A minister could easily allow himself to become a lazy preacher. If the pastor is lazy, he can deceive the congregation for a period of time by talking about the time he is spending in Bible study, prayer, and ministering to the sick and lost. Unless there is a committee that follows him around, the preacher can easily develop a poor work ethic.
In contrast, the pastoral integrity of a minister can be gauged in large measure by his work ethic. The man of God must be ethical in all areas of life, being careful that no area is so small as to avoid scrutiny.
I [Adrian Rogers] enjoy the ministry, and my wife playfully tells people that my hobby is preaching. I do not work myself to death, and I am not unhealthy over it. If I decide to take a day or two off, or a week off, I do not feel bad about it, because I would not hesitate to put the days, the hours, and intensity of my work up against that of any man in my congregation.
*This question and answer were extracted from "Love Worth Finding: The Life of Adrian Rogers and His Philosophy of Preaching.”
