Pastoral Burnout is a Real Thing

Smile on face. Energy in eyes. Hair in place. Face of happiness … something I had refined over many years. Heart wounded. Mind and body tired. Soul empty. One word summarized my personal being — burnout. Something no human can refine but must face when it becomes too much to bear.

This 2020 picture of me represents many present-day pastors: alive on the outside, but dead on the inside. I personally know this because of conversations with my colleagues over the last 4 years, and it’s confirmed by Barna Research Group reporting in 2022 that 42% of pastors were seriously considering stepping away from full-time ministry. (I was one of them). In 2020, 20,000 pastors quit the ministry. (I was almost one of them). Read Full Article »