Key Verse:
"It is not good for you to do this alone. You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone." —Exodus 18:17-18
The Burden of the One-Man Show
Pastor, if you're reading this while mentally rehearsing your Sunday sermon, planning the youth event, preparing for the board meeting, and wondering when you'll find time to visit Mrs. Johnson in the hospital—stop. Take a breath. You're not Atlas, and the weight of the entire ministry doesn't rest on your shoulders alone.
Too many faithful shepherds are burning out because they've bought into the lie that delegation equals spiritual laziness. They believe that saying "yes" to every task somehow makes them more like Jesus. But here's the truth: even Jesus delegated.
Jesus: The Master Delegator
Before you protest that Jesus is your example of tireless service, remember that He was also your example of wise delegation. When the crowds were hungry, Jesus didn't personally hand out fish and bread to each of the 5,000. He gave the food to His disciples and let them distribute it (Matthew 14:19).
When it was time to prepare for the Passover, Jesus didn't scout locations and make arrangements Himself. He sent Peter and John ahead to prepare (Luke 22:8). When the harvest was plentiful, Jesus didn't work the fields alone—He sent out the seventy-two, two by two (Luke 10:1).
Jesus understood something that many modern pastors have forgotten: multiplication happens through delegation, not personal exhaustion.
Moses Learned the Hard Way
Moses nearly collapsed under the weight of judging every dispute among the Israelites until his father-in-law Jethro intervened with some divine wisdom: "What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear out" (Exodus 18:17-18).
Jethro's solution wasn't to tell Moses to work harder or pray more—it was to delegate wisely. "Choose capable men from all the people... and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens" (Exodus 18:21).
Pastor, if Moses needed help managing God's people, what makes you think you don't?
The Biblical Case for Delegation
Scripture doesn't present delegation as a sign of weakness—it presents it as wisdom. When the early church faced the challenge of caring for widows while maintaining their preaching ministry, the apostles didn't burn themselves out trying to do both. They said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 6:2-3).
Notice they didn't delegate because they were lazy. They delegated because they understood their primary calling and wanted to protect it.
Why We Resist Delegation
Let's be honest about why delegation feels so difficult:
Pride disguised as dedication. We tell ourselves we're being faithful, but sometimes we're just being proud. We like being needed. We enjoy the feeling of indispensability.
Fear of losing control. What if they don't do it exactly like we would? What if they make mistakes? What if people like their approach better than ours?
Perfectionism posing as excellence. We convince ourselves that our way is the only right way, forgetting that God uses imperfect people to accomplish His perfect will.
Misplaced martyrdom. We think suffering through overwork somehow honors God, but burnout doesn't glorify anyone.
The Freedom of Faithful Delegation
When you delegate well, you're not abandoning your responsibilities—you're multiplying your impact. You're not being lazy—you're being strategic. You're not diminishing your role—you're fulfilling it more completely.
Delegation allows you to focus on what only you can do while empowering others to discover and use their gifts. It models trust, develops leaders, and creates sustainable ministry.
Practical Steps for Pastoral Delegation
Start with your strengths. What are you uniquely called and gifted to do? Protect those areas fiercely and delegate the rest.
Identify capable people. Look for those who are faithful, available, and teachable—not necessarily those who are already perfect at the task.
Delegate authority, not just tasks. Don't make people come back to you for every decision. Give them the power to act within clear boundaries.
Provide training and resources. Set people up for success by giving them what they need to accomplish the goal.
Check in, don't check up. Monitor progress without micromanaging. Trust but verify.
Celebrate their successes. When they succeed, let them shine. When they fail, help them learn.
Don't Underestimate the Body
Remember, pastor, you're not the whole body—you're one part of it. "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:12).
When you try to be the whole body, you exhaust yourself and rob others of the joy of serving. Your congregation has gifts, talents, and calling that God wants to use. By refusing to delegate, you might be hindering God's work more than helping it.
You can't do it all, and you weren't meant to. That's not failure—that's design.
Prayer Thought
Father, forgive me for trying to carry burdens You never intended for me to bear alone. Help me to trust Your people with Your work. Give me wisdom to know what to hold and what to release, courage to let others lead, and humility to celebrate their successes. Show me how to multiply ministry through faithful delegation.
Pastoring Tip
This week, identify one task or responsibility you've been reluctant to delegate. Choose someone trustworthy, provide clear expectations and necessary resources, then step back and let them serve. Remember: perfect delegation doesn't exist, but faithful delegation does. Start there.
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Note: All Scripture from the NIV Bible Translation.