Her.meneutics: When Serving Makes You Sick

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The Christianity Today women's blog provides news and analysis from the perspective of evangelical women. We cover news stories and books related to international justice and evangelism, pregnancy and sexual ethics, marriage, parenting, and celibacy, pop culture, health and body image, raising girls, and women in the church and parachurch.

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« Lynne Hybels | Main | Priest Who Professed Islam Defrocked by Episcopal Church »

April 2, 2009

When Serving Makes You Sick

Katelyn Beaty

Popular blogger Anne Jackson witnessed hurting church leaders at an early age, when vitriolic attitudes invaded the churches her parents were pastoring. Years later, while working 70-hour weeks at a Midwest megachurch, she re-encountered that hurt — expressed in addictions, adultery, and depression — and knew she was called to remind leaders of the primary antidote for burnout: union with Christ. Her first book, Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic (Zondervan, 2009), aims to do just that. CT assistant editor Katelyn Beaty interviewed Anne yesterday.

You grew up a pastor's daughter in Texas. What was your family's experience with burnout?

After my dad finished seminary, my younger brother and I were born, my mom had her tubes tied, and our family jumped into the world of ministry. We mainly pastored at smaller, rural churches in West Texas and at first, everything seemed perfect. [But] at my dad's third church, the politics started invading. I was only 9 at the time, but I could tell my normally involved, optimistic father was withdrawing. My mom wore her concern on her sleeve. I spied on a deacon's meeting and discovered the truth: Our church was full of a lot of mean and bitter people.

Three years later, the same ugly politics resurfaced. I was 16, and at a brutal business meeting, my dad was forced to resign. I stood up, confident in my teenage angst, and confronted the church [members] for their lack of unity. Storming out, I climbed a fire escape and wrote a letter to God, begging him to give me a way to help restore unity to the church.

We moved to Dallas a few months later, and I'd like to say everything has been great since. But almost 13 years later, my parents are still deeply hurt from the last experience. They have only recently started attending a church. . . . Their faith in the local church has yet to be rekindled. That kind of brokenness breaks my heart every day. It also propels me forward with a passion I can't begin to explain.

How do men and women experience church burnout differently?

As I've extensively researched and interviewed thousands of church leaders and their families over the last two years, [I've found] there isn't much difference. Burnout doesn't play favorites.

Sometimes the force behind our burnout may differ, though. Genesis 3 mentions how, after the Fall, men will be slaves to the earth (work) and women will be ruled over by men. I see how many times men chase ministry like it's their work — and find their purpose in what they do. Ultimately, that leads to burnout. And generally speaking, many women fall to the approval of man. We are people pleasers by nature, finding our worth and affirmation of our calling by being a slave to man — not God.

Did you pick up on a burnout "epidemic" at the recent National Pastors Convention in San Diego? Is there truly an epidemic, as the book's subtitle suggests?

Traveling and speaking on burnout since my book released has been an intriguing experience. I've found three kinds of people. The first is open to discussing burnout and is actively creating environments that are healthy. The second group is hesitant, but curious. They may not want to admit they are burned out, but something inside compels them to listen. The third group consists of the people who are in denial about burnout. They don't think it's possible for them or for their staff. It seems like everyone loves their jobs and everyone is passionately committed and running 110 percent.

Burnout, for the most part, is a silent disease. For my first couple of years in ministry, I loved my job. Yet I wasn't taking care of myself. I went from healthy to in the hospital for a week, extremely sick, almost overnight. Everything came crashing down. If only I had . . . had some way of measuring my health, I doubt I would have crashed that hard.

In February you announced on your blog that you were giving up blogging, Facebook, and Twitter for Lent. Was your decision related to a technology burnout of sorts?

I wouldn't say I was burned out, but I was certainly not in a healthy place. My self-worth and emotional being were becoming wrapped up in a giant list of statistics. If my stats tanked, my esteem plummeted down with them. I was finding my value in how people would respond to my thoughts, my questions, my activities. I became passively self-absorbed.

It's been a little over a month and quite honestly, it's been refreshing. My heart has had time to properly withdraw and rediscover where my hope and confidence come from. And how having a platform doesn't mean talking about yourself all the time.

Don't Christians in service need to risk burnout in their love for Christ and his church?

Yes. Yes. Yes. If you look at Romans 12:1, I think we can find what should consume our hearts: "I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice — the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him."

We are only to offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice to God. Out of that obedience will the overflow of Christ be present in us. And that presence is required for our ministry (John 15:5).

