The Top Ten Things Teenagers Don’t Know (or Want to Know) About Their Pastor

By Rev. Jeffrey Pulse

At first, he was “that man up there” in long flowing white robes, doing all manner of strange and interesting things. He was Jesus! But that did not last long. Then he was the teenage torturer with his weapons of memory work and sermon summaries, somehow in cahoots with your parents to deprive you of all manner of free time with your friends. Now, well, now he is the pastor, your pastor, but what does this mean?

We have a general idea on this pastor thing, but we are not too sure about our pastor. Who is he really? Is he different from other pastors: Lutheran pastors, your friends’ pastors, pastors around the world? Who is this guy anyway?

10. Does my pastor have a life?

Yes, he does, although some pastors’ lives are livelier than others. He has friends (even non-members!), hobbies, and responsibilities that are not directly part of the church. Please do not tell the elders.

9. What does he do in his free time?

While the old joke that pastors only work one hour a week is most certainly not true, they still have free time. Most of us spend that time with our families and friends doing what families and friends do.

8. What about his family?

What about his family?

7. What is his home life like? Does it involve lots of candles and prayers?

I suppose the candle thing is a matter of preference, and although Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing, your pastor’s home is no monastery (I hope!). You would probably feel right at home sitting around his table, asking to borrow the car. Will my pastor loan me his car? Probably not.

6. What does my pastor think about me? What does he know about me?

He probably knows more about you than you realize. (Be afraid. Be very afraid! Ok, just kidding.) As far as what he thinks about you, that is the tough question. Tough, not because I have bad news, rather, tough because the feelings that pastors have for their congregations, especially the young people, run pretty deep and are hard to express. Maybe that is why you ask the question. Concern, responsibility, love...that scratches the surface.

5. Does he have time for me if I want to talk? If I do talk, how much will he tell my parents?

\Your pastor will make time to talk with you. After all, he only works one hour a week. Wait, we’ve already covered that. Pastors take the privacy rule of counseling very seriously. However, if what you share with him involves your physical and spiritual safety, his love for you may cause him to talk to your parents.

4. Why is he a pastor? How did he get the job?

First, it is important to understand that being a pastor is not a job. Being a pastor is a calling—a calling from God. Your pastor is a pastor because God called him into the Holy Ministry, and he is addicted to the big paychecks and lucrative book deals.

3. What does he think about his job, I mean, calling?

Depends which day it is! Some days chickens and some days feathers, which means it is not always an easy calling. There are days when it is pretty tough because of the things a pastor has to deal with. Other days are so amazing and full of joy you forget about the hard days.

2. What exactly is his job (oops, you know what I mean)?

A pastor is called to be a shepherd and a servant. He is a shepherd under Jesus Christ who has a flock (your congregation) entrusted to him. He is a servant just as Jesus came to serve and minister to our needs. In other words, your pastor is called by your congregation with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to preach God’s Word and administer the Holy Sacraments. He is shepherd and servant as he leads you day by day in the paths of God surrounded by the grace of God in Christ Jesus. That may sound like a lot of church speak, but it helps us to see why pastors do what they do and who they do it for.

1. Where do I fit in with all of this?

Now you’ve finally hit on the really big question! In the eyes of your pastor, you are one of those entrusted to his care. When I was your age, I kept my pastor pretty busy, but he was faithful and loved me even when I was unlovable, which was most of the time. (Hmm. My students say that some things never change.) Pastors care very deeply for every member of their congregation, and that means you!

So, who is your pastor? At first he was Jesus. And then he wasn’t. But rest assured that he does work very closely with Him.

Rev. Prof. Jeffrey Pulse is Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and also serves as pastor of Shepherd of the City Lutheran. He can be reached at jeffrey.pulse@ctsfw.edu.