Pastoral Burnout

I'm reading Wayne Cordeiro's "Leading on Empty" and just came across the following statistics (he quotes from H.B. London Jr., Pastors at Greater Risk).

- 80 percent believe that pastoral ministry affects their families negatively.
- 33 percent say that their ministry is an outright hazard to their family.
- 75% report they've had a significant stress-related crisis at least once in their ministry.
- 50% feel unable to meet the needs of the job.
- 90% feel they're inadequately trained to cope with ministry demands.
- 25% of pastor's wives see their husband's work schedule as a source of conflict.
- Those in ministry are equally likely to have their marriage end in divorce as general church members.
- The clergy has the second highest divorce rate among all professions.
- 80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with their spouse.
- 56% of pastor's wives say that they have no close friends.
- 45% of pastor's wives say the greatest danger to them and their family is physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual burnout.
- 52% of pastors say that they and their spouses believe that being in pastoral ministry is hazardous to their family's well-being and health.
- 45.5 percent of pastors say that they've experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they need to take a leave of absence from ministry.
- 70% do not have someone they consider to be a close friend.

Kids!

Encourage!

What's the most effective strategy to combat the effects of negativity in your life? This may sound "counter-intuitive" but the most effective way to turn the tide of negativity is to focus your thoughts on showing love and compassion for someone else! In other words, replace negative speech that usually limits and condemns with encouragement that builds up and releases!

Just try it. When you find yourself thinking of all the reasons why your life is feeling limited or trapped, be VERY INTENTIONAL someone you can call and immediately encourage. Who do you know who is feeling depressed, lonely, or anxious? Is there anyone around you right now who has expressed incredible disappointment or frustration? Try taking out a pen and paper (you could do an email, but pen and paper is so personal!) and write them a note telling them that you're thinking about them and praying for them.

I know what you might be thinking. This is such simplistic advice and doesn't get to the root cause of what I'm really feeling right now. How does encouragement break my own negative feelings?

Well, think about it. If we're having a difficult time seeing God's possibilities over our own lives then a great exercise it to help someone else see what they can't see in their life. I've always sensed that it was easier to see what God is doing in another's life than my own. Have you ever felt the same way?

Simply speaking encouragement to someone else's situation begins the process of "re-wiring" our own thinking. Recent studies in brain science suggest that this is also a physiological re-wiring. Our brains actually change neural pathways when we practice a shift in thinking. Even our languaged becomes "re-programmed" using the vocabulary and grammar love and compassion rather than condemnation and criticism. It also forces us to exercise our eyes of faith which sooner or later will reveal God's presence and light in the midst of my own situation.

Not only that, but when we encourage, we step into the very life and design we were created to fulfill. God never intended that we live simply for ourselves. We were created to live in life-giving, compassionate, and joy-filled relationship. It's when we "practice" our design that we move more deeply into the very heart of the Father.

And then finally, making someone else feel good makes us feel good! Do it often enough, and you've created a new pattern of living and being.

Feeling discouraged? Then ENCOURAGE!

I believe...

What difference does believing in Jesus make? Saying “I believe” amounts to nothing more than wind passing through one’s windpipe and the mouth forming words if it isn’t somehow related to disposition and action. Disposition because the kind of truth claim made by the church is ultimate on one’s life and so “disposes” one to believe certain things to be true about all of life. Action because the things we really believe are never separated from the actions that follow those beliefs. There are always "fruits" of what we believe.

Saying that one believes in Jesus could then mean one or more of the following: (1) Jesus existed. (2) I believe that the way of life Jesus talked about leads to the vision of life he described. (3) I believe that Jesus was who he said he was. (Jn 14:6-7) (4) I believe Jesus did the things he is described as having done in the New Testament. (5) I believe that the story of Jesus’s life possesses a modicum of power for people’s lives (1 Pe 3:13-22).

Jesus outlines though what it means to believe in him. If you love me, you will keep my commandments (Jn 14:15). In other words, if you love Jesus, you will do the things you see him doing, take on the attitudes you see Jesus showing in his life, and love others like Jesus loved. The knowledge component of Christianity really isn’t about a “metaphysical content” or “teachings” like you might find with ancient Greek philosophy. Rather, Christianity is about learning to love God's creation like God loves the creation and allowing that spirit of love to invade your thoughts and actions and whole being. As we do this, we become "walking peace" bringing the shalom of God to all that we do. That's what Jesus did and that's what he taught his disciples to do throughout their ministry together. Jesus's life itself WAS the teaching!

Believing in Jesus means believing that the resurrection after the crucifixion is something in which we as his disciples share. Jesus's story in a manner of speaking is OUR story. Belief in the power and providence of God is belief in God’s ability and desire to rob the sting of death from tragedy and hardship and pour in instead joy, meaning, and life (1 Cor 15:50ff). It’s the work of the Holy Spirit to bring to Jesus's followers what God did in and through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Jn 14:26).

What would it mean for OUR lives to become the teaching that show others in a powerful way the love and grace of God? Is there something we can change today that better "instructs" the deep love of Christ for the people in our lives and for our community?

Wrestling in Prayer

Some of life’s challenges seem too overwhelming for just a quick prayer for release. Paul describes one of his co-workers in Colossians 4:12 – Ephaphras – who is “always wrestling” in prayer for the church at Colossae.

Wrestling in prayer. What do you suppose that looks like? In an age where we leave ourselves little time to commit to anything with any depth and where it feels like we are constantly skimming the surface of experience the idea of wrestling in prayer appears almost wasteful. Doesn’t God already know the things we need? What benefit could be gained by an hour or hours of prayerful struggle?

And still, all of the great revivalists considered their time in prayer to be their most important activity of the day. John Wesley famously said, “I have so much to do that spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.” He also said, “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.”

Your prayers matter. I believe that we are in a time that will experience transformation only through wrestling prayer. Do you know anyone who has lost work because of the economy? Wrestle for them for God’s release of provision. Do you know anyone who is suffering because of someone else’s selfish choices? Wrestle for them for release and grace. Do you know people who are bent on destroying their lives and in desperate need of God’s grace? Wrestle for them in prayer that they would have opportunity after opportunity to know the love of Christ.

Your wrestling matters – whether for others or for yourself. It’s on the other side of wrestling with God that we are made strong in our weakness. And if the case of Jacob is at all an indication, we can wrestle until we “rest” a blessing from God. When Jacob wrestled with God he was given a new name representing the purpose and the hope God has over his life.