ARTICLE TOOLS

Print this article Bookmark this article

Pastors need to be available to the hurting without falling into relationship overload.  They want spiritual intimacy with their spouses but find it difficult to cultivate. They want their church to be growing, their sermons compelling, the lost to find Christ. . . . God promises rest, yet the more frequent feeling in ministry may be burnout.

Perhaps burnout is too strong a word for what pastors experience. Most pastors don't completely burn out; Craig Brian Larson describes their more-common condition as "brown out." This state can cause us to give up, to be less compassionate to the hurting, or to ignore ministry opportunities because we are too busy. In "Pastor Good Sam," Wayne Jacobsen quotes, "What if the priest and Levite passed by the beaten man on the Jericho road, not because they lacked compassion, but because they were running late to a discipleship group or an important board meeting?" 

It may be that the nation's pastors work too much; see Leadership's report on "The Work Week of a Pastor." Or perhaps they expect too much from themselves. If you're overloaded and wonder if you need rest, there are five key indicators to reveal the health of your heart. 

The best way to deal with burnout and "brown out" is prevention, rather than reparation.  Managing time helps, as does delegation. Finding the right people, especially leaders, can be difficult. The editors at Christianity Today International have developed a training theme specifically to guide you through finding, training, and maintaining volunteers. 

Also, be aware of what brings you encouragement, and consciously make those things part of your life. Healing begins with rest, whether you can get a sabbatical approved, or not. Sometimes as little as one day off with family can refresh you and help you harmonize the personal and the pastoral. As you converse with God, you may adjust your balance of abiding and abounding. 

Finally, if you're cursed with a runaway mind, remember, as Oswald Chambers said, "God . . . loves me, and I will never think of anything that he will forget, so why should I worry?" In the end, God is in control. God is in control of your congregation, of your ministry, of your day. Since God has entrusted you with so great a work, take care of yourself.

—Dana Beatty is a graduate of the University of Iowa in English and world religions, and a customer care representative for Christianity Today International.