What spiritual disciplines help to prevent and heal burnout?

Unapologetically being in constant communion with Christ. Through meditating on Scripture, prayer, and simply resting in him, he promises us we'll bear much fruit, more than we could ever ask or imagine. If something is standing in the way of that communion, even if it's your ministry, something has to change. Nothing is worth losing that connection with your Savior.

Comments

Good article. On that note I am going outside to spend time with the Lord. Sermon prep can wait till later.

Katelyn...what your wonderful parents experienced was not burnout but "ambush", which is probably the thesis for another completely different book. The church the body of Christ is amazing and beautiful...but sometimes church leadership are clueless about pastors not being the enemy...everyone needs to be better equipped to identify what the real issues are. Remarkably, pastors can actually help the situation by exposing the entire counsel of God!

Great article, but still need help with addressing unabashed meanness in the church. Why does it fester there? Sometimes there's better spiritual and emotional support from the counter-guy at Del Taco or the guy behind me in line at the drug store. How is it that my office mates or letter carrier love me better than my brothers and sisters in Christ?

Here's a thought. We build structures based on worldly wisdom and patterns eirily similar to catholicism and pastors burn out, church workers burn out, church members burn out.

What do we do?

We try to build "different" models and the same thing happens all over.

Here's some solutions.

1) Pastor's, church workers, get a real job in the real world. Yes, I'm saying go bi-vovcational. You'll find that EVERYONE gets squeezed on the job, not just you. Besides, the rest of the Church is already Bi-Vo in their ministries.

2) Elders, Teach and lead! Pastors? Fall in rank! You want less stress? You got it. This will also KILL the cult of Personality that has consumed so many church bodies.

3) Lay persons? Get off your duffs and BE THE CHURCH. And this means all the gifts working in harmony, not just the ones that compliment one person's vision or "style"

4) Chuck the small groups or make them crack open the Word. If you are working with young believers and you send them off to someones living room for Pizza, Velvet Elvis and discussion you might as well lace the Sunday Morning coffee station with arsenic!

4) Find all the young Pastors in your midst, train them and disband and disperse the church, sending them out.

What if the church didn't have to have all these "mini popes" we clammor for. What if all the money we tie up in structures, salaries, special effects and marketing went out instead of in?

I wonder how much the house church pastors in China complain about stress?

Productive insight on the topic of spiritual burnout is readily welcomed in our household. After 21 years in full-time ministry, we are now completely out of church work. A good decision? Yes, in terms of health and mental well-being. However, what has come with it is an increasing sense of loss because of our choice, (according to some), to abandon the church. Good will come of it, as promised by God; however, in the meantime, we are grateful for any encouragement from those who have walked this road.

AS a pastor and counselor to abused clergy, i am very disappointed in the meanspirited tone of the four point list above. It sounds too much like blaming the victim to me.

All of these ideas can be used, but small damaged churches often destroy clean living, well trained, experienced, humble men and women who were encouraged or begged by their superiors to "take on a challenge and help [fill in name of church]."

Due to my unfortunately not-so-unique ministry I have seen many pastors and their families be damaged. The diligent pastor in these situations keeps thinking, "If I only work harder, things will get better." Often only the pastor gets damaged, the congregation stays dysfunctional.

Unfortunately, the seperation between clergy and laity is good part of the probelem. This developed early in church history, but the results are that the clergy think they are the only ones with spiritual answers and the laity tend to have the attitude, "let the pastor do it" but come down on him heavily when somethng goes wrong. Pastors need peer and mentor support just like all other Christians. Unfortunately, too many pastors are isolated from regular support.

What is up with J.W.? Rage against this "machine" is rage against Christ's people, Pastors and Laity alike. Flawed. That's what the Incarnation, Cross and Resurrection are all about. Have I been beaten up, dismissed, and cut? You bet. Mostly by my peers and not members of my congregations. Everything proposed above IS another model. The article was very good and the point is bringing to light that which is in darkness. Then healing can take place when truth telling happens across the board. God bless you all and I pray we will all do a better job of being a compassionate people.

I don't know what Anne's book contains but the last paragraph of the interview rings true - not only for pastors but for everyone in any job or station in life!

Fantastic article... thanks .

It may be that pastors and staff have way too many ministries going that really don't contribute to the process of making disciples. Instead, many of our churches are filled with programs that fill a need but don't lead people to a transformational Christian life. Those programs, as good as they are, consume energy and vitality. There may be the appearance of vitality, but under the skin, the symptoms of burnout exist.

