
Some tensions in pastoral ministry don’t indicate failure; they signal engagement with real ministry in the real world.
By Aaron Summers
I see you staring at your computer screen late at night, wondering if tomorrow you should focus on this year’s vision or today’s crisis. Your sermon notes sit half-finished because three church members needed pastoral care this afternoon. The administrative report your leadership needs remains unopened in your email. Your family ate dinner without you again. I see you. I’ve been there too.
Let’s talk about what no one told us in seminary. Ministry success isn’t about choosing between good and bad options. It’s about the tension between competing goods. Each good is vital. Each demands attention. And each represents a genuine biblical mandate. These aren’t problems to be solved but tensions to be managed in ministry. And understanding this distinction marks the difference between thriving and merely surviving in ministry.
1. The vision-reality tension
You feel it every Monday morning, don’t you? That pull between where God calls your church to go and what needs to be done today. Your heart stirs with dreams of future impact while your desk drowns in current demands. Vision sees the promised land; reality counts the costs. Both are important. Both demand attention.
The challenge is to create rhythms that honor both timeframes. Try protecting certain times for vision work—perhaps Monday mornings when your mind is fresh and the week lies ahead. Build a leadership team that intentionally combines visionary and operational gifts. Create regular communication bridges between present actions and future goals, helping your congregation see how today’s faithfulness paves the way for tomorrow’s possibilities.
“Create regular communication bridges between present actions and future goals, helping your congregation see how today's faithfulness paves the way for tomorrow's possibilities.” — @aaronwsummers Share on X2. The innovation-heritage tension
I bet you’ve got at least one change you know your church needs to make, but you’re concerned about honoring the church’s heritage. Moreover, you’re worried the older portion of your congregation will not like it and will make it widely known. That tension between moving forward and respecting the past requires careful navigation.
Try creating change management processes that honor church history. Build a diverse team representing both future-focused and traditional perspectives. Meet with this group monthly to discuss ideas and innovations. In this way, a dialogue emerges because you have the various groups represented. This will take more time than just stepping out and doing it. Remember, slow change sticks better than quick fixes.
3. The administration-ministry tension
Your day probably started with budget decisions and ended with a hospital visit. Welcome to the unique challenge of being both CEO and shepherd. Some days, you feel more like a business manager than a spiritual guide, don’t you?
Create clear time blocks for different aspects of your role and for the good and better parts of the day. I tend to study and write in the mornings as I am at my best between 8 a.m. and noon. In the afternoon, I try to schedule creative and administrative work that works on a different side of my brain. Delegate heavily in your weaker area while maintaining oversight. Develop lay leadership teams that can handle significant administrative or pastoral care responsibilities.
4. The depth-breadth tension
When was the last time you felt torn between spending quality time with key leaders versus being available to the broader congregation? This tension between going deep with a few and maintaining a broad congregational connection never fully resolves.
Instead, consider implementing a “concentric circles” approach to ministry. Train those in your inner circle to provide care to others. Use technology wisely for broader connections while preserving energy for key relationships. We see Jesus doing this with His 3-12-120-masses approach to ministry. Similarly, Jethro instructed Moses to create judicial pathways to spread the ministry load (Exodus 18).
5. The prophetic-pastoral tension
Remember last week when you knew your congregation needed to hear the hard truth, but you also knew how many were hurting? That tension between prophetic preaching and pastoral care wasn’t a sign of poor planning. It was evidence that you’re engaged in real ministry with real people.
Building relational capital before delivering challenging messages is needed in today’s culture. Create teaching calendars that balance truth and grace, challenge and comfort. Develop trusted feedback loops to help gauge impact and timing. Most importantly, learn to embody the truth-in-love paradigm that Paul describes—not choosing between truth and love but learning to deliver truth lovingly.
“The tension between prophetic preaching and pastoral care isn't a sign of poor planning. It's evidence that you're engaged in real ministry with real people.” — @aaronwsummers Share on X6. The family-ministry tension
Let’s talk about what keeps you up at night—the constant tensions between ministry demands and family needs. Start by setting non-negotiable family times in your calendar. I learned from my in-laws how to do this. I decided early on Fridays were family days. We all know that with current technology, there are no days off. In fact, people often think pastors should be available 24/7. I refer to Fridays and Saturdays as family time or Sabbath time.
Another option is to create clear emergency protocols to reduce unnecessary interruptions. Create a call list that you make publicly accessible. For repair needs, call Ron. For usage needs, call the office during the week. And for financial needs, contact Brent. Why? Your family is your first congregation and should have your attention too. A thriving ministry built on a struggling family isn’t thriving.
7. The personal growth-congregational needs tension
When did you last invest in your own spiritual and professional growth? The constant demands of ministry can make personal development feel selfish. Yet a depleted pastor serves no one well.
Schedule regular study and growth time. As mentioned, I spend my mornings studying and preparing. However, before the office comes personal time spent with God. Here, I read and reflect on Scripture that has nothing to do with sermon building.
Build accountability relationships outside your congregation. I have a friend I meet with monthly for coffee and conversation. On the other side, I am that friend to someone else. You might not think you have time for this, but you need it more than you know. Finally, attend conferences and training events when you can. Check your associational calendar or state offices for opportunities to learn and grow. Your congregation needs you to grow as much as they need you to serve.
Hope for the journey
Fellow pastor, these tensions in your ministry don’t indicate failure; they signal engagement with real ministry in the real world. Jesus modeled this dance, sometimes withdrawing for solitude while crowds waited, other times interrupting plans to address immediate needs. He balanced truth and grace, confrontation and compassion, present ministry and future vision.
The goal isn’t to eliminate these tensions in ministry but to learn to manage them gracefully. While challenging, navigating these tensions leads us to become more dependent, humble, and effective leaders. It drives us to prayer, pushes us toward wisdom, and reminds us daily of our need for God’s grace.
So, tomorrow morning, when you feel pulled in multiple directions, remember: These tensions aren’t signs of failure but growth opportunities. They don’t mean you’re doing it wrong; they mean you’re engaged in pastoral ministry’s complex, beautiful work. The dance may be difficult, but it’s in the dancing we grow, learn, and become the leaders God has called us to be.
Take heart, friend. You’re not dancing alone.
For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.

Aaron Summers
Aaron serves as the pastor of First Baptist in Crowley, Texas, as a church consultant with Texas Baptists and owns RestoringSignificance.com, an organizational coaching company. He and his wife Dulcie have two kids in college and enjoy traveling in their RV.