There is a mantra we\u2019ve repeated many times on this blog: “Ministry is hard.” There are a lot of things we sometimes do to make it harder. We can make it harder by not getting enough sleep, not maintaining a healthy diet, not getting enough exercise, and not taking much-needed days off for rest and recharging.<\/p>\n
Another way we can make ministry harder is by not taking time for recreation. Ministry can be awfully stressful. Let me share three tips I\u2019m learning about the importance of recreation in the life of a pastor.<\/p>\n
First, recreation helps relieve stress.\u00a0<\/strong>Whether it\u2019s an occasional round of golf or a hike in the woods, having an active hobby can be a great source of stress relief. Personally, I enjoy playing softball. I also enjoy playing an occasional round of golf. I love going to the driving range or the batting cages. It is quite cathartic to spend an hour or so hitting a ball. And it\u2019s much more beneficial than hitting, say, a church member.<\/p>\n Second, recreation can help build relationships.<\/strong>\u00a0I play in a co-ed softball league with a few folks from our church. But we also have several non-church members on the team. This gives me an opportunity to meet folks I probably would never meet otherwise. Last year I had the privilege of performing the wedding ceremony of a couple who played with us. Now, in full disclosure, we haven\u2019t gained any church attenders (yet) from our softball team. We haven\u2019t had folks come to faith in Christ in left field (yet). But I\u2019ve spent a couple of years building relationships with folks on our team.<\/p>\n A round of golf with an acquaintance will give you a couple of hours to get to know another person. It will also teach you self-control because, as a pastor, you have to keep your temper in check when your tee shot winds up two fairways over when you\u2019re playing with someone else.<\/p>\n