Something Church Members May Never Realize
There is something that can be very discouraging to a pastor, and it’s something most church members probably never think about. It’s walking into the sanctuary on Sunday morning and seeing nearly every pew in the front and center of the church completely empty, while everyone is scattered across the back rows and far corners of the building.
It may seem like a small thing, but from behind the pulpit, it can be heartbreaking.
A pastor spends hours studying, praying, and preparing a message that he believes God has laid upon his heart. He looks forward to standing before his church family and sharing God’s Word. But when he looks out and sees nothing but empty pews in front of him, with people sitting as far away as possible, it can make an already small congregation feel even smaller.
Preaching is more than simply standing behind a pulpit and talking. There is a connection between a pastor and his people. He looks into their faces, sees their expressions, and senses their attentiveness. But when everyone is spread out in opposite directions, that connection becomes much more difficult. Instead of preaching to a congregation gathered together, it can feel like he’s preaching to a nearly empty room.
And believe me, that can wear on a pastor.
Most people have their favorite place to sit, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. Some have legitimate reasons for sitting where they do. But I wonder how many ever stop to think about how it looks and feels from the pulpit.
A small congregation sitting together can make a sanctuary feel warm, welcoming, and alive. The singing sounds fuller, the fellowship feels closer, and the whole atmosphere becomes more inviting. But take that same congregation and scatter them across the back pews and far corners of the building, leaving the front and center completely empty, and suddenly the church feels cold, empty, and disconnected. It can even give visitors the wrong impression. Instead of seeing a close-knit church family gathered together in worship, they may wonder why everyone is sitting so far apart, or worse, whether something is wrong within the congregation.
Where we sit may seem like a small thing, but it can make a tremendous difference in how a church feels, both to those visiting and to the pastor standing behind the pulpit.
Someone might say, “Well, the preacher ought to preach the same no matter where people sit.” And that’s true. But pastors are human too. They get tired, they get discouraged, and sometimes they wonder whether they’re really making a difference.
In fact, discouragement in ministry can become so overwhelming that some pastors begin questioning whether they should continue where they are. It’s rarely just one thing, but sometimes even the little things add to a burden that nobody else sees.
A pastor can dearly love his congregation and still feel very lonely standing behind the pulpit.
I’m not suggesting everyone needs to sit on the front row. I’m simply asking church members to be thoughtful. Move a little closer. Sit together when possible. Help create an atmosphere of warmth and fellowship rather than one of distance and separation.
Hebrews 10:24 reminds us, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”
That consideration ought to include the pastor as well.
Sometimes encouraging your pastor doesn’t require a gift, a card, or even a word of appreciation. Sometimes it’s as simple as moving a few pews closer, looking him in the eye, and letting him know by your presence that you’re there with him.
Those empty pews between the pastor and his congregation may not mean much to the people sitting in the back, but to the man standing behind the pulpit, they can feel like a hundred miles.