Jesus taught about pruning in John 15, where you have to prune even good grapes if you're ever going bring some grapes to maturity. If you have too many grapes on the branch, they will stagnate and won't become mature. When Jesus left, there were still sick, diseased, poor, and people who didn't know about Him. Yet He fully accomplished His Father's will.

We should care about the poor and the widows but Jesus intentionally did not spend all His time addressing those needs. His goal was to build a spiritual transforming kingdom that begins with a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. His healings and miracles were usually strategic and purposeful. Otherwise, His life could have been consumed by all kinds of practical ministries and never have made it to the cross nor leave behind a ragtag group that God used to change the world.

If burnout sounds like your church, or if you see a ton of activity but not a whole of productivity. Or there are lots of information transfer but little transformation, there is busyness but spiritual stagnancy, I would strongly suggest picking up The Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger. It's not another church model (a la JW's post) but a refreshing, Biblical approach to restoring vitality to the local church by refocusing on making disciples and pruning the good grapes in ministry to yield excellent grapes.

We are in a war. The Kingdom of God (the Body of Christ - The Church) is invading the world systems. People want to fight utilizing the tools of the world system, and we wonder why we fall. God's Kingdom has different tools of warfare. We war not against flesh and blood. Maintaining close ties with the source (the Lord and His Holy Spirit) in His presence keeps each individual aware of their actions and motives. Too much of mankind's thoughts and emotions are all part of the world system until it allows to become redeemed and transformed by the Spirit. We have a lot of well meaning believers who have not yet allowed the Holy Spirit to transform them, thus allowing the world system to invade.
Prayer, Intercession, and the many keys of the Kingdom allow a less burdensome task for many in ministry. It is all about using the tools of the Kingdom of God and not the tools of the world.

Anne's book is fantastic, and her presentation and data are right on target. I work with a ministry that cares for pastors who are are varying level's of burnout and we can barely keep up with the demand. Every month more than 1600 pastors resign from ministry in the United States alone - not good. If you haven't already purchased Annes book, I would highly recommend that you give yourself a present and purchase a copy today - you won't be disappointed, I promise.
Jim Watters
Senior Vice President of Marketing and Donor Engagement
Pastors Retreat Network

@All - thank you all for your comments. It's great to have this discussion and to hear diverse voices and opinions.

There is a sample chapter online at madchurchdisease.com from the book called "Processing through Pain." I hope it can help anyone who needs to hear it.

Blessings this Easter, and back into online hiding...

Anne Jackson and Wayne Cordeiro have both written very helpful books on burnout. I see that many of the comments on this article have focused on "meanness" in a congregation - my experience is that burnout is frequently self inflicted and/or systemic. I have expectations of myself that are unrealistic, as our church grows I tend to try to do more rather than invite others to lead, I work outside my gifting, I don't admit hurt etc.

as for meanness, it certainly is an epidemic in many churches. I'm struck by a sermon I recently heard from Jeff Manion. He was preaching on 1 John and walking in the light/walking in the darkness. He said, "First something dark happens TO you, then something dark happens IN you." I would add, 'then something dark comes OUT of you."

I experienced burnout, but it was as a lay person. My former Pastor and his wife were always dreaming up the latest and greatest programs and then they would use their 'God-given authority' to try to make church members fill roles they had already decided on. It worked on me. I came from an abusive home and I thought I had to hep to everything they said. My husband and I ran ourselves ragged until I had a breakdown. After twenty five years of trying to meet the impossible demands of a former Pastor, I now am in a new church that is more concerned with relationships (with God and man) than with programs. It took three years of grieving (lots of tears) my losses, but I am starting to feel better and think I might actually join this healthier church and not just attend.

Thank for all those making comments. I am a 70 year old Catholic Sister living with twenty three Sisters whose mean age is eighty-nine. Ten of these women use canes or walkers. So one can imagine my situation. We have all lived togehter for at least forty years and love each other very much. but that does not always mean it is easy to live with each other.
Fortunately my life is blessed by a senior Baptist Pastor who is also my spiritual director. He enabled me to give myself permission to have a day off once a week. It was humilliating for me to admit that I was burned out wihtout a free day, but it has made a great difference in my life. I now enjoy helping the Sisters with whom I live. All of you who have written comments have greatly encouraged me and helped me realize that I am not the only one who can become burned out and who needs personal time. This is a wonderful topic. Thank you so much.

