Life as a Megachurch Pastor’s Wife
Susan Wilson reflects on moving into a new 3,000-seat facility and the overwhelming, joyful reality of seeing God at work through a rapidly growing church. She shares how God called her to ministry too—and how that calling has shaped her role alongside her husband as their church expanded.
- God’s work in a growing church can feel both overwhelming and awe-inspiring.
- A pastor’s wife may also experience a clear personal calling to ministry and service.
- As a church grows, roles may change—but the mission of sharing God’s love remains.
By Susan Wilson
Our church recently moved into a new 3,000-seat facility with four weekend services. Being in the choir that first weekend and looking out at all those people was both overwhelming and awesome for this small-town Kansas girl.
When I was growing up, I never expected to be the wife of the pastor in one of the largest churches in Phoenix, Arizona. Every weekend I look at the crowd attending our church and am amazed at what God is doing. I guess that’s one of the most exciting things about it—knowing there’s no way it would have happened if God wasn’t orchestrating it.
God Called Me
My husband talks openly about his call to ministry and the vision God has given him to reach people for Christ. His willingness to be used by God is one of the biggest reasons our church has grown from a group of about 200 people meeting in a movie theater to 10,000 people in a new state-of-the-art facility.
But I want to share the fact that God called me to ministry too. I was a high school senior on my knees in prayer at summer church camp. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I offered up my life to be used for God’s service in whatever way he chose. That commitment is why I am now married to a pastor and serving as his partner in reaching lost people.
Over the years, I have led or been involved in just about every aspect of the church. In most cases I was unqualified to do what needed to be done, but since there was no one else to do it, I did the best I could, not because I wanted to, but because I had promised God I would do whatever he called me to do. In every instance, he turned my efforts into something he could use to increase his kingdom.
Along the way, the church continually outgrew my skills. One by one, the jobs I held were released to people professionally trained in those areas, or willing to be trained, or ready to serve full time. But this didn’t make me sad. It’s a blessing to focus my God-given talents where I have the most interest or where there is the greatest need—and to serve under experienced and talented leaders from whom I can learn.
I have loved ministry at every stage, for the most part, even though some days I think it might be nice to serve at a small church where I know everyone and everyone knows me. But those feelings don’t last long. Sharing the love of God is not something you can place limits on—the natural result is a growing church.
God Uses Me
The rewards of being a megachurch pastor’s wife go way beyond the bounds of my own personal freedom to use my talents as I choose. Even more important, I get to be a part of something exciting that God is doing—building his church.
Watching lives change as people come to know his goodness and grace; seeing the numbers swell as people realize church can be relevant and interesting and fun; hearing stories of families who plan their lives around what’s happening in church—that’s the stuff that makes the frustrations worthwhile. There’s nothing like seeing the transformation when a person encounters God for the first time and understands he cares for them in a very real way.
Sure, there are days when it seems a little too much to deal with. There are days when I really don’t like people very much. There are days when I feel like running away from home. I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t experience days like that.
But having the opportunity to encourage a new pastor’s wife as she struggles to fit into her role, seeing a young stay-at-home mom finally understand the importance of what she does, using my creative talents to enhance a worship service or a church newsletter—these are only a few of the reasons it’s great to be a megachurch pastor’s wife. Mostly it’s great because I know I’m right where God wants me to be.
I have come to understand that God took me seriously when I agreed to give him my life. As long as I continue to take him seriously too, he will use me to build his kingdom. So far, it’s been a great ride. I can’t imagine what will come next, but I know that with God in control, life as a megachurch pastor’s wife just gets better and better.
Susan Wilson lives in Glendale, Arizona. She attends Christ’s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Arizona, where her husband, Don Wilson, is senior pastor.
