01/15/2026
Somewhere right now there is a pastor praying the bills get paid this week.
He’s praying the people actually show up on Sunday.
He’s praying that what he stepped into is actually what God called him to, because the insecurity of pastoring is so overwhelming it has him second-guessing everything in his life.
Somewhere there’s a pastor whose marriage is struggling, not because of a lack of love, but because trying to work a full-time job, be a full-time pastor, a full-time dad, and somehow a part-time husband is not sustainable.
Somewhere there’s a pastor wrestling with low self-esteem, intrusive thoughts, and the quiet fear of not being valued, while still giving everything he possibly has to a calling that doesn’t seem to be working the way he hoped it would.
Somewhere there’s a pastor who isn’t even praying for a great week anymore, he’s just hoping for a good one.
And now, unfortunately, that same struggling, insecure, hopeful pastor is about to receive unwarranted scrutiny because of a skit.
Most people think all churches are mega churches, when the reality is that less than 3% of churches fall into that category. The skit had truth in it, some humor, and a few questionable moments. But right now, everyone is being thrown into the same pot.
That reality causes parishioners to ask questions.
It makes doubters’ voices louder.
It gives critics the appearance of well-studied conclusions built on incomplete information.
And this pastor now feels forced to answer for things that will likely never even happen in his lifetime.
Every pastor is not called to mega ministry. Most are called to faithful, local ministry, often with congregations of 50 people or less. They are not managing brands, platforms, or global audiences, they are managing funerals, counseling sessions, budget shortfalls, broken marriages, and their own quiet exhaustion.
As he gets ready to go to work, he overhears coworkers talking about the skit. He stays silent, not because there isn’t truth that needs to be addressed, but because while the skit exposed some real issues within the broader church, it unintentionally covered up the local pastor who simply needs prayer.
This isn’t about defending systems.
This is about protecting shepherds.
If you’re reading this and your church is not mega, and your pastor is faithful, present, and quietly carrying weight you may never see, pray for him.
This isn’t to exclude mega churches.
This is to speak to the 97% of pastors who can’t even relate to the conversation, but now feel the weight of it anyway.
Pray for them.
