SubscribeIs your pastor burning out?
For anyone who cares about their pastor, this story is worth a read. For that matter, there may be something in it for you if you are one of those people who spend a lot of time and energy “doing the Lord’s work” and it is wearing you down.
This New York Times story about clergy burnout has been buzzing in some circles this week. Something is happening to our pastors that’s neither healthy nor holy, according to the article published Monday,
“Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could.”
As parishioners, what are we doing to contribute to the decline in the health of our pastors? Are we depending on, calling on them more than we depend or call on God? Have we burdened them with the cares and concerns that we are suppose to leave on the altar?
According to my spin on this article, maybe too many of us have placed too much weight on the shoulders of our earthly spiritual shepherds and not enough on our heavenly Father who can carry all our issues and concerns and who doesn’t require a vacation.
Several studies have been done over the years with alarmingly similar results.
“We had a pastor in our study group who hadn’t taken a vacation in 18 years,” said Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, an assistant professor of health research at Duke University who directs one of the studies. “These people tend to be driven by a sense of a duty to God to answer every call for help from anybody, and they are virtually called upon all the time, 24/7.”
Fortunately, some denominations and even pastors themselves are doing something to reverse this trend. The article reported that “as cell phones and social media expose the clergy to new dimensions of stress, and as health care costs soar, some of the country’s largest religious denominations have begun wellness campaigns that preach the virtues of getting away. It has been described by some health experts as a sort of slow-food movement for the clerical soul.”
What is your church doing to ensure that your pastor doesn’t suffer burnout or worse? What are you doing?
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