remembered this series of articles. You may not realize this, but often your pastor feels like circumstances are spiraling out of their control. They deal with the sick feeling that life and ministry are falling down the proverbial stairs, and they feel the bile rising in their throats.

Do you realize they didn't get into ministry to argue with cantankerous people who didn't like the temperature in the worship center or the volume of the choir, or the feel of the bathroom toilet paper? Did you know that when they signed up to serve the Lord, they probably didn't anticipate people who would be completely okay living contrary to scripture while serving in positions of influence at the church? It may be hard to comprehend, but did you know that they had no idea they would spend most of their time functioning as a production coordinator who manages the weekly show rather than a pastor who equips the saints?

Pastors surrendered to the call of ministry to be part of a movement of God that would change the world, not live moment to moment, maintaining a monument to a religious movement of the past.

Every pastor who's walked the trodden path of maintaining mediocrity has at some point looked up to realize that, at least in part, they've squandered much of their life to sideways energy--moments of superfluousness--that add up to a multitude of missed opportunities to participate in something bigger than themselves. That understanding is always a shot to the gut, and it is one of the leading reasons pastors begin to quietly quit and merely accept mediocrity for what it is.

But there is something you can do about it. You can step up to defend your pastor against sideways energy. You can leverage your God-ordained giftedness to release your pastor from the duties of the, at worst, disobedient. Pastors spend so much of their time doing tasks that, if we're honest, belong to someone who is called to serve in that specific way, but, at best, no one has presented that as a tangible option for them, and the pastor is simply struggling to keep all the balls in the air.

At the next leadership meeting, consider the role of a pastor in Ephesians 4 and the role of those in the church body. Have a conversation with your pastor. What percentage of time can your pastor give to their God-ordained role to equip the saints for the work of the ministry? What layperson could be trained to lead out in various areas of service? Who are the leaders willing to spend time conversing with those unhappy because the offertory was taken up in the wrong place?

How can you intentionally release your pastor from getting sucked into sideways energy, so they can focus on leading God's missional movement for your church? If you figure this out, you're well on your way to seeing a significant spiritual breakthrough in your congregation.