Problem
What is the problem?
Burnout is a problem that affects many ministry leaders
According to the Mayo Clinic, burnout is, “A state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work.”
Ministry Leaders are in desperate need of healthy balances throughout their life in order to be more effective in every area of their life. The root issue for the increase of falling ministry leaders is burnout. Burnout is such a problem that 70 – 80 percent of ministry leaders grapple with the idea of leaving ministry all together.
The enemy is out for one thing: to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants to steal the hope of a ministry leader’s calling, he wants to kill the ministry which a leader has been called to, and finally he wants to destroy the leader along with everyone connected to them. Not only will a ministry leader struggle with the affects of burnout but all those connected to the leader will also experience the aftershock. It is vital for a ministry leader to keep a close eye on their spiritual walk but they must also understand this involves all the areas in their life. The overall health of a ministry leader is extremely important for advancement of the Kingdom of God. This includes their spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental health.
Target
4 Areas of Holistic Health
Spiritual
We are spiritual beings because we were made in the image of God. This must be the first step to be intact in order to be healthy. Personal devotion times are extremely important for a ministry leaders, however this can become very mechanical and dry. A ministry leader must examine this part in their life to see if it has become mundane, and if has then something is very wrong. Spiritual self- care is about making room in ones life to pursue their Heavenly Father. This is not about having a routine but pursuing a relationship. The minstry leader must find out what works for them in order to keep growing spiritually. There is not one size fit all, but it is important to learn from all those who have come before us.
Physical
Physical self-care should not be confused with godliness. Taking care of one’s body is being a good steward of what God has given us. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you…If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” If our body is the temple of God, it is vital to care for it, but it must not be separated from our spiritual self-care. Physical self-care alone will keep ministry leader’s unbalanced this is why it is vital to follow all four steps to burnout prevention / holistic healing.
Emotional
Chronic neglect of a ministry leader’s emotional self is a clear road to burnout. In this step a ministry leader must know the things that charge up their emotional energy tank and the things that drain them. In order to do this the ministry leader must be aware of their EQ or emotional intelligence. Even though an individual should not be controlled by their emotions they should be informed by them. God created us to be emotional beings and these emotions provide us with information on how one is feeling. A good way a ministry leader can discover what emotions they are feeling is by getting a notepad and jotting down any words which can help understand their current emotions.
Mental
God created us with a brain, an intellect which must continue to grow without remaining stagnate. Although life can be full of busyness there must be time set to grow mentally. Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) reads, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise – worthy – meditate on these things.”