The Loneliness of the EntrePastor Journey (with Teresa McCloy)

We all know pastoring can feel lonely at times.  But when you make a decision to embrace an entrepreneurial path as a pastor, you will likely feel even more alone as most people aren’t aware of, or comfortable with the idea of a pastor who is successful in business AND pastoral ministry. 

Teresa McCloy, our guest on this episode has certainly walked that path, but is here to encourage you that amazing things lie in store for you on your EntrePastor journey.

Episode Preview: In Her Own Words

A Surprising Discovery

I remember when I made the shift from church employment to the marketplace, I thought, “God's going to use me to minister in a different way.”

But I soon discovered that many people didn’t understand that shift. I still knew God had called me, but that calling was going to look different than it had previously. 

As most pastors know, your church becomes your community, right? They are your people; and sadly, sometimes when you step away from that, you lose all those relationships because you were their pastor and now you're not. That was very hard for me. 

I thought we had lots of deeper friendships than we actually had. I don't mean they were fake. They were authentic.

I'm not blaming the congregation that I stepped away from for that. It's just the role that they saw me in. I was the person they called at 2:00 a.m. I was the person, and suddenly I wasn’t there for them anymore.

That reality led to a bit of an identity crisis for me. The one thing I loved to do, to connect, to be in community, and it all changed very quickly. 

One summer I was leading worship from a stage, and I saw my husband standing in the back of the room with a phone in his hand. I knew right away that our son had overdosed—again. 

I was the one who put on the tough face and just got through it. I never asked for time off. I never said, “Hey, I've got a family crisis. Would the church elders come around me and minister to me?” They didn't do anything wrong. I just didn't ask.

So when I resigned, and stepped away from that community, I felt very alone.

A New Chapter

Fortunately, my story doesn’t stop there.

I plugged into a new community.

I joined a mastermind group. That’s actually how I met Jon Sanders and Les Hughes. that the three of us are in. 

That’s why I love the EntrePastor Community. It’s the perfect community people who may be in a similar placer to where I was. 

You may join another community, and that’s fine. I would encourage you, if you’re getting ready to make a shift, find a community somewhere that’s a safe place for you. 

A New Open Door

Here’s more good news: I do as much ministry now as I ever did as an employee of the church. And I am still in an active thriving church that I love.

I love serving the Lord and others in my church; and I love what I do in the entrepreneurial space, too. I still get to talk with people and minister to them in crisis as much as ever.