I started with what seemed like a pretty mild cold on Saturday, picked up from my daughter. It turned into something a little worse, but totally manageable on Sunday. I could still preach and lead bible study, even if I did have a bit of a sore throat. But by Monday, it had turned into a bit of a stinker and I wasn’t for doing much.

I’m not writing this for sympathy. But whenever I am sick, it provides an fresh opportunity to think what is means for our church. This, in turn, offers a good measure on where our church is currently at and just how healthy it might be. So, in no particular order, here are some things worth noticing.

Nothing falls apart

This is good for both me and my church to recognise. If everything went to pot the moment I go down sick, that is not good news for my church nor for the gospel in our area. It effectively means the entire ministry rests on me, which is neither healthy nor good for me or the church.

But when I’m sick, things have a habit of just carrying on. We have people who run ministry work that I’m not involved in at all. We have other elders who can make decisions perfectly well without me. We have deacons who are able to get on and oversee the practicalities of running the church. That nothing falls apart and the wheels stay in motion is a good thing so far as the health of the church is concerned, it means there are people who are engaged in ministry and are able to just get on and do it.

The church doesn’t rely on the pastor

Of course, there will be some things that don’t happen because they are my lookout. There will be some things that happen, but perhaps don’t quite happen as well as they might because they suit my particular skills. But what is clear is that the church doesn’t rely on the pastor. The church has everything it needs to do the ministry God has given it to do.

Of course, there are lots of benefits to having a pastor, just as there are benefits to having any sort of worker there to expand the ministry of the church in some way. It’s not that I am useless (I don’t think), just that I am not essential. Which is good news because I couldn’t bear the weight of being essential. It is also good news because everything would fall apart if I was essentially. But we can all press on in the work we’ve been given to do – me included – because we know I am not essential and am therefore freed up to do what I am best placed to do for the sake of the kingdom.

The church can love the pastor more overtly

Most pastors I know spend a lot of time with their people, caring for them, praying for them, seeking to serve them in all sorts of ways. Most obviously, they do this through their preparation, preaching and teaching of the Word. I’m not suggesting, by contrast, that churches don’t love their pastors. But there often isn’t the obvious and clear ways to express it in the ordinary run of things. There is such an opportunity when the pastor is sick.

Suddenly, the pastor might be in need of a word of encouragement. He might need people to take up a bit of extra stuff that he now can’t do. He might just need permission to NOT do some things being as he isn’t feeling so good. There is now a good opportunity to practically love your minister in his time of need.