Imagine getting a new car. If you are like most people, you want to care for it the best way possible. Who wants it to fall apart soon after you buy it, right? You get scheduled oil changes and other suggested maintenance so, that when the day comes and you’re pushing 200,000 miles, you could potentially still have a pretty decent car.
Why is it that pastors will often care for their cars and do necessary preventive maintenance, but they ignore their emotional and mental health? Sadly, there is a stigma about mental health and ministry. If a pastor had a counselor or ministry coach, that would be an admission of weakness, right? And no one should dare think a pastor is not a superhero. So the pastor ignore the “warning lights” of his life and quickly spirals into burnout or, worst case, moral failure.
My heart has always been grieved by the stories of those men and women of God who were on the front lines for Christ who are now off the radar. Could something have been done early in the process to prevent this? I believe the answer is YES!
A little over a year ago, I got involved in a ministry that was designed to help pastors with preventive care before the crisis ever occurs. I have been meeting weekly with some pastors via FaceTime, while I connect with others on a monthly basis.
If you are a pastor, ministry leader, or one preparing for ministry, this preventive maintenance is for you.
If you would love to hear more about what God is doing through this, I would love to talk to you.
Maybe you’re not in ministry. I have a word for you – You still need preventive maintenance! Don’t wait until you’re stranded on a back road with no one around. Surround yourself with help in the journey NOW!
Honest Thoughts from a Pastor 
Leave a comment