Really, I’m Not a Nag!

Dear DW,

I am a very supportive ministry spouse but recently I am starting to feel a little taken for granted. It seems like at least once a week my spouse springs another “activity” on me- usually one that I’m solely in charge of or one that requires me to drop everything and clean the house before people come over! Do you have any advice to help my spouse understand how I feel without sounding like I’m complaining?

NotANag in Neosho

*Pastor, if you are reading this, stop, pick up the phone, open an email, or immediately find your spouse and tell them how much they mean to you and to the ministry you do! Have you done it, yet? I meant it…I’m waiting…

Dear NotANag,

I talk with so many ministry spouses who feel just like you described; supportive towards ministry but overlooked when it comes to courtesy and appreciation. Unlike our pastor spouse, we don’t get paid to do this job but like many pastoral job descriptions say, we are expected to “perform all additional duties as assigned by the pastor”!

You are right. It doesn’t make you a nag to speak up or ask for a break from hospitality duties occasionally. It does not make you a nag to want to step aside from being your spouse’s #1 volunteer. It does not make you a complainer to want to be thanked for what you do. But I hear in your letter some doubts or maybe some accusation that you complain too much about ministry activities. Either way, this is something that you and your spouse have got to talk about. Avoiding the “Nag Tag” will be easier if you set apart a quiet, private moment to really talk about how you are feeling. No sideways comments while you are working in the church cafe for the 4th Sunday in a row because no one showed up or sighing as you are handed the preschool curriculum 5 minutes before class starts. Schedule time to seriously discuss how you feel. And, yes, I do mean schedule. It’s obvious that you are both very busy people.

Just like any other church member, you should be serving in the places of your giftedness and God’s leading. Of course, there will be moments of taking on extra for the sake of your spouse, but it’s unfair to you and to your spouse’s ministry for you to always be the one taking up the slack. And that’s not nagging!

Love,
DW~

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Where’s Daddy?

Dear DW, 

I have three children under the age of six.  My husband is a youth pastor at a relatively large church.  As I’m sure you can imagine, there are a lot of demands on his time.  Our children are now getting old enough that they are noticing how often their Dad is gone.  How do I explain to them why Daddy is frequently not with us without making them resent the church?

 Sincerely,  

Patty and the Preschoolers

 

Dear Patty and the Preschoolers, 

You have asked an excellent question and have tapped into fears that I have carried with me since the day I said “I do” to my husband.  We have all heard the urban legends of PK’s gone wild because they resented the time their parents spent at church.  I’m still working this one out myself, but I’ll tell you a few things that I keep as driving principles when explaining ministry sacrifice to my children: 

1.    Your children will reflect back what you project to them.  Those little faces have a way of being the perfect mirror of everything we say and do.  If we as spouses are resentful of the time Dad spends at church, our children will be too.  Ask these questions of yourself:  Do you see time spent at church as valuable, worthy, and meaningful to God’s kingdom work?  Is it for an eternal purpose?  Is it worthy of sacrifice?  If you can say “yes” to these questions, you should have no problem explaining why Dad is not home.  He’s a HERO helping a desperate world know Jesus!  But if you are having trouble seeing how the annual Whipped Cream Fight has significance in God’s work, you have some talking to do with your husband before you can explain anything to your children. (see post 8/29/11, Alone Again)

2.    We are all called to ministry.  Whether we are at the church with Dad or not, we are a part of what Dad is doing.  One of the ways that we serve and worship Jesus is by giving up some of the time that we could spend with Dad so that he can minister to other people.  Include them in the work of Dad’s ministry in age appropriate ways so that they understand that they are a part of what Dad is doing.  Whether that is drawing pictures for a teenager in the hospital, helping clean up after an event, or praying while Dad is in a counseling appointment, they need to see that they contribute to the ministry as well.

3.    Never take their sacrifice for granted.  Now that your children are becoming aware of their own sacrifice for ministry, it’s definitely time for them to experience the same appreciation that any ministry volunteer might expect.  Frequently tell them “Thank you” for their patience with Dad’s absence.  Have Dad (and the student ministry) write them notes of encouragement and appreciation when he’s gone.  And never underestimate the power of a “treat” when Daddy finally comes home.  Let them know that without their sacrifice and support, Dad could never serve Jesus in the way that he does. 

