According to Barna, one third of pastors are considering quitting.

One in five have considered self-harm or suicide within the past year.

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I'm writing this from the SonScape Retreat Center in beautiful Divide, Colorado. The solitude, rest and fun that my wife and I are having along with other ministry couples and the incredible ministry staff is good therapy indeed.

Hard driving, production minded, spiritual leaders often admit they are burning out, losing the passion and considering stepping out of ministry while, at the same time, refusing to stop, breathe and refresh. The idea of a sabbatical never even enters their minds, or, if it does, they are convinced their board would never grant such a request. The only option is to keep working until the fire eventually goes out and families are left emotionally destroyed.

Last night, a former pastor shared a story with me of his desperate need for a short, six-week sabbatical a few years back. Many in his church aggressively campaigned against it, presuming he wasn't worthy of such an extended “vacation.” It went to a vote and his request barely passed. Upon returning, the tide had turned against him in even greater measure, and he resigned on the spot. Forty years of pastoral ministry was over.

We must understand that pastors are often depressed, have high blood pressure, are constantly attacked, poorly supported, in counseling, on medication, suicidal and desperate to quit. Further, pastor's wives are often ripped to shreds by destroyed friendships, gossip against their husbands, manipulative parishioners and nonstop unrest. It quite literally is a pandemic.

Even after three decades of ministry and reaching 55 years of age, I know I have so much to learn. In fact, after a week at SonScape, I'm invigorated, not discouraged, by my past blind spots. The fresh perspectives and input by the leadership team is making me excited about healthy shifts to life and ministry.

The point? Pastors especially need to continually re-sign up, get healed and allow themselves to come alive with what the next season holds.

Barna reports:

Henri Nouwen famously characterized the role of a pastor as being a “wounded healer.” This perspective underscores the importance of congregants, church staff and others actively supporting their spiritual leaders. Such care acknowledges that a pastor’s resilience and well-being are fundamental not only to their personal lives but also to the health of the communities they serve.

We must rest and play.

Sabbath means rest. It also means celebration.

The New Covenant Christian should be living a Sabbath life, playing, celebrating, rejuvenating, and ensuring they are not burning out, fading and emotionally dying. This isn't a Sunday plan of action. It's every day.

Sadly, the families of pastors and ministry leaders are often strained due to the unnecessary and unrealistic demands of the church. Vacations, recreation, turning off the phone and retreating to recharge are fiercely frowned upon by many. Pastors, after all, must be fully available, dead to their own desires and crucified by the demands of the people, right? It's dysfunctional.

When we launched our current ministry, I made it clear that I'd be burning hot and working hard to fulfill the vision God has given me. I also clearly communicated that I would not apologize for tending to my own heart and to my family. Ministry is a major focus, but not the only focus. It's also not the primary focus. I know, that sounds sacrilegious to some.

I let my leadership team know they would have room to grow into key roles in the ministry. When we move out of the way and encourage them to advance in ministry, it's quite powerful. Additionally, I said my family and I would be involved in other ventures on a regular basis. Vacations. Retreats. Recreation. Fun. Rest. Other ministry. Personal growth. The baton of leadership would often be placed in their hands.

Our current trip to Colorado will last three weeks. We've been away from the church several additional weeks this year as well. Additional time away is coming next year. If the church is dependent on me being front and center at every service, my leadership is failing.

I won't apologize for the priorities, and I believe pastors will be well served to adopt the same demeanor.

Schedule rest and fun on your calendar.

Block out significant time every year to disengage fully from the church. No ministry phone calls, no church work and no pastoral responsibilities. Play with your kids, date your spouse and relax.

Do not apologize to anyone. It's time to confront the ridiculous burnout culture in the church.

Preventative maintenance is necessary

The threat of depression, fatigue, disillusionment, health issues, emotional crashes, relational crisis and more severe consequences like heart attacks and marital affairs demand our immediate attention.

If we delete the noise on a regular basis, become unreachable at times, delegate authority and responsibilities and tend to our hearts, the crisis moments will begin to diminish.

I strongly recommend scheduling retreats like the one my wife and I are currently enjoying as often as you can. Our lives have been dramatically impacted here.

Focus on the Family and many other reputable organizations provide preventative maintenance opportunities that focus on everything from your marriage to your emotional health, and so much more.

Classes, workshops, retreats and other helps will strengthen your heart, your family and your ministry.

Churches, invest the money in your pastor.

The church should be budgeting a significant amount of money for self-care. Pastors don't need the added burden of attempting to finance strategies to support their emotional health. Church boards, pay up.

Pay for a month of fun and rest every year for the pastor and his family.

Pay for retreats and workshops several times a year.

Pay for training for other ministry leaders so they can be ready to lead when the pastor is tending to his heart.

Create a culture of spiritual, emotional and physical health in the church. This will not only strengthen the pastor, but everyone that attends will experience the benefits and, hopefully, tend to their own hearts in a similar manner.

We need more pastors and leaders, not less. This burnout crisis must be dealt with and the hearts of pastors and their families must be tended to.