We hope that you have seen and heard the news that we welcomed a new president here at Focus on the Family Canada this summer. If you missed seeing Jean-Paul Beran’s story in one of our emails or in our October magazine, you can click here to get to know him and his family.
As we turn our thoughts towards Clergy Appreciation Month again this October, I was reminded of the verse on which this celebration is based: 1 Timothy 5:17.
Have you ever heard anyone use the saying “that’s just the tip of the iceberg”? I’m sure we all have and maybe we have said it ourselves. Whenever I hear someone refer to the tip of the iceberg my mind goes to the historical story of the Titanic. The iceberg that was seen was literally only the “tip of the iceberg.” It was the part of the iceberg that was unseen that sunk the supersized ship that was said to be unsinkable.
Serving in the background of our retreat ministries is an amazing group of men and women without whom we could not do what we do to serve ministry leaders and married couples.
My mom and dad have taught me a profound lesson on what faithfulness looks like. They celebrated 65 years of marriage before my dad’s recent passing and those years covered some very hard seasons. When I was younger, I fully expected my parents to get divorced eventually. Part of that stemmed from seeing that they didn’t spend much time together and I could often hear them fighting when they thought my brother and I were sleeping. The other reason I expected it was because most of the kids in my class were from one-parent homes. I can only recall two of my classmates whose parents were still together besides mine. When my parents did fight, I often wondered if this would be the time where they would walk away from each other.
“Just beyond the boundaries of our cities is a unique lifestyle of faith and family of those who have a special connection to the land on which they live.”
Tim Beadle knows of what he speaks. He has spent the last 15 years on the road, travelling this beautiful country of Canada, checking in on rural pastors. What started out as a job turned into a burning passion to understand not just rural ministry but the pastors that God has called to minister there.
When you spend four and a half years in one church and then 28 years in the next church, it is easy to think one hasn’t faced much transition. As I look back, I have to say, this isn’t the case.
As I write this, a snowstorm is swirling outside, but in this time, it is not only the weather that keeps us isolated and, in many ways, disconnected. We know that many in society are suffering increased challenges to their mental health due to the restrictions related to COVID-19 – and clergy and ministry leaders are not immune to trials of the mind and spirit.
Pastors, we are certain that you are hearing many of the same stories we are hearing: the pandemic has been very hard on stressed marriages. Couples who had a good foundation have done quite well, some even reporting strengthened relationships from increased togetherness over the past 10 months or so, but those whose marriages were already distressed have found life even more challenging.
Dear Fellow Servants of the Lord Jesus:
A couple of days ago, on two different occasions, trusted ministry partners shared with me that a significant portion of pastors in North America are discouraged, and even considering leaving pastoral ministry. I woke up this morning with this fact, or observation, on my mind and heart, and during morning devotions wondered if I could speak a word to any of you wrestling along such lines.