Pastor Rowland Croucher writes: ‘The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I’d never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months I had resigned my ministry…Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include…a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality…lack of boundaries…workaholism…feelings of incompetence…conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time…“playing it safe” to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners…and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).’ Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus, b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks, c) never losing sight of the people behind the work, d) never taking your position for granted, e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority, f) knowing that you’re fulfilling God’s will and your reward is laid up in heaven, g) having a servant’s heart, h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things. Practise these principles and you won’t burn out.
