After preaching on Sunday, anyone have the Monday "blues?"

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Comments

  • Dave Souers
    Dave Souers Member Posts: 55 ✭✭

    As others have said, this is a topic that is often swept under the rug and needs to be brought out more often. Personally, I don't take Monday's off because I feel like if I get right back into it, it will keep me focused. The other thing that I do is I make sure have some time on Monday's set aside to meet with people who encourage my spirit. Although I am the senior pastor, I still work with the youth at our church. I meet with my youth leadership team every Monday, and they always seem to turn a bad day into a great day. Find the things or people in your ministry that regularly excite you and spend time with them. 

    I would also strongly recommend a book by Wayne Corderio called "Leading on Empty". This is a very powerful resource for those in ministry. 

    Thanks for the conversation

         Dave

  • Michael March
    Michael March Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    I am with those for whom Saturday is the weekly day to fight the blues.  There have been Saturdays when I just do not want to get out of bed, even though the sermon has most of it's structure and ideas already put in, I dread the thought of finishing it up and actually delivering it.  I think it is a feeling of inadequacy combined with one of genuine fear of public speaking.  For me sermons are never ready, I just eventually run out of time.  Anxiety reigns on Saturday.  This after 26 years in the ministry, and 19 in this pulpit.  

    On Sunday after the second worship service I'm elated to have almost a full week until I have to do it again and physically and emotionally exhausted so a nap is almost always in order.  Sunday evenings are some of the best family time we have, we make homemade pizza every Sunday.  I have four kids and each one of us makes an individual pie, custom built with favorite ingredients.  This we have done since they had to stand on a chair to reach the counter.  Sunday evenings are a great joy for me.  Then when Monday morning rolls around it seems so far from Sunday, that I actually enjoy working and trying to pick the next sermon text knowing that delivery of said sermon is far, far away.  

    Give me your Mondays and you can have my Saturdays!  

     

    Windows PC - Android Phone - Surface Pro 4

  • Steven L. Spencer
    Steven L. Spencer Member Posts: 315 ✭✭

    As the originator of this post, I want to thank all of you for your input and suggestions on dealing with the Monday "blues."  I'm glad I'm not alone in this.  I don't know who said this, but I think it is true:

    "Preaching that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing." 

    One friend reminded me of the incident in which  the woman with the issue of blood was healed of her affliction--when Jesus asked, "Who touched me?"  He said, "Someone touched me, for I perceive that power (dunamis) has gone out of me [Lk. 8:46].  Maybe that illustrates the "cost" of preaching and ministry. I praise God for all my brother and sister preachers who are willing to pour out their lives and their hearts to bring people the word of God.  Blessings to you all--Steven

  • TCBlack
    TCBlack Member Posts: 10,980 ✭✭✭

    One more parting giggle:

    Every year I've made it my habit (as possible) to attend the Moody Bible Institute Pastor's Conference.  

    For a number of years the T-shirts handed out there simply said, "Moody Pastors Conference"  or simply "Moody Pastors"

    I like to wear my tshirts on Monday.  

    Hmm Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 

  • DAL
    DAL Member Posts: 10,864 ✭✭✭

     Indifferent just don't try to count the blinks Huh?...

    THANK YOU!  I thought I was seeing things...LOL

     

  • Dan Lybarger
    Dan Lybarger Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

    Hi Stephen,

        I Have been pastoring congregations for 41 years. I am currently serving a 3 church parish mad eup of two dominant culture churches and a Native American congregation. I lead worship and preach at 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM and 1:15 PM on Sundays in order to make rounds to all three churches. To counter the Monday blues I take Monday as my day off and plan something my wife and I enjoy together. Other times I will pursue one of my hobbies such as fly fishing or woodcarving. I ofund that this helps energize me for the week, all of which are very very busy. I am the only staff person in the three congregations other than musicians and two choir directors. I started taking Mondays as the day off and found this works better for me than later in the week. Each individula has to find what works best for him or her.

    Take care

    Dan

  • Lisa Teague
    Lisa Teague Member Posts: 5 ✭✭

    When people say great job or thank you for that message I simply respond it was nothing but God. If you remember that one of the characteristics of being humble is to be modest then it will be easier to respond, you could also say all the glory to God, as long as your giving all credit to God then there is no wrong answer.

  • Lisa Teague
    Lisa Teague Member Posts: 5 ✭✭

    I noticed that after about an hour of giving a sermon that I get horrible migraines, one of my co-ministers said I picked up on someone's spirit, any thoughts?

  • DAL
    DAL Member Posts: 10,864 ✭✭✭

    I noticed that after about an hour of giving a sermon that I get horrible migraines, one of my co-ministers said I picked up on someone's spirit, any thoughts?

    No thoughts, sorry. One of the forum rules is to avoid theological discussions and your post will definitely lead to that. But don't believe you "co-minister" go to the doctor, you may have some kind  condition or developing one.

    DAL

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 14,458 ✭✭✭✭

    2010 thread.