Burnout and affliction is a natural part of ministry. Christ told us all that ministry for Him would be dangerous, and that "a man's foes shall be they of his own household" (Mat 10:36). The Apostle Paul several times wrote of enemies that had infiltrated the ranks of the Church. "Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme" (1 Timothy 1:20). Jesus was turned over to the Cross by Judas Iscariot - is it that odd that His ministers suffer a similar affliction? John Piper wrote, "God has made plain to us one of the purposes for which Pastors must suffer. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:6 "If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation". A sermon on this text would have this as its main point: "The afflictions of a Christian minister are designed by God to achieve the comfort and salvation of his flock" .... God ordained the sufferings of Christ for the redemption of the Church (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28), and He ordains the suffering of Christian ministers for the application of that redemption. "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the Church" (Colossians 1:24) (end quote. See "Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, pgs 139-140). We who are pastors are afflicted, and must bear the affliction in the name of Christ so that the Church can see faith in action. The local Church in communist countries never speaks of pastor burnout because the enemy is without the Church, but in our society the enemy is often within. The only way the enemy will be overcome is by we, as pastors, bearing the affliction for Christ's sake. We must pray, seek His face, read and meditate on His Word, but always - ALWAYS - realize that Romans 8:28 stands true no matter what the circumstances. I was expelled for my first local Church for standing against racism. Attempts have been made by families within this local Church to terminate me by whatever means - slander or liable included - but have yet to succeed. I am exhausted, but praise God that He is using me for His Kingdom work. As Vance Havner said, I pray that I go to Heaven before I mess things up!

Thank you for addressing this huge, often unspoken issue. If the people in the pews knew what was really going on behind the closed doors of leadership meetings, they would weep ... and then run for the hills.

This is a spiritual problem that is running rampant in today's churches. The business model has infiltrated the family of God. The enemy of our souls is having a field day. Instead of reaching out to a dying world in need of a Savior, we turn become absorbed in our power struggles and our personal agendas. Agreeing in prayer and esteeming others as better than ourselves are out the window. Pettiness, pride, and selfishness rule the day.

May God have mercy on us, His Church. May we, as leaders, begin to love each other well and treat each other with the respect and kindness that flows from a deep relationship with our Savior. May we model for our people the graciousness of Jesus Christ in our interactions with each other.

The real problems lay on our blur perceptions of "calling", "vision" and "success".Too many God's workers think they are called to handle and solve all problems.The work even Jesus himself did not accomplish.Many act as afternoon hero to the fields in the ministry they actually not called and prepared for.Then soon they become exhausted.

Many use their own perceptions to judge situations and needs around them.They start to get "vision: to change the things with their own ability and might.They ended up doing their own agenda and pushing forward their own ambition.

The value of one-self does not lie on how big a church he built and minister,but how he does everything precisely as his Master commands him to do it.Not as a servant of men but pleaser of God.

I am not a pastor, but I am in one of the helping professions which is known to produce a high level of burnout. In fact while I was still in the early stages of my professional education, I recall another recent grad, who was already burned out, telling me to change vocations before it was too late. Perhaps in part because of that experience, I have paid attention to attempting to prevent burnout. I've read books and attended seminars on vicarious traumatization, and have realized that I often ask more of myself than God is asking of me. Then I must realign my thinking - remembering that He is the vine - I'm the branch. One of the most helpful resources for me was the book How To Beat Burnout by Frank Minirth, MD, Paul Meier, MD, et. al.. (Pub. by Moody Bible Institute - you can find it on amazon.com) If you relate to chapter titles such as "Jesus Treats Twelve Tired Men" and "Bitterness: A Hidden Root" or "Unfulfilled Expectations: The Burnout Burden" then this book is very likely to be a great help to you. It is an upbeat, practical message that I believe compliments the work of Jackson. I pray the truth it contains will be a comfort and balm in your lives as well.

A few thoughts. . .

I sometimes think that the growth of the megachurch movement is in part because of the issue of burnout. People move to big churches, so that they can just enjoy church and serve without the guilt. If you go to a smaller church and you want to serve, depending on the wisdom of the church leaders, you can get bled dry. There are so many needs in a small church and someone has to do the work. "If you don't do it, I don't know how this will get done." And so, with a heavy heart, robbed of all joy, you go forward.

What I've realized is that ultimately God is sovereign. I shouldn't have a Messiah complex. The Gospel will go forward. If it turns out that the people at my small church misunderstand me, or thinking that I am not giving enough, then that is their problem. I should be trying to please an audience of One.

There were also a lot of posts above that referenced house churches in china and how nobody goes through burnout a Chinese House Church.

