Ok...I think I'm done...

Joshua Cotteen
Professor Murphy
English 051
Career Research Essay
2 May 2009

What Is A Pastor?

    Prior to going to church, I had no idea what being a pastor consisted of. I knew they taught the Bible on Sunday mornings, but had no other clue as to what else they did. After going to church for a period of time and getting to know my current pastor, I now have a different view of what they do. I also feel I will one day be a pastor. Since I feel that I am going to be a pastor, I decided to write my paper on what being a pastor is all about, and what I think I will have to do one day. I went online to different career sites to get different descriptions of what a pastor is, as well as interviewed a couple of pastors from my church. The two pastors that I interviewed are, Senior Pastor, Joe Coleman, and Assistant Pastor, Jim Doub. After reading this paper I hope you also have a better understanding of what being a pastor is all about, and what it involves.
    Some of the duties of a pastor is to teach the Bible to your congregation, counsel the people, and help individuals who are going through a tough period of time in their life. These things aren’t done like other 9 to 5 jobs. It is, as Pastor Joe Coleman says, a 24 hour a day 7 day a week job. Pastor Jim Doub says, it includes teaching in nursing homes, missions, home visits, as well as going to the hospital when someone is sick. A pastor can plan his day out, but he also has to be willing to change at the last minute and do something else, when someone is in need of their help. They also need to have enough time reserved to study and prepare their message for each service that they teach. If you don’t prepare, your message will not flow and the people listening may have a hard time following along.
    Training really depends on the denomination that the pastor is with. Some require you to go to seminary, others require a degree. My church only requires that it be a calling from God. Calvary Chapel does have different bible colleges that you can attend, but it is not a requirement. In fact, a lot of people go to bible college and never become a pastor. They get their degree, and do some missionary work while in college, but that is it. Career Planner says that you need to be trained in Philosophy, Theology, Psychology, English Language, Therapy, Counseling, and Communications. Assistant Pastor Jim Doub, on the other hand says, “Since being a ‘pastor’ is a calling from God and not man, education, in the formal sense, is not a pre-requisite.”
    Salary, as with training, have to do with what denomination the minister is with. Every group has a different salary for the pastors. According to Michigan Department of Career Development, “Earnings for Clergy Members depend on the particular denomination, the size and financial status of the individual congregation, or the type of organization for which they work.” Pastor Joe Coleman points out that in some instances, there is a ‘starting salary,’ but not always. There are times when a pastor doesn’t make enough money from the church to support himself or his family, that he has to roll up his sleeves and get a second job. There are even some pastors that don’t get paid at all for being a pastor.
    The job out look for this job is good. As long as there are religious people there will be a need for religious teachers. Even though there may be a lot of jobs as “religious leaders,” you are still limited depending on which religion you are. As Michigan Department of Career Development has shown, an average of 130 annual openings is expected, with 60 due to growth and 70 due to replacement of clergy who retire, die or leave the active ministry for other reasons. Additional openings may occur as Clergy members change positions or occupations. As Assistant Pastor Jim Doub explains that it is not like working any other job, it is up to God when a person should step down from the full time ministry, to retire. But once you have served as a pastor, you never really stop serving God. You are just not doing it in a formal way anymore. People will still need someone to talk to, help them in al different ways and they will still turn to you.
    Having received this additional info, I do believe that this job is for me. Not because of the salary, or for the title, but because I want to help people and I believe that I can do just that in this wonderful job. I will be able to use my skills and personality to help others with different things that they may be going through. I always want to help others, I believe in doing the right thing, as well as putting other first, and I love learning about the bible. This is why I believe that God will be able to use me when the time is right. I am studying my bible on my own, listening to others that I like who teach the bible, and reading books that teach me about the bible. I am preparing myself by getting a 2 year degree and then possibly go to bible college to finish my 4 year degree. I feel the education will help me prepare my sermons, meet deadlines, and manage my time with more then one thing. I am also learning how to communicate with others. I am not sure yet where it will lead me. I understand that I will probably have to move and I am willing to do that, but until then I will just continue to prepare myself for what lies ahead.


Works Cited

Clergy. Michigan Department of Career Development. 2003. 26 April 2009.
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Clergy Jobs and Job Description. Career Planner. 1997-2009. 26 April 2009.
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Coleman, Joe. “Pastor/Minister As A Job.” E-mail to Joshua Cotteen. 28 April 2009.

Doub, Jim. “Pastor/Minister As A Job.” E-mail to Joshua Cotteen. 28 April. 2009.