    DAL, my spouse noticed the same problem. Some people at church cause headaches. I thought, oh sure.  So, we started measuring people by headache creation (not sharing our data). Then we compared our data after several weeks. Matched.  We decided 'negative aura's and seemingly purposeful.  Kind of like in the NT, demons.

    Try it.

    "If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.

  • Tony Walker
    Tony Walker Member Posts: 377 ✭✭

    "This we have done since they had to stand on a chair to reach the counter."

    That line almost brought a tear to my eye... I suppose its because I have 3 kids who are growing up so fast. I became a youth pastor almost 2 years ago and before I worked 12 hour swing shifts. I thought I'd have more time with my family than I did at a plant job but after 2 years I feel like my young family is growing up without me.

    preachertony.com — appletech.tips — facebook.com/tonywalker23 — twitter.com/tonywalker23 — youtube.com/tonywalker23

  • Lisa Teague
    Lisa Teague Member Posts: 5 ✭✭

    Yeah, its only certain people, Sunday I called one of the disciples to the front to show a demonstration of burdens, I could feel that what I was saying was convicting her and she was crying a little, then I had the migraine start to creep on and turned to a full blown one after service was over

  • DAL
    DAL Member Posts: 10,864 ✭✭✭

    Denise said:

    2010 thread.

    DAL, my spouse noticed the same problem. Some people at church cause headaches. I thought, oh sure.  So, we started measuring people by headache creation (not sharing our data). Then we compared our data after several weeks. Matched.  We decided 'negative aura's and seemingly purposeful.  Kind of like in the NT, demons.

    Try it.

    Ok, show me a Bible example and Scripture that says you get headaches for preaching God's word and that it's due to other people's "aura" or "negative vibe." As far as I know, the Bible does not record such things. First century Christians who preached didn't say they experienced it, Jesus didn't say it would happen either. Trust me, I used to be a pentecostal and I've been in the same room with people who "were demon possessed" (or so they claimed) and I didn't even get a goosebump. I got more goosebumps watching the movie "The exorcist" so no, no headaches. Check for mold in you building or maybe turn down the music a bit, since that can cause headaches too (I know pentecostals love to get loud and shake too much during what they call worship or even the "hour of prayer"). So "kind of like" NT demons doesn't cut it...or it's demons or it's not, but it can't be "kind of like." Which I assure you 100% is not demons ;) unless you really want to believe that, then you can trick yourself into feeling that you're levitating for that matter :)

    DAL

    Ps. Yes 2010 thread, I guess the migraines are back, conveniently striking only a few who conveniently are the ones "preaching" and so automatically qualify to tell the story so people will buy it :) If I didn't know any better, I'd probably believe you ;)

  • Lisa Teague
    Lisa Teague Member Posts: 5 ✭✭

    I didn't say it was demons or that there was scripture to say so but did not Jesus suffer ridicule and persecution for preaching, healing, and prophecy, so why would we as imperfect people not suffer for spreading Gods word, the devil is prowling around as a roaring lion as it says in 1Peter, he attacks everyone including clergy

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 14,458 ✭✭✭✭

    Lisa ... I have to take the demon-ic blame here. But I would argue that people intuitively can feel something really off-balance, and react to it. 

    DAL ... first, the 1st century world was a demon-based world (hellenism/eastern). So, when you read the gospels, the writers are simply confirming the problem. And if you didn't know the name of the demon, he was pretty much out of control.  That's why 'calling on the name' was so critical. Amulets were sometimes helpful to ward them off.

    But you are correct ... scholars have not identified a single headache in the NT. Only the OT.

    "If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.

  • DAL
    DAL Member Posts: 10,864 ✭✭✭

    I didn't say it was demons or that there was scripture to say so but did not Jesus suffer ridicule and persecution for preaching, healing, and prophecy, so why would we as imperfect people not suffer for spreading Gods word, the devil is prowling around as a roaring lion as it says in 1Peter, he attacks everyone including clergy

    Dear Lisa, I was replying to Denise not to you. But tell me, you see a headache in the same category as persecution? A lot of people who aren't even believers have them, what do you make of that? My advice, go to the doctor that's why we have them. You probably stress too much with public speaking and that stress is causing your headaches. But then again, you can believe what you want a headache is not persecution :) or...Maybe is a sign of weakness and you shouldn't be "preaching" because it drains you too much ;)

  • Lisa Teague
    Lisa Teague Member Posts: 5 ✭✭

    I never get headaches. I don't get them when I act in plays, when I sing in the choir/praise team, when I teach Sunday school, point is I'm not nervous about being or speaking in front of a large crowd, how could I be nervous when I allow the Holy Spirit to guide the sermon. Anyhow, I don't feel tired or drained either, I don't have medical issues, and I didn't say it was persecution, I used that for an example. I'm just saying that maybe the enemy is trying to attack me and use the headaches to turn me away from ministering, but ordained or not, nothing will keep me from sharing about how good God is