Great expectations. Every ministry, whether great or small, has its share of expectations. Some are generated by ourselves, our family, our churches, our denominations, and our God. It can be challenging and yet frustrating to try to please everyone, while also trying to live up to God’s divine purpose for us as well as meeting our own personal expectations and goals.

We have counseled with hundreds of pastors who have struggled with balancing the great expectations that come with the ministry. We have found many expectations to be unfair or unrealistic. These can lead to frustration, setting up both the pastor and church for failure.

Some pastors may internalize expectations as criticisms or shortcomings. Many pastors compare their own results with other ministries. There are thousands upon thousands of other churches out there, including those that appear to be doing more and achieving great success. Such thinking can jeopardize one’s self-esteem and self-worth.

The success of one’s ministry should never be measured by the success of other ministries to its own success. The success of every church, every pastor, and every believer should only be measured by how we are following God’s direction, purpose, and plan.

Another existing problem occurs when a pastor inherits illogical expectations that are created by the traditions of the church or its members. Sometimes it is the pastor who places an unrealistic load on one’s shoulders, operating as if the church cannot function unless the pastor is involved in doing everything. And some pastors neglect their families while struggling to live up to the great expectations that are placed on them by their church or ministry.

Here are 7 suggestions to help pastors stay focused on God’s calling and avoid being defeated by unrealistic expectations, unfair comparisons, and unhealthy attitudes:

1. Clear direction: Have a clear understanding of how God is directing you and your ministry.

2. Clear communication: Communicate clearly to your family and to your church how God is directing you.

3. Clear plan: How are you going to carry out God’s directions? Is your plan attainable? Don’t create unrealistic and defeating expectations for yourself.

4. Clear timetable: No plan is complete without a time element. Your goals may be realistic, but your timetable to achieve them may be impractical. Be patient and realistic.

5. Clear objective: Have you communicated the expectations you have for your family, staff, and church? If you expect things of them, they need to know it, and they need the opportunity to respond.

6. Clear channel: Are you listening to your family’s expectations of you? Are you validating those expectations? Are they are fair and realistic? Are you discussing them honestly with your family if they are not?

7. Clear priority: Is it important to you to carry out God’s direction in your life? Then you must dedicate time for meditation, prayer, and evaluation of your goals and expectations.

Hopefully pastors will provide the kind of leadership that leads their churches to meet or exceed reasonable expectations. To do so, one must maintain an active prayer life, hear the direction from God, seek wise counsel from inside and outside the church, teach and encourage the congregation and leaders, evaluate goals and expectations throughout the year, adjusting them as necessary, and get sufficient rest.

Satan will do his best to mire us in discouragement. He loves to turn our thoughts to the things we are not doing rather than the things we are actually accomplishing. We must resist such negative thinking.

We have begun a new year! Full of new possibilities! I hope you have many optimistic goals for your church and ministry for this new year. But more importantly, I hope you are putting your faith in God to achieve those goals. Again, let me encourage you to make sure your goals are clear and realistic. Make sure to communicate clearly to your family and your church so they can join you in your call.

Don’t be discouraged, pastor, if you do not see immediate results. My grandfather used to say, “Keep your head up, look forward, and keep on plowing.” Or as Paul put it, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

If Pastoral Care, Inc. can be of any help to you in this new year, please give us a call at (918) 758-4147. Or send me an email at jim.fuller@pastoralcareinc.com. I am here to help you! May God grant you a happy and successful new year!