Since 1972, Bill Balch has served as Holston Conference pastoral counselor, and
OH, THE TROUBLE HE’S SEEN
By Annette Bender
THIRTY YEARS AGO, the Rev. Bill Balch was appointed as Holston Conference pastoral counselor, and that's what he's been ever since. His office locations have changed a few times: In 1972, he worked out of Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Church in Knoxville.
For the last 12 years, his office has been located in a house next to Bearden UMC. But for three decades, Holston clergy could count on the fact that mild-mannered Balch would be available to help them, their families and in some cases, their parishioners through life's storms.
At Annual Conference 2002, all that changed. Balch retired, and now the conference is faced with finding someone to replace the person who knows more secrets about Holston clergy than the hours he's spent hearing them. Balch, who is licensed as a marriage and family therapist, will continue to serve the Pastoral Counseling Center part-time through Dec. 31, 2002. Before he gets away, The Call spent some time in the counselor's well-worn armchair, asking questions about the problems confronting today's clergy.
The Call: As you know, the search goes on for someone to take over as pastoral counselor. What kind of person do you think it should be?
Bill Balch: A person who has a real understanding of parish ministry and an appreciation for it – an understanding of itinerancy and what may be problematic for certain families.
Call: So, moving from church to church is an issue that comes up frequently in your office?
Balch: Itinerancy does have some issue to play in most of the marriages and relationships I see. We've got people coming into the ministry as second or third careers, and their spouses are not all that thrilled over the idea of giving up their homes and moving away from friends – their spouses, going back to seminary. The family is also taking a real monetary lifestyle change, so there's a lot of anger that doesn't get expressed. They feel like they're arguing with God, so what can they do? Here's one spouse saying, "This is what God has called me to do," and the other spouse, who's been living with this person for 15 years, is all of a sudden faced with, "Do I go along or not?"
Call: Is itinerancy more or less of an issue for clergy families than it was 30 years ago?
Balch: There have always been issues with families having to move. That's just a given. I think it's changed in the sense that there are more second- and third-career people entering the ministry. Thirty years ago, most of the people who came into the conference had gone through undergraduate and graduate school knowing they were going into the itinerant system.
Call: How do you help people with these problems? What are their options?
Balch: If I had one thing to say, it's take a look at your attitude. You can't make yourself happy, but you can change your attitude. Happiness is a byproduct.
Call: Of what?
Balch: Acceptance. You accept your hair color, don't you? You accept your facial features. I thought that was what we are about in the Christian gospel: accepting who we are and accepting places where we have a chance to really serve. Sometimes you end up being surprised at what God can do through your ministry in the place where you're planted.
Call: Does it help when you tell people that? Is it like you've turned on a light, or opened the window for them?
Balch: In some cases it's like a small push at a very heavy door. (laughs) Then you have to do some more pushing. Everything's not going to be solved in one session. I don't have a big magic wand. Some people have come in to talk, off and on, for 30 years.
Call: What other types of complaints do you hear from pastors?
Balch: One of the biggest things I deal with, day in and day out, is depression.
Call: Is that particular to ministers or across the population?
Balch: It's across the population – that's very clear. But I see a lot of clergy and clergy spouses who get depressed over being depressed. Because they're not supposed to be depressed if they're doing God's will. If they're being faithful and reading their scripture and having their daily devotions, they're supposed to be happy people. And so the depression really throws them a curve and they don't know what to do. I simply say to them, "You can work with the depression a lot better if you actually acknowledge you're depressed." Sometimes it helps to have medication. I, of course, cannot prescribe medications, but there are a lot of medications on the market and doctors who are happy to help.
Call: In October, you'll be speaking at the 2002 Regional Clergy Conferences. The brochure says your topic is, "Advice You Didn't Know You Needed: Reflections on 30 years of conversations with clergy." What kind of advice will you give them?
Balch: Part of it will be what we're talking about here. I also want to say: Clergy should have some understanding that accepting themselves and where they serve doesn't mean they have to be accepted by everybody. Some people are going to get angry or upset with you, and when they do, you don't have to fall apart. Some churches love their pastors and never question what they're doing. A lot of churches do question.
Call: That's a current problem?
Balch: More so than it used to be. I do at times think there are churches with unrealistic expectations of their pastors. There are certain appointments that when a person is sent to that congregation, I figure I'm going to see that pastor in a few months. Many churches are production-oriented. The congregation will look at the pastor and say, "You haven't brought in X number of people. You haven't won enough souls to Jesus this year."
Call: I guess Holston Conference and this newspaper help perpetuate that through "success stories" about ministers who have led a lot of people to Christ.
Balch: That's right. And I'm sick of it. Take for example, if I were appointed to Magnolia Avenue as pastor, right now, today, and I was expected to have the growth in congregation that First Farragut has. Now you tell me: Where did you lose your mind? There's no way you can turn the same thing around at Magnolia that you've got going when you're building a new structure in a growing community like First Farragut. It's a situation where you might as well be honest and realistic about what you can and cannot do. If every pastor thinks he or she has to do this, they're going to be stressed out.
Call: What's the last bit of advice you'd like to offer to pastors – something you hope they'll remember when it gets especially tough out there in the field?
Balch: If I had one thing to say, it's remember your own spiritual growth. Feed yourself. If you don't, the well will run dry. It's something I find happening with pastors over and over again. If we have not fed ourselves, how in the world can we feed others?
Clergy will hear more from the Rev. Bill Balch at the 2002 Regional Clergy Conferences, held at five different locations Oct. 3-29. For registration information, call the Rev. James Green at (865) 690-4080.
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