People ask me this all the time. Sometimes I'm tempted to say that we just sit around and pray all day long. All facetiousness aside, here is my best attempt to answer that question.
Let me start by saying that there are many different kinds of pastors. Some are at multi-staff churches, like I am, and have specific job descriptions relating to particular ministries. Others are the only staff person at their church and do work that an administrator would normally do in addition to pastoral duties. Others serve in ministries outside the church: hospitals, colleges or urban outreach. Here are some examples from my experience and that of other pastors I know.
I'll start with my to do list for today, which includes writing a sermon, planning an orientation for new officers, calling someone who expressed a pastoral concern on Sunday and following up with volunteer recruitment. I also had a staff meeting today where we planned advent, Christmas and New Years services and received training for our new copier. This afternoon, I had coffee with someone from the Labor-Religion Coalition about how the Occupy movement has given new energy to the organization.
In the coming weeks and months I will be planning and executing several fundraisers for the youth mission trip, planning the mission trip itself, organizing youth group programming for Sunday nights, recruiting teachers for Sunday morning youth programming, gathering people together to support our ministries to Ghana and West Africa, reading books on theology or church leadership dynamics, planning an alternative worship service for Lent, having quiet devotional time at my desk, coordinating monthly get-togethers for our new Young Adult group, serving on a task force for our regional church organization, visiting people in the hospital, speaking at a political rally, praying with people on the phone and going to meetings, lots and lots of meetings.
In addition to my specific area of work, other pastors I know are responsible for personnel reviews including hiring and firing. Some are heavily involved in church finances, including overseeing the budget process and investment portfolio. Others perform tasks that amount to event planning, whether it be a fundraiser, church presentation, or worship service. I've known pastors to work closely with parole officers, serve at a Catholic worker house or help a congregation member coordinate a move.
I could continue listing tasks. However, I'm afraid that would miss a larger issue. Some of the most important work of a pastor is more about being rather than doing. I'm talking about a pastor's presence. A pastor just has to walk in a room and all of a sudden people feel they can talk about God. Some people project a persona on a pastor. Other pastors cultivate a calm, listening presence.
Even in a meeting, the pastor does more than open with prayer but is present for people in a special way. Anyone can be a pastor in this sense, shining the light of Christ to those who cannot see it on their own.