Burn Out is Killing Our Pastors!
Being a pastor is the most honorable callings for humankind. It takes a special gifting, grit and grace in order to fulfill this calling. Pastors that live and preach the Holy Scriptures as a model for others are under extreme pressure to conform and they endure great spiritual attack. As I mentioned in previous blogs pastors are human and not perfect. However, they are expected to be perfect and their families are expected to be perfect. Who is burning out our pastors? We are, with our expectations and failure to grow spiritually we demand that the pastor be all that we believe they should be for us.
John Stott in his book "The Radical Disciple,"(http://www.wordandspirit.co.uk/blog/2010/02/12/book-review-the-radical-disciple-john-stott/) mentions three words to describe that state of the church today and its people, "growth without depth," a pastor's nightmare.
Listen to the message of Christ that your pastor presents and live it. Pray for your pastor not for the work of your pastor. Sincerely love your pastor and don't criticize as they are serving you as best as they can. Do you want to assist your pastor in preventing burnout? Become that "radical disciple" that you need to be.
A wonderful video by John Piper on how you can assist your pastor and encourage renewal and inspiration.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Walking The Grace Line
Walking the Grace Line!
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 ESV
Burnout!
In all of the years I have had the opportunity to talk with pastors the most common challenge pastors face is burnout. There is an amazing amount of stress that pastors face daily. Pastors are God's ambassadors in the church to represent the most powerful ministry ever and this ministry is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pastors burnout to the point that they begin doubting the calling of God upon their lives and ministries. What a terrible feeling and awful disappointment this can be.
What is Burnout?
Burnout simply defined is thoroughly spent to the point of total collapse. I have seen pastors in this condition and it is a worrisome sight. In tears pastors have shared their concern that they have misjudged their call. The stress of ministry has altered their ability to reason out what God has chosen for them to do. The health and vitality of pastors is in jeopardy. Many are choosing not to enter the sacrificial work of the ministry because of the overwhelming odds that are presented in working and serving people. Jesus has not given us the spirit of fear. He has given the spirit of love and soundness of heart to do the work of the ministry that you are called to do. He is faithful to meet you in ministry all of the time. When you feel sick inside, in body and mind over your failure to keep up in the work it is time to step back and ask yourself, Am I walking the grace line?
Walking the Grace Line!
What is the outline of your ministry? Are you compromising on the most essential of attributes and allowing Satan to intrude and remove your passion for Jesus? Has your life light diminished to the point that those who love you most are in a constant state of anxiety when they observe your pain, burden and diminished essence of life? You are not walking the grace line if your ministry is:
- Success driven and not grace directed
- Not identifying in sufferings of Christ and focusing on the sufferings of ministry
- Consumed by the burdens rather than lifting the burdens to Jesus
- Noise driven rather than solitude focused
- Consumed by the adrenalin rush of ministry rather than on the calm still voice of God
- When pride has consumed and humility escapes you
- When forgiveness and reconciliation are put on the back burner of ministry focus
- When your health, family and loved ones keep a distance as they observe your grouchy spirit
- When you give every last ounce of energy and nothing seems to work
- When there is nothing left to give and the dark cloud rests heavy
- When you doubt your calling and want to throw in the towel
You need to walk the grace line and the next segment will outline what that looks like!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Pastor, Who cares?
The Word, Pastor
The word pastor is an endearing, loving, protecting, guiding, leading and familial type of word. What pastors have not been accepted and integrated into the personal lives and families of those they serve? The very presence of a pastor offers protection and safety from a chaotic world. A pastor offers the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit as as a consistent source of comfort, help and healing. Typically, physicians are not invited to dinner to parishioners homes but pastors are. A pastor is invited into the most sensitive places of an individual's life and expected to keep all things in confidence.
It is amazing that God calls people to minister in this way. What a dynamic responsibility and call to action a pastor responds to. Jesus Christ places confidence in you to lead his followers to the Living Waters and to be that living representation of his Spirit in the most sensitive places of the human heart and spirit.
The Ministry of Pastoring
This ministry of pastoring has the weight of eternal accountability and to foul up is disastrous carrying eternal consequences. Jesus Christ was firmest in teaching the disciples as they were his personal ministers that would pave and provide the foundations and blueprints of spiritual leadership to the newly called Christians. Jesus Christ called these twelve to accountability and action. A variety of responses came as a result of this calling ranging from acceptance not really fully understanding what would be involved, to rejection and complete betrayal resulting from adherence to natural human inclinations and denial for reasons of fear and self will.
Pastors Are Human, Who Cares?
Pastors are human and are in need of being pastored. Who cares for the pastor? Often times no one! This is not what Jesus Christ intended. He personally ministered to his disciples and never left them unattended. He sent the Holy Spirit after the resurrection. He affirmed that he was going to be with them always. The Holy Spirit personally ministers to the pastor in different ways on all occasions of ministry. These upcoming posts will provide a new schema of Pastoring to Pastors!
The word pastor is an endearing, loving, protecting, guiding, leading and familial type of word. What pastors have not been accepted and integrated into the personal lives and families of those they serve? The very presence of a pastor offers protection and safety from a chaotic world. A pastor offers the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit as as a consistent source of comfort, help and healing. Typically, physicians are not invited to dinner to parishioners homes but pastors are. A pastor is invited into the most sensitive places of an individual's life and expected to keep all things in confidence.
It is amazing that God calls people to minister in this way. What a dynamic responsibility and call to action a pastor responds to. Jesus Christ places confidence in you to lead his followers to the Living Waters and to be that living representation of his Spirit in the most sensitive places of the human heart and spirit.
The Ministry of Pastoring
This ministry of pastoring has the weight of eternal accountability and to foul up is disastrous carrying eternal consequences. Jesus Christ was firmest in teaching the disciples as they were his personal ministers that would pave and provide the foundations and blueprints of spiritual leadership to the newly called Christians. Jesus Christ called these twelve to accountability and action. A variety of responses came as a result of this calling ranging from acceptance not really fully understanding what would be involved, to rejection and complete betrayal resulting from adherence to natural human inclinations and denial for reasons of fear and self will.
Pastors Are Human, Who Cares?
Pastors are human and are in need of being pastored. Who cares for the pastor? Often times no one! This is not what Jesus Christ intended. He personally ministered to his disciples and never left them unattended. He sent the Holy Spirit after the resurrection. He affirmed that he was going to be with them always. The Holy Spirit personally ministers to the pastor in different ways on all occasions of ministry. These upcoming posts will provide a new schema of Pastoring to Pastors!
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