Inspired by a conversation with my doctoral cohort, I created (“created” meaning I used a website where I typed dialogue and it created the movie for me) the following short video about the, all too common, awkward silence that follows in casual conversation when people discover you are a pastor.

I have experienced this more than once myself.  You meet someone in public (line at the grocery story, airplane, community event, etc.) and begin a casual relaxed conversation until the inevitable question of what you do for a living arrises.  This question, for most people, is innocuous but in our culture, for a pastor, this is often a “conversation killer.”  Whether it is because people begin thinking through everything they have just said through a reverse filter or if it is because of some other reason, the phenomena exists and it is awkward.  I am sure there are sociological and spiritual reasons why this occurs and that there will be lots of opinions it (feel free to share them here).  Regardless, all pastors can agree that the phenomena exists, it is awkward and it is all too common.