The Pastor’s Interactions After The Worship Service

Preaching is an activity involving the whole mind, body, and soul. Consequently, preaching is often both exhilarating and exhausting. But after the sermon is over, the pastor’s ministry continues. He interacts with others immediately after the service—and his behavior during these moments will either help or harm his ministry. Here are a few actions to consider when those moments arrive:

Be Available To Worshipers

Caring preachers make themselves available to others. Greeting people after worship honors them and strengthens the bond between the pastor and the congregation. While church tradition or building size may dictate where pastors stand, a spacious lobby or location outside (weather permitting!) provides areas better suited for meaningful interaction than crowded “greeting lines” that bottleneck at the exit.

Give Your Undivided Attention

When people take time to speak to us, we value them by listening carefully and maintaining eye contact. We must resist the temptation to look around or otherwise give the impression we are too busy. To be sure, this practice can prove challenging at times. While talking with one person, we may feel another tapping on our shoulder. Or, peripherally, we see someone else waving at us. In any case, we should always endeavor to give our attention to those standing before us.

Be Careful Making Commitments

It’s surprisingly easy to forget commitments made after a worship service. We may forget something we promised to do for someone because we don’t usually have our calendars or the ability to make a quick note. Rather than making commitments in those busy moments, consider saying something like, “I can’t write this down at the moment; will you please message me about this later?”

Receive Encouragement Wisely

Some members have a gift for encouraging us with kind comments about the worship service or other matters. Because pastors understandably want to give glory to God, they often quickly direct those compliments upwards, failing to receive (or remember) a blessing intended by the other. Instead, consider taking a moment to respond meaningfully: “Thank you. I appreciate your encouragement!”

Receive Criticism Graciously

Unfortunately, not every word is encouraging! There are times when others offer criticism. Perhaps they felt the service was too long, or the music was too loud. Maybe there was something about the sermon they didn’t like. It’s usually best to take a deep breath and extend grace at these times. Rather than becoming defensive, consider a simple and disarming response: “Thank you for that. I’ll give that some thought.”

Debrief Somewhere In Quiet

Once we have the opportunity, it is helpful to find a quiet place where we can review all the interactions we’ve had. Recalling most conversations, visitors’ names, or special prayer requests only takes a few moments. This is also a better time to prayerfully consider those words of encouragement and criticism. End the time in prayer, thanking God for the honor of preaching and the privilege of shepherding His people.