5 Tasks You Should Stop Doing Right Now (and Who Should Do Them Instead)

You don’t have to do it all to be faithful.

Most pastors wear too many hats: leader, teacher, counselor, planner, tech support, and occasional janitor. The problem isn’t passion, it’s capacity. When everything depends on you, burnout isn’t far behind.

But here's the reality: you don't have to choose between solo heroics and hiring a new staff member. Strategic delegation, using both in-house volunteers and a Virtual Administrative Assistant, can transform how your church operates.

Here are five areas where pastors can start letting go, and how to decide who should handle what.

1. Managing Email and Scheduling

The Drain: Endless back-and-forth emails, scheduling meetings, and replying to non-urgent questions eat up hours every week.

Delegate In-House: A trusted staff member can manage key appointments or recurring team meetings.

Virtual Admin Solution: A Virtual Admin Assistant can monitor your inbox, set up filters, manage your calendar, and flag only what requires your attention. You stay informed—without drowning in details.

2. Coordinating Events and Volunteers

The Drain: You’re the default point person for every event—room reservations, headcounts, and confirmation texts.

Delegate In-House: Appoint a volunteer event lead to handle logistics day-of.

Virtual Admin Solution: Your Virtual Assistant can build sign-up forms, send reminder emails, and track RSVPs in Planning Center or Google Sheets. They keep everyone aligned before the event even starts.

Creating Bulletins, Slides, or Weekly Communications

The Drain: You find yourself editing layouts, proofreading announcements, or uploading slides late Saturday night.

Delegate In-House: A creative volunteer member can own design and content creation.

Virtual Admin Solution: A Virtual Assistant can take your notes, format them into the bulletin or email template, and post across your channels. You approve it, not produce it.

4. Tracking Receipts, Budgets, and Reports

The Drain: You’re hunting down receipts, tracking expenses, or running reports before the finance meeting.

Delegate In-House: A trusted bookkeeper or finance volunteer can reconcile accounts.

Virtual Admin Solution: Your Virtual Assistant can collect receipts, update spreadsheets, or enter transactions into your system, so everything is ready for review when you meet.

5. Following Up and Communication Threads

The Drain: Remembering to follow up with visitors, donors, or team members after Sunday can be tough when the week ramps up again.

Delegate In-House: Staff can make personal follow-up calls or texts.

Virtual Admin Solution: A Virtual Assistant can automate email workflows or schedule reminders through Planning Center, Mailchimp, or Text-in-Church, ensuring every person is remembered.

The Hybrid Win

When pastors combine in-house delegation (volunteers or part-time help) with virtual support, the results are powerful:

• Less chaos and more consistency

• Clearer communication

• More time for relationships and vision

• Less late-night “catch-up” work

You don’t need a big staff to achieve significant results. You need the right kind of help in the right places.

The Takeaway

Some work belongs inside your church walls. Other work can be handled beautifully from miles away.

A Virtual Administrative Assistant gives you structure, organization, and breathing room, so you can focus on the part of ministry that only you can do.