Pastor Jerry Eze recently spoke out about the difficulties he faces as a pastor.
In a statement, he expressed his thoughts on the often-overlooked challenges that some pastors face, particularly in Nigeria and around the world.
Pastor Eze described his journey as “weird,” citing instances in which he invested his heart and soul into people who later pretended he didn’t exist.
He spoke of hours spent in counselling and deliverance sessions only to have those he assisted disregard or even delete him from their lives.
The pastor also remarked on the irony of being publicly slandered by people he had honoured.
Pastor Jerry Eze also explained how different people perceive the same sermon – what may be life-changing for one person may be boring or even anger-inducing for another.
He addressed the common accusation that pastors are primarily motivated by financial gain as a significant point of contention.
He emphasised the expectations placed on religious leaders in terms of their lifestyle, such as being labelled materialistic and greedy if they own nice things, but unsuccessful or not blessed if they live modestly.
Pastor Eze also discussed the personal sacrifices that pastors make, such as the constant demand for their time, money, and resources.
He mentioned the criticism they receive when they set boundaries to maintain their mental health and family life, which is often perceived as selfish.
Despite these difficulties, Pastor Eze revealed that the role of a pastor is ultimately fulfilling and life-changing, particularly when viewed as a service to God.
“Pastoring is weird. I’ve poured my heart and soul into people who now act like I don’t exsist. I’ve done hours of counseling and deliverance with people who later deleted me. I’ve publicly honored people who chose to slander me and act like I was a villain. And then there’s people I rarely have conversations with that honor and respect me to the highest degree. Some leaders have washed my feet while others have thrown dirt on my name.
Pastoring is weird. I’m too much for some, yet too little for others. The same preaching that convicts one person angers another. The same sermon that was boring to one was massively impactful to another. Praised for being so loving and graceful, yet slandered for being too loving and graceful in certain situations.”