I think part of the problem is that in the US, we have much greater expectations about Church. There needs to be 101 different ministries. . . Childcare and a Vibrant Children's Ministry. . .Counseling. . .A great band. . . Special Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter Programs. . .Someone to meet each person's every need.

In contrast house churches are small groups, where the focus is the word and on sharing life together in a small setting. It's not McDonalds, its your grandma's kitchen. There is no pressure to be all things to all people.

Part of the problem, I feel regarding burnout is because the church has tried to do too much, and it has placed its desire to do "too much" on the pastors and workers (many of whom go unpaid).

I am in agreement with J.W. I think the problem is that pastors are seen as "highered guns." I have seen too often either the pastor is completly in charge or he pushed around by the deacons/elders. I believe the example in the Bible is a plurality of leadership. No one man is in charge. It is a group of elders who lead the Church. The idea to spread the burden, and allow Christ to truly be the head of the Church. That is my 2 cents.

I am with you as far as the article goes and I will purchase the book because I wrestle with this issue and work with pastors who do.

The shortness of the article I am sure limits the specificity of the suggestions Katelyn is able to make but as one person struggling to grasp the deep reality of "Communion with Christ" this as a solution produces more guilt than rest. The concept for me is so layered with potential triggers and "Christian" code it is sometimes impossible for me to accept this concept as true even though I know it is. It is an appropriate blanket to throw over many of our tricky ailments of the soul but when it produces more guilt because I don't have enough of it the danger becomes beating myself again and again for not producing enough of it.

For me being able to commune with the Lord often looks like anything but. It means getting off my knees, getting out of the office, closing my Bible and saddling my horse for a ride in the country.

Ultimately communion with Christ is all I need but too often I carry the responsibility for His end of the conversation and mine. Real communion starts with me accepting the freedom and grace to let Him find the weary, broken, wandering, searching, needy, distant, longing and out of contact me. I am powerless to produce the "magic" of communion out of guilt. It just burns me out more when I try harder.

I don't think it is wise to risk burnout without risking that our Father can find us when we risk allowing our souls to be found by Him.

Touched a nerve, have we? *Many* comments, many by men (as is this.)

Issue to consider: Bullying. Many churches include a person or group that bullys their pastor. Along with that goes the issue of entitlement -- it's OUR church, don't tell us how to run it.

I have been beaten up and forced to resign a pastorate more than once. My issues have included my (bleep) pride.

If I have any sanity at all, it is because I learned early the absolute necessity of forgiveness, which Anne deals with well in the sample chapter posted on http://madchurchdisease.com. My most important "tool" was obedience to Jesus teaching, "Bless those who curse you and pray for those who despitefully use you." Asking God to bless them sometimes was very hard, but very healthful.

There are times in everyone's life when the demands come too thick and fast to be ordered gracefully or with careful thought. But rest and restoration should follow (or, if possible, interrupt) them. Burnout is no testimony to dedication and it does not honor God when we push it on others. Woven into the fabric of creation and written into the essential law of God is the concept of Sabbath, of time to step away from other demands and reconnect with God and get the rest that humans are programmed to need. We should help each other get time for that Sabbath rest and should respect our own need for it. We are neither wise nor kind when we pressure ourselves, our church workers, our pastors, or anyone else to do without that Sabbath time when they can focus on and commune with God. Sabbath rest is commanded and, as Jesus reminded us, it was commanded for our benefit.

I think every pastor has had at last one abusive congregation (often it isn't the whole congregation - it's just one person). Some pastors are able to move on and some aren't.

I loved the article and pruning is the best advice given. Jesus knew exactly what we needed when he said it. Not only are Pastors and their families abused, but they also abuse their congregations. I have been on the side of that abuse and being overworked. It means that we pull away like Jesus did and find a solitary place to commune with God to find ourselves and what He really wants from us. Abuse in the church is everywhere even in Christian homes. We must each find out what God's mission for us is and constantly spend time with Him to make sure we are going in the direction that He desires. We also need to encourage each other to do the same-to take time off from everything and just medidate and listen. Psalms said it best-"Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the Heathern" and then He will be exalted in the earth. We need to find the still small voice and listen for it to speak.

