Even though I was raised in a pastor's family and went to seminary to train for the ministry, I had no idea what I was in for when I became a senior pastor 13 years ago.

I entered the ministry believing God was going to use me to change the world. Soon I discovered how hard it is just to change the wallpaper in the nursery. I'm still glad God called me to be a pastor, but to keep your equilibrium and enthusiasm in ministry, I offer four reality checks.

Overwhelmed? You're normal

It's normal to feel overwhelmed; pastoring is not the same as running a business. On top of the standard problems that come with running any organization, consider the added pressures a pastor faces:

The confusion of revolving hats. In ministry, you constantly have to switch from acting as chief executive officer to acting as a chaplain. One moment you're an authority figure enforcing church policies, and the next moment you're a counselor offering prayer and comfort. Sometimes you have to wear both hats with one individual. ...