Finally, I want to caution you that there’s a warning signal in the words, “Where’s Daddy?”  Just like those little birds that miners used to take down into the mines with them as an alert to when the air was getting dangerous, out of the mouths of babes comes the reality that our home life is getting out of balance.   Heed their warning signals as if your family was running out of air.

I hope this gives you a good start Patty. 

Love~

DW

 

Please feel free to give Patty and the Preschoolers additional advice in the “comments” section below!

#1 Volunteer

 

Dear DW,

 My wife is on staff at a church.  Any time she needs anything, I am there for her.  I build sets, I haul stuff, I sponsor events, I even fill in when she needs a last minute volunteer to help with something on stage. I am very proud of her and I love being a part of what she is doing.  How do I tell her that I need a break?

 #1 Volunteer

 

 

 

Dear #1 Volunteer, 

When I read all that you do for your wife and her ministry, I’m almost sure I heard a collective “aaahhhh” from the ladies out there.  Do you do dishes too?!  What a blessing you are to your wife, her ministry, and your church! 

 However, no one can do it all, not even the perfect husband!  It’s convenient and easy to ask our family members to be the “fill-in everythings” at church.  It’s more difficult to ask a church member to make those sacrifices.  But, in the long run, it will be better for you, your relationship, and her ministry for her to expand her volunteer base.  At this point, you may not be able to just step out cold turkey.  I suspect that she has become a little dependant on what you do for her.  I would start by telling her that you need a break.  Let her know that you love supporting her in ministry but you need to step back.  Pick the one thing that you are most passionate about helping her with in ministry, and let her know that you will continue to do that one thing only.  Make plans with her to take a total ministry break sometime in the near future.   The break should have a definite starting time and ending time so that she knows you are not going to be gone forever!  When you come back from break, you won’t need to be her #1 go-to-guy because she will have been forced to develop alternative solutions to her volunteer needs in your absence.  This may be a little rocky to employ, but every minister wants their volunteers to be fresh and excited to be serving in the ministry.  If you don’t step back now, you may begin to resent being the #1 Volunteer later.   And that would be very disappointing for all the “aaahhhh” ladies who read this blog!

Love,

DW~

Baby Blues

Dear DW, 

I am a youth pastor’s wife who loves to serve in the student ministry with my husband!  For years, I’ve gone on all of the trips and have been a partner in every aspect of the student ministry.  Recently, I gave birth to my second child and I am finding it more and more difficult to be a big part of what is happening at church.  How do I manage two kids while being heavily involved in the student ministry? 

Baby Blues

Springfield, MO

 

Dear Baby Blues,

A wise woman once said to me that our lives are marked by seasons.  It may be time to admit that this season of your life demands some lifestyle changes.  Does that mean that you can no longer be a part of the student ministry?  No way!  But it may mean that the role you play in the course of the ministry will have to change for a period of time.  This may be hard for you since you have been so immersed in serving “hands on” in the youth ministry.  Think creatively about your new role.  Pre-kids, you could go to the church building, go on trips, and go to events.  Post-kids, instead of “go”-ing, you may need to have the events come to you.  Get creative in the way you personally interact with teenagers.  Some ideas for ministry that you can do with children in tow:

Host a small group in your home

Invite a few teenagers to help you with the kids

Become the taxi service for the ministry

Run errands for the upcoming youth events and ask some teenagers to come with  you to pick up the items 

If you are still feeling distant from the ministry, pick one major overnight event each year that you will attend and have someone else watch the children. Remember, the biggest impact and ministry you and your husband will ever have is on your own children.  Your church teenagers need to see a successful, loving Christian family as a part of their discipleship process.  This will require temporary sacrifice on your part that is well worth the time away from the ministry.  You may find out that this season will teach you and your husband how to maximize your ministry time and give you ideas for student ministry that you would never have considered pre-kids.  Before you know it, your kids will be older and you will be trying to figure out how to manage your own teenagers in your youth ministry!

 With love, 

DW~