I saw this helpful thread from Tim Wilson, the other day about how to volunteer in church life without burning out. One useful observation he made was that church members shouldn’t compare what they are able to commit to with what a paid member of staff such as the pastor or youth worker can do. … Continue reading The key difference between the volunteer and the staff worker
Tag: burnout
Food from around the worldwide web
What are theologians for? The case of Karl Barth’s adultery. An illuminating and challenging read. Though it raises questions about what we do with the sins of other big names in church history. What do we do for example with those who kept slaves? 5 signs a pastor is over committed: learn to accept your… Continue reading Food from around the worldwide web
You are always saying no to something
I remember someone giving me a bit of advice once to the effect that for every request you say yes to, you should say no to an equivalent request. It’s good advice but I would push it further. The reality that that every time you say yes to something or someone, you are at the… Continue reading You are always saying no to something
Protecting leaders from exhaustion
I recently saw the question asked “what can churches and pastors do to protect against burnout?” As you know, I prefer not to use the term burnout as it is often used as a cover for all kinds of things including depression and anxiety. However, presuming that we are describing here mental and physical exhaustion… Continue reading Protecting leaders from exhaustion
Is it burnout?
I’ve seen a few articles talking about burnout among those in church leadership over the past few weeks. These seem to be particularly in response to the experience of leaders through the COVID-19 pandemic which has in many ways amplified many of the challenges of Gospel ministry. One helpful contribution to the discussion was this… Continue reading Is it burnout?
Why do we struggle to talk about pastors and depression?
A few years back I was asked to cover a couple of sessions for a ministry training course. One of the sessions was on “failure.” The request came with a couple of those expected awkward jokes along the lines of “we aren’t picking you for any specific reason.” Indeed, at the time, arguably I’d not… Continue reading Why do we struggle to talk about pastors and depression?
The Wounded Christian – love letter to a broken child of God – Book Review
The wounded Christian is a book by John Piper, no not THAT John Piper, but by another Christian with the same name although also based in the States. This John Piper is originally from the UK and as a child experienced a strong calling to serve God on the mission field. In his case, his… Continue reading The Wounded Christian – love letter to a broken child of God – Book Review
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