Every now and then you’ll hear a pastor talking about burnout, either with reference to themselves or to others close to them. Maybe you’re feeling like you’re already there a bit. Maybe.

Of everyone I have spoken to about burnout – and this is anecdotal information, not research – only a few of them talk about how they saw the signs, changed their work practice, and were able to avoid it all. Most talk about how it snuck up on them, and they only noticed how bad things were when things started falling apart.

So, how do we spot the signs? How do we get clarity on how our work is impacting us? 

Perhaps part of that answer is to recognise the unique pressures of pastoral work, and to acknowledge how the way we work influences whether our ultimate story will be one of burnout, mere survival, or flourishing. 

Let’s be clear: I don’t think “flourishing in ministry” is a settled state we can arrive at. “Flourishing” will always be relative to context, the individual person, and other factors. So, what does it mean to flourish in ministry? Maybe it’s where, more often than not, I can look at where I am and say it’s very good and we’re doing really well. 

As I look back over 40 years in pastoral work, there were occasions where it was very good and we were doing well, but I’m not sure that happened because of my intentional approach to ministry practice. My guess is it was more a matter of God’s grace working through circumstances that were largely out of my hands. 

What about you? Where are you in ministry? Who are you in ministry? Where do you land between the poles of depletion and flourishing? If you’re unsure you may wish to complete Valerie Ling’s Emotional Health Check of Ministry Workers.

I recently listened to Ling’s excellent From Burnout to Flourishing in the Clergy Wellbeing Downunder podcast series.

Ling interviews Dr Chris Adams, who leads the Flourishing in Ministry project at the University of Notre Dame. They open up some of the factors which make the pastoral role so complex. They discuss what it might look like for pastors to thrive more: the behaviours and habits that might reduce one’s sense of depletion and assist more healthy pastoral practice. A few subjects covered

• is burnout really a thing?
• pastoral care in aisle 7 – what happens when you bump into a church member at the supermarket?
• what steps can I take to flourish more in my ministry?
• how are burnout rates for pastors different to other professions?
• what might ‘better self care’ look like?

“Clergy Wellbeing Downunder” is worth following. Ling’s research into what helps pastors thrive means her podcast material often has plenty of wisdom and practical suggestions for working and ministering in more healthy ways. That has to be a benefit for those under our care, and ultimately, for the Gospel.

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:15–16, NIV)

PS. If you’d like to talk about where you’re at in ministry, explore some of these issues, and explore how regular supervision can assist, get back to me and we’ll work something out.