I'm sorry- the house church that many present as the solution to this issue is just not true. My husband and I have ministered to a house church for the last four years and found fifteen people- who we loved dearly- drained us more than one hundred- as they felt a right to all our time and relationships. And then because it was a house church, these dear friends felt no responsibility for finances, teaching or leadership. (It wasn't their gift, you see.) Further more they wouldn't get their eyes off themselves long enough to reach out to other hurting people. No evangelism happened that we didn't do ourselves, further adding to our level of stress. At least in a church, we are protected by elders and deacons in a biblical model. In a house church, 20% still do most of the ministry, only we ended up being the twenty percent. The house church turned out to be an excuse for rebels of the church not taking responsibility. And before anyone says it, yes we taught on responsibilty, too. No thank you. Viola, Cole, and Hirsch can blow it out their ear!

I hear pain of the people in ministry who have been hurt by their churches, but I have been on the other side of the fence. I have been in a church where many people were accused by the pastor and his wife of being divisive, causing huge hurt and many people to leave the church. I was one of those people, as was my brother and the pastor and his wife were my brother-in-law and sister. Today, two years later many of the people are still battling with the pain and have not gone back to church in any shape or form.

Interesting topic!

Well, I represent a different voice from China.

My wife was a full time church worker being responsible for the children's minitry in the last 7 years in a local church here in Nankang (a small town in the south part of China). and I noticed in last 5 years that she experienced much of what you called spiritual "burn out". Work(holy serivice) first, personal benift second (regardless of hurts and crushes) had always been her principle in the service. it would be much words to say about the experiences.

Anyway, or that reason, she is very much broken mentally and physically.

We will stay away from there for 3 years from now on...... and possibly back when things are right. I am thankful because I see much change of the attitudes for my wife in these days.

David Kang
msn:omove316@hotmail.com

I am now probably struggling with burn out. However, I know many Japanese pastors who are struggling with burn out. Brothers, please pray for us.

David Brainard

Dear All,
I'm one of church members who serve in one/two ministries in a small church. I'm pained to read the plight of Anne's parents and how "stretched to limits" some of us above were. I could empathise with what the leaders/pastors are feeling because i have seen few incidents.

I agree with what many of the comments put forth. Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves what is our Great commission in life. Where has the Lord planted us (the need in the church where we are) and given us in our own uniqueness to allow us to serve Him & love His people. What is it deep in our hearts that drives and compel us and makes us weep.

When we try to overdo something because we saw there is a need in the church, sometimes we can't cope and we "break". We are all humans, and weak on our own.

What i remember most importantly is, Always Always Enjoy the Ministry you serve in, you'd never suffer a burn out. If i'm placed in doing something i don't enjoy, learn to enjoy it. If i don't, i would definitely suffer a burn out somewhere down the road.

Personally, if i think i'm too stretched, I pull myself back and come to GOD. Of course, I (try to) share actively with co-workers in the ministry and with trusted buddies in Christ. These buddies help put a human voice to GOD's words and prinicples in how to relate and work out issues and pull me striaght when my perspectives go wayward after continual working.

Dear Heavenly Father, You know the trials and challenges our leaders are suffering. Much of what they do, may not be appreciated or seen by the sheep they care for. But they are Yours and You cares for them above anyone elses. You give provisions each of our leaders, physically, emotionally, spiritually. And all their needs are known before you. We know You love them and provide for them more than what we know ourselves to be. Pls help each of us enjoy serving You and Your precious people till we return to You again.
in Jesus most precious Name we ask, Amen.

I Agree ! I see it in my own church. Mean-spirited, vicious, toxic people. I see it mostly against single ladies who hadn't got married yet. There is a website that I like which is for single Christian ladies who fell through the cracks at their own churches. It's not like having eye to eye fellowship and having a verbal fellowship with your Christian family, but it is the only site out there that I have found for us single Christian ladies whose "Adam" hasn't come yet. Check it out. Church leaders may want to check the site out also. It might educate you on if your church has this practice of excluding and alienating single Christian ladies. www.ainslie.webs.com

My family begged me to leave my staff position due to declining health brought on by bullying by lay leaders. After nine years, I reluctantly left my calling and have to say through God's grace, encouragement by my family and much time of personal reflection and study am finally starting to come out of the fog.

Thanks for these beautiful thoughts about Christ.

This is a subject that should have been discussed years ago. I am a third generation pastor. I will never forget a conversation I had with my grandfather one Christmas. He told me of how the ministry had changed during his lifetime and his stress level had increased. Burnout within the ministry has multiplied sense my grandfather began his ministry. This is a subject that cannot be ignored. Thanks for the article.

There are many books available which is written by Anne Jackson and Wayne. These are very helpful on burnout. Everyone should read those. I may share with you some topics about it.

so much superb information on here, : D.

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