A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Jim Petty, a former pastor and counselor, about the difficulties pastors often face in time management. What he had to say will help pastors manage their time better so they are more free to offer pastoral care to their congregations. What makes time management so crucial for a pastor? I had a teacher at seminary … [Read more...]
I burned out at Saddleback Church
Lance Witt, who served twenty years as a senior pastor and six years as an executive/teaching pastor at Saddleback Church, shares insights on how pastors can prevent burnout and not make some of the same mistakes he feels he made. After leaving Saddleback, Lance started a ministry called Replenish to help pastors care for themselves as they do the work of ministry. He is now … [Read more...]
4 reasons you need a break
The world is not going to end if you take a day off. This planet will keep turning if you go on a vacation. One of the best things you can do to stay fresh as a preacher is to take a break. So many pastors get burned out and fatigued because they lack balance. They are giving 100 percent of themselves 100 percent of the time. This is not sustainable and will lead to an … [Read more...]
How to cure workaholism
Hello, my name’s David, and I’m a recovering workaholic. And I say that with no sense of pride, even though workaholism is one of our society’s most “respected,” even admirable, sins. In fact, perhaps one of the places it is most admired is in the church, and especially in the Christian ministry. Few Christians put this sin in the same category as homosexuality or murder. … [Read more...]
3 ways to maintain sanity in ministry
The thrill of God’s victories For those called by the Lord into ministry—whether it’s vocational or volunteer—there are incredible opportunities to see God at work in the lives of His people. What other thrills in life can compare to someone seeing his need for Christ and surrendering himself to his Savior? Or what other thrills in life can compare to witnessing a Christian … [Read more...]