In the Global Adventist Pastor Survey (GAPS) pastors were asked whether they enjoyed being a pastor. Results showed a notable decline over the last decade. While 95% responded positively in 2013 only 79% did so in 2023. Given that their answers to other questions (i.e. I feel that I am in the place that God has called me) were positive, the drop in enjoyment are likely to be related more to the nitty gritty of the job itself (e.g., admin, long hours, interpersonal relations, lack of support), rather than concerns about the role of their ministry itself.

Although the survey was conducted in the North American Division (NAD), the realities it reflects may resonate with many pastors in the Philippines as well.

Recognizing these challenges, the Southern Luzon Mission (SLM), the regional headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bicol, gathered its ministers for a ministerial training and to check in on their well-being and strengthen them for more effective and sustainable ministry.

The event was initiated by Pastor Adriel Gavenia, Ministerial Secretary of the Southern Luzon Philippine Union Mission (SLPUM), which oversees the work of the Church in Southern Luzon. He emphasized that while pastors are called to minister to others, they themselves also need to be ministered to.

The morning session began with a devotional facilitated by Pastor Gavenia. Rather than a typical speaker-audience format, the session featured group sharing centered on the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel in Genesis 32. The format provided an opportunity for pastors to reflect on their own experiences in ministry. They opened up on how, like Jacob, they wrestle with burdens in ministry finding themselves drained and weary.

Pastor Gavenia reminded the group that God sometimes allows us to be broken in order to make us a blessing to others.

In the afternoon, he conducted a seminar on strengthening pastoral effectiveness through intentional member care. He introduced the “Scoreboard Monitoring Instrument,” a tool designed to help pastors track and support the holistic growth of their congregation. This approach encourages personal, spiritual, and social development among church members while aligning with the Church’s broader mission.

The training served not only as professional development but also as a timely reminder of the importance of mutual support among those called to serve.