When I was serving as Editor of Pastors.com, our highest traffic content – the posts with the most traffic and shares – were articles on the topic of pastoral burnout.
Inevitably, on those weeks we would get an unusual number of replies to Pastor Rick’s Ministry Toolbox from church leaders all over the world who were experiencing discouragement, loneliness, and weariness.
Today, especially in these last few years, the number of pastors and leaders walking through the valley of burnout has only grown. Recently, my heart has been burdened over this to the point that I want to do something about it.
I’ve traveled through that valley of burnout myself. Now, having spent the last year and a half doing a deep dive through reading, counseling, and a lot of coaching, I’m finally in the home stretch of putting together a coaching program designed to help Christian leaders move from burnout to breakthrough.
We’re right around the corner from launching it, but in the meantime, I wanted to pass along a free downloadable checklist I’ve put together to help you do a little self-assessment. There are 20 statements, all of which reflect things that I said or thought during the hardest season of my life.
Feel free to download it and share it with anyone you think might benefit.
Download the Free Burnout Checklist
And if you’re there right now, in that hard, dark place of not being sure whether you can continue or not, please feel free to reach out.
I can’t fix circumstances, but I can listen, pray, and encourage. If you’ve thought about talking to someone but aren’t sure where to go, send me a note. Or even better, grab a half-hour spot on my calendar for a video meeting.
In the meantime, know that you are making a difference in your world. Keep growing!
Brandon
PS – I’m always available for a conversation with a leader experiencing burnout at any stage. If you’re there – discouraged, depleted, disillusioned – grab a free spot on my calendar for a half-hour Zoom call and I’ll send you a link.
This Week’s Big Sermon Idea
Why Authenticity Matters More Than Authority in God’s Kingdom
A sermon idea based on Matthew 23:1-12.
People don’t become their best because someone claiming authority over them tells them what to do. People become their best when they are loved and led with authenticity.
Links for Leaders
- Don’t miss out on The First Impressions Conference. It’s free (with paid options for extra features), online, and packed with value for church leaders!
- Over at my Patheos blog, I share a bit about how “success” in terms of church growth can numb us to the pain that points to deep issues within us that need to be healed: When Church Growth is the Drug of Choice
- I really appreciated this piece over at Christianity Today about one person’s mental health crisis: I Was Facing a Lifetime in Mental Institutions When God Threw Me a Lifeline
- Philip Yancey, over at Patheos, writes a much needed article on What Makes a Church Toxic
- From Lucas Miller, writing for Entreprenuer, is a good list of 5 Books That Will Change The Way You Think About Being an Effective Leader.
- The Constant Contact blog has a pretty interesting story on The History of Digital Storytelling, going all the way back to Ken Burns’ first documentaries and drawing lessons for our social media age.
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Photo by Miti on Unsplash.