There has always been stress in the ministry and especially in the lead pastor/elder role. If done well, it’s a difficult calling filled with many demands and challenges. That’s not to say that there are not tremendous joys and blessings in the pastoral calling. There certainly is, and none of us who have the privilege of “the call” should cheapen it by playing the victim.
However, the reality is, in our particular moment there is an epidemic of pastoral burnout. Barna surveys in 2021 found a sharp rise in the number of church leaders who have seriously considered leaving full-time ministry. Nearly two in five pastors (38%) in 2021 said they had seriously considered leaving full-time ministry. As of March 2022, the percentage had risen to 42%. It is not surprising that when asked why they have considered leaving the vocational ministry, that their top three reasons in order of cause were stress, loneliness, and political division. Other significant causes of burnout and exiting temptations were the negative effect their role was having on their family, mismatched vision between their leadership and that of the church, and the continued decline of the church.
In my conversations with pastors (not all), I hear some of these themes of burnout. Thankfully, we have not had an epidemic of resignations that have been experienced elsewhere. However, that is not to say that many of us have not been familiar with some of these symptoms. I’m convinced one of the pastoral traits needed in our pressurized evangelical cultural moment is simple perseverance.
But how do we persevere in the ministry through difficult seasons? Here are some simple principles I have practiced, some practiced better than others, that have helped me stay afloat over the long term. These are not exhaustive and some of them will bleed slight over on others, but these are the ones I’ve found vital.
1. Stay close to Jesus, especially through a daily time in the Word and Prayer – There is
no way to keep our lives in proper alignment and balance with all our demands and
stresses unless we are staying close to Jesus. Practically that means having a daily
rhythm in His word and in prayer.
2. Make sure you have settled the Identity Issue - You can know Christ, be called to serve
Him, and yet stray in the identity issue. In fact, those called to ministry are often the ones who
can be more easily deceived - because work for Christ can often replace identity in Christ.
When we stray by establishing our identity in anything other than Christ, then inevitably it will
lead to a loss of joy and enthusiasm in our ministries, thereby leading to burnout.
3. Family Time – Our family had specific rhythms of activities built into our weekly and yearly
routines. Practically that meant periodic dates with my wife, intentional time with my girls,
and weekly family nights together. Isolation from your spouse/family is both a cause and
symptom of burnout. Keep them close without making them an idol.
4. Trusted Friend(s) to whom you can be Vulnerable – To me, there is no darker place than
to have no one you can be open and honest without the fear of being rejected or exposed.
Holding in all the fears, doubts, discouragements, and battle scars that come with pastoring
and ministry will predictably implode in a cascade of despair, escape, and burnout.
5. Cultivate a posture of Leadership Humility – One of the reasons that we can suffer with
burnout is that we tend to operate from a position of defensiveness instead of vulnerability and
humility. The defensive paranoid pastor who is suspect of his members will eventually run
aground on the rocks of mental exhaustion and congregational isolation. However, pursuing a
posture of humility by having a teachable and approachable spirit will shift the burden of your
protection from yourself to the Father.
6. Recognize your Ministry Capacity – A significant contributor to ministry burnout is not
recognizing that not all of us have the same ministry capacity. Many of us attempt to do more
than our giftings and abilities could reasonably accomplish. There were times in my ministry
that I was operating outside my capacity and not only did I pay a price with my own burnout,
but my family paid a price – because it was taking an excessive amount of time. Operate
within your ministry capacity and learn to delegate.
7. Weekly Sabbath Day – I’ll admit, this is the most difficult principle for me to consistently
carry out. However, it is essential in protecting the pastor from burnout, and actually making
him more productive in his work. There’s a lot that can be said on this. The late Eugene
Peterson wrote a helpful book with a chapter that dealt with this entitled, “Working the
Angels”. However, it is taking a day in your week and making it your “sabbath” – your day
to “quit, stop, take a break, cool it”. Basically, it is your day to pull away from work and rest,
relax and reflect and to do as Peterson says, “If you don't take a Sabbath, something is wrong. You're doing too much, you're being too much in charge. You've got to quit, one day a week, and just watch what God is doing when you're not doing anything.”
8. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle through Proper Diet and Exercise – Okay, I know, not many
are going to like this! However, I believe most of us know it’s true. One of the ways I have
dealt with stress and prevented burnout in ministry is through a regular regime of exercise and
changing my eating habits. You don’t have to go radical on this, but it just means that you
find some exercise you enjoy (or come closer to enjoying!) – can be walking, running,
cycling, weightlifting etc., and choosing a heathier diet, and for most of us, eating a little less!
9. Take your Vacations – When I was in Seminary full-time, working at a church, starting a
new family with a baby in diapers and another on the way, I found myself proverbially
“burning the candle at both ends.” My very wise Sunday School teacher came to me and said,
“Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to take a vacation.” We’ve tried (not always
successfully) to take advantage of our vacation allotment by getting away…distance gives
perspective and disruption from the weekly stressful rhythms of ministry.
10. Have a Life Outside the Church – The Scripture says that God, “richly provides us with
everything to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17b). In God’s good creation, He has provided us a myriad of
outlets that we can enjoy without making them an idol. For Paula and I, it could be hiking,
going to hear the Nashville Symphony or seeing a musical at TPAC among other things. For
you it could be fishing, hunting, photography etc. The point is, have some hobby and life
outside the church.
11. Social Media Moderation – Unfortunately, social media has become a hot mess during our
time and evangelical/Baptist social media can be as angry, divisive, and unhealthy as the
secular version. Social media can be an asset and helpful, but it can also (especially for those
who have an incessant appetite for it) be a place that stirs up anger and despair. It can also
skew our view of what our congregants and the church at large are thinking, when we don’t
realize that only a small percentage of people are actually using social media (especially
media platforms like Twitter).
11. Lastly, if needed, see a Counselor – Sometimes doing all the practical things doesn’t
alleviate our feelings of burnout because it is deeper rooted in depression. It’s like a “heavy
weight” that we wake up with every day that makes it difficult for us to function with energy
and enthusiasm. In those cases, it is difficult for us to fix ourselves. We need an outside
objective trained and experienced Biblical counselor to help us uncover some of the root
issues.
The call to ministry, whether it’s a call to senior pastor or a support staff position, is a wonderful and honored calling of which we should never cease to be amazed. However, especially in our unique cultural moment, the stress and challenge of leading ministry seems to be at higher levels than in even recent earlier times. The Lord is not surprised concerning this distinctively challenging season of ministry. He has given us practical and spiritual tools to help us navigate these and all challenging times, and not only to survive but thrive in our calling.
May He grant each of us the grace to fulfill our calling with joy!
In His Service,
Dr. Wes Rankin
Association Mission Strategist
Concord Baptist Association
Website References & Resources:
1 https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-well-being/
2 https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-quitting-ministry/
3 https://outreachmagazine.com/features/76747-barna-study-finds-pastors-suffering-overall-health-decline.html