Marriage counsellor, Pastor Bisi Adewale has pointed out that many pastors and church leaders are going through hard stuff for which they need urgent help.
Many of them, according to the President of Family Booster International (FBI), are under the strain of financial, emotional and social pressure that reduces their effectiveness and lifespan.
He said many Pastors and church leaders are overworked, underpaid, undervalued, highly criticised and overstressed by everyone.
Except they get help to scale through, Adewale warned many of them will drop off or fail woefully.
He spoke with reporters ahead of the three-day international conference with the theme ” Excellent family, excellent church” by the faith-based organisation.
The conference, which kicks off on September 15, holds at RCCG, Maranatha Church Gbagada 21, Layori Soetan Street, Oremeji-Roundabout, Gbagada, Lagos.
Some of the ministers expected include Evangelists Mike and Gloria Bamiloye of Mount Zion Ministry; Rev Tony Akinyemi and Rev Albert Aina.
Adewale said: ”Pastors are special People, they are the ones that most Christians call first whenever they need help, they are consulted for almost everything, times they have to act as Marriage Counsellors, Financial Counsellors, Psychologists, trauma healing experts, Guarantors, Lawyers, accountants, Health experts, Fathers, Pillars etc.
”They are consulted for almost every problem by everybody. Often Malign in the social media, stabbed at the back by their own people, but they are seriously needed every day by the same people that are hurting them.
”They stand with people when they get wedded, stand with them if can’t become pregnant, assist if pregnant, called by 1 am when they are in Labour, raised money if there are complications that need surgical operations, name the baby, nurture the baby spiritually to youthful age, wed out the youth, attend to them if the marriage run to trouble waters or hit the rock, bury elderly that dies, support the bereaved families.
”Despite all these, they are still grossly under-valued, underrated, not appreciated, not recognized, abused, maligned, hated and not well paid”.
”Most Pastors are lonely, sick and poor But work 24/7, some without vacation or time to rest. Over 70% of ministers report not having a close friend or someone to talk to when they need to”.
Pointing out startling statistics by Pastor Care Incorporation, Adewale said: ” Our findings at FBM revealed that Many pastors, Church Leaders and ministers are passing through many challenges that they find it difficult to discuss with anybody. Some of them, it is their marriage, and emotional battles, others it is deep health issues and some needs new knowledge to drive their ministry.
”We also discover that majority of Pastor wives are not happy with the state of things at their homes. While lots of Pastors Children are turning against their Parents and many Youths are turning their backs against the Church.”
He said Pastors must be helped with how to balance family life, health and finance in a changing and unappreciative world.
He said the Bamiloyes will address the Power of unity in ministry while Akinyemi will handle health and how to live without sickness with Aina focusing on finance and money management.
Some of the other issues the conference will consider include: How to regain and retain youths in the Church; the natural way to manage prostate enlargement; how to make money for the family without hurting ministry; how to help Church members build strong marriages; how to gain and retain youths in Church; inner healing for hurting Pastors and wives and striking a balance between marriage and ministry, among others.