Comments on: Ministry Burnout

By: Susan David

Susan David — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:15:42 +0000

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By: Tyler

Tyler — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:22:31 +0000

I scored a 40 Sovann. It says I am at a manageable level of stress.

By: Sovann

Sovann — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:45:10 +0000

http://www.psychologytoday.com/pto/self_tests.php

It took the burnout assessment recently. I scored a 63.

Worry and stress is like sin described in 1 John. It’s going to happen but we are not to continue in it. It’s what you do with it that makes the difference, that’s where faith and obedience come in. If it drives you to prayer and being renewed in God’s presence that’s a good thing. If it drives you to try harder, to be perfect, to fake it, to hurting your family or others, to hurt yourself then it’s not.

Tim I like what you are describing it sounds like the Room of Grace vs the Room of Good Intentions from TrueFaced. Ever read that? We are free and we live in a fallen world. That will always be a tension.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:26:13 +0000

Good point Jonathan. I could also see someone having a very real calling from the Holy Spirit but getting caught up in things and running out of gas. Not that you were saying this, but I don’t think having a calling eliminates someone from having burnout.

By: Jonathan Brink

Jonathan Brink — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:01:41 +0000

Nice post Tyler. It begs the question as some have pointed out, “Why are we doing this.” If we’re called by the Holy Spirit, then burnout is not likely to happen. But if it’s for our own selfish reason, then burnout is likely, or perhaps inevitable.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:29:53 +0000

Randy- I totally agree with you. It is an ongoing process within myself of letting go of things to allow people to do them. A lot easier said than done I’ve found so far. Good advice though.

Sovann- Ministry does definitely ebb and flow. It isn’t an 8-5 M-F job. Some weeks are crazier than others. I just happen to be in the craziest 3 weeks of my summer right now

By: Tyler

Tyler — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:25:02 +0000

Tim-

I’m not offended, and I definitely value your opinion. Let me share a couple thoughts. I think avoiding burnout is Biblical. Many times after Jesus spent time with crowds he would go to a mountain top and spend time in solitude, spend time with the Father.

Each of us are called to be ministers, I agree. I think pastors have the job of empowering everyone to make that happen. People needs leaders to help influence them, to encourage and bless them along life’s journey.

No church is perfect. Church, small or big, is made up of people. People sin and make mistakes. Therefore the church is full of sin, both local and universal. We are saved by God’s grace. I don’t think this is reason enough to abandon the local church (not that you are saying that).

Thanks Tim. Blessings to you.

By: tim Gallagher

tim Gallagher — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:46:12 +0000

Tyler, Show me some where in the scripture that applies to burnout. Ministry is Who we are. God is our source and our wisdom and strength. I work just as hard and long at my job, then any minister does. I have many people who depend on me and I also have a family.I put my life and soul into all that I do. Sometimes I fail sometimes I get it right. I do not get burnout because I trust in God who has set me free from the bondage of pleasing man. You so called minister claim to be agents of God yet burnout is caused by pleasing man not God. As the scripture says His burdens our light and his yoke is easy. I am a follower of Christ just as you are I study the scripture as you do. I have yet to see in the bible a structure of church as we pattern today. We are not meant to take on such heavy burdens as the so called church is doing today. A true pastor or minister is not to gather but to send out. Our churches today grow for growing sake. The bigger the better. Yet studies show most church growth in the U.S. is not new converts but people moving from church to church because of various reasons. Pastors or ministers are to train up the people and send them out to be Christ agent to the world. We are all called to be Pastors, Preachers, prophets apostles,teachers evangelist. Jesus said the kingdom of God is within you. No longer a geographical place but within each of us. I know that my thinking is radical to you and that you think I have some so called soap box to stand on. I do not. I do not care at all whether you take what I say is truth or not. That is the great freedom that He has given me . I no longer care or fear any one. I no longer have to please anyone. Just Him, and in pleasing Him I can love you and I can respect you and how you think. I gave you my opionion based on scripture and you can do with it what you want, I would ask you though as a young man growing in the Lord to look hard and long at the way the church structure is today. Is this the way God wanted it? I have been apart of and seen so many churches who have failed or gotten to big or the pastor got caught in some sin.I can tell you each one started out right and they were on the right path. Yet each time failure happened because of one of two things, pride ( selfcenterness ) or people pleasing. I hope you realize that the two commandments He gives us Is two love Him and Love your nieghbor. All God wants from us is to have a relationship with Him and With our neighbor. If the christian today would only worry about those two things. We could evangelize the world very quickly. We would not need the buildings and the programs. We would not have to dress up Jesus to look like the world to try and get people to come to our sevices. If the people of this world just could see us be Jesus to them. How could you resist that? I am sorry I have went on to long I hope I did not offend you or any one else. I personally believe young man that you strive to do God’s work. Please, not for me. but for yourself re-examine the scripture. It takes a real para-dine shift in your thinking. Ask God to show you without predjudice. You and I were taught for so long that the structure was the truth and the answer. I put my heart and soul into it. It will always fail. When you do it His way. Think His way. The christian life will be abundant. No need to be get burned out. We get set free. I am free. Thank God. God bless you Tyler

By: Tyler

Tyler — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:24:05 +0000

Tim- Obviously your opinion isn’t one that I support being that I do work at a church and am going to school so that I can have my job be church ministry. It is fine for you to get on your soapbox and complain about our lack of understanding of what ministry is. BUT…you didn’t answer the question. The question applies to people who do ministry in all areas…how do you give your all to that and not lose energy for it?

By: tim Gallagher

tim Gallagher — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:04:33 +0000

I believe all of you miss the real life and ministry of the follewers of Christ. Jeus changed everything. The church is not a building or a struture, it is everyday life. We have turned ministry into a job and a place and a building. Jesus came and gave us life and life more abundant. Ministry is how we live our life in every day circumstances. I go to work every day and love it. I have A secular job ( as we all should ). My ministry is to everyone I come in contact with. I am to be Jesus to the world. I do not have to preach. I just need to be Christ. God does the rest. I allow the Holy Spirit to move to how and when I need to speak about the God I serve. I have church every time I come in contact with other believers. We share we laugh and we worship. I believe that we are all ministers of Christ and that there is no higharcy. I believe God gives us gift and we are to share them. To many so called Christians, seek position and pastorships and want to be prophets and teachers. Our call is to be a follower and then a servent. The reason we look folish to the world is because we gather each week in our builings pay our tithes and play follow the leader. We go to a building and get entertainment. We fill up our conscience by serving the building or the pastor hoping to gain some kind of position.We then get an higher than thee attitude and begin to judge the outside world. We are not called to judge the world they are who they are. They need Jesus just like all of us. Jesus very much disliked the attitudes of the pharisee, and the so called church has become the same way. I believe Jesus called us out of the temple in to the world to show the world that He is about love and restoration, healing and peace. All believers need to become more like Him and act like Him. We spend way to much time learning and not enough time being Christ. Stop all the ministry work and just live the life. Gather together with other believers at times and worship and share and allow the gifts of the Holy Spirir to move. God will not fail us. We fail God when we give all our time to ministry or a building. Stop going to the building and begin to “BE” the church. Live among the non believers and show them who this Jesus is. Worship Him every where you go. Do not give your money to a building, give it the needy the poor, the woman next door or to a people of God who is taking Christ to the street. No one should ever, ever get burned out. God does the work is burdens are light and easy. We only get burned out when we have our own agenda and trying to do it outside of Him. Thank for allowing me to share. I recomend the book ‘THE SHACK’ or the book ‘SO YOU DON’T WANT TO GO TO CHURCH ANY MORE.