What Is Ministry Burnout?

Christina Maslach, a pioneer of burnout research, measures burnout in three scales: emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and personal accomplishment. Emotional exhaustion comes from responsibility overload. An individual can feel overwhelmed and stretched too thin. This drowning in work can lead to the next scale: cynicism. Enthusiasm for the job fades and is replaced with a critical nature towards the work, coworkers, and customers. Personal accomplishment is affected when it feels like an impact is no longer being made. This can cause someone to question their value in the workplace. These scales can lead to physical illness, mental health issues, and problems within professional and personal relationships. So how does this relate to someone serving in ministry?

In regards to ministry, Desert Road Ministries defines “ministry burnout” as a disconnect from one’s passion towards their love for God, others, and the work of ministry. We look at 6 elements of an individual’s experience that can impact one’s engagement with ministry: The Brain, the Body, Relationships, Past Experiences, the Soul, and How the Spiritual Relates to Us.

Brain:

Our brain is crucial for making ministry happen. Dealing with symptoms of anxiety, depression, addiction, sleep problems, ADHD, traumatic brain injuries, etc. can make it difficult to focus on the work at hand. These issues are not always due to a psychological problem. Sometimes genetic factors are the catalyst. Neurofeedback can help remove challenging symptoms that keep ministry leaders and their families from living out their calling. EEG-guided neurofeedback teaches the brain to operate at frequencies that are more optimal for emotional regulation and healthier brain functioning.

Body:

The body was lovingly crafted by God to make life involuntarily and voluntarily happen. Our bodies are designed to give us signals when we have needs. Complex systems work together to create physical and emotional responses to external and internal stimuli. We have innate abilities to cope when in dangerous situations. Each individual’s ability to cope is different and can be referred to as a “window of tolerance.” Working in a chronic stress ministry environment can shrink one’s window of tolerance and increase the likelihood of someone experiencing ministry burnout. Environmental changes and grounding/mindfulness techniques are part of the burnout prevention and recovery process.

Relationships:

The work of ministry involves people. We work with people. We serve people. We evangelize to people. The work of God is all about people’s lives being changed through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Humans were designed for relationship. It has been confirmed since Genesis that we are not meant to live in isolation. Ministry leaders and their families need trusted people around them to be seen, heard, and cared for. Practicing interdependence can be intimidating but it is worth it to witness how God uses people in our lives to provide a variety of needs and wants. We also get the joy of being there for those that are there for us. When ministry leaders feel isolated in their position, their own relational health can be at risk. Individual counseling and group work can be a great first step to exiting the dangers of isolation.

Past Experiences:

Our past experiences impact how we process incoming data, utilize emotions, feel physically, and relate to God, ourselves, and others. Dedicating time to productive grief work on past experiences can remove obstacles hindering you from living out your individual calling. Some things we can process on our own and others we need help. If there is any form of trauma or chronic stress in your past, individual counseling or a support group can walk with you through the healing work.

The Soul:

Ministry is a very personal and spiritual mission. Most people enter ministry because they love God and feel they have a call to serve God in a unique capacity. Ministry leaders, like everyone else, have a soul that will continue on after their physical death (departure). This eternal soul, or “inner self”, is comprised of thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that interact with the spiritual things unseen. Here, we engage with the spiritual world: God, Satan, angels, demons, and our own character strengths and defects. The peace (or lack thereof) that flows from our soul impacts how we experience the physical world and do ministry. Maintaining your spiritual health is of utmost importance. Connecting with a mentor or mental health professional who can offer spiritual guidance is a helpful tool in protecting your relationship with God as you live out your ministry calling. Workshops and retreats can also serve as aids for maintaining spiritual health.

How the Spiritual Relates to Us:

God is actively involved in our lives. He is constant as our awareness of His involvement changes daily. Not only is God involved in our lives, but there is also a spiritual battle taking place. In the Bible, references are made to Satan and demons influencing and interacting with people. Jesus shares with Peter that Satan had desired to “sift [him] like wheat” but Jesus had prayed for him. There is reference to angels and their many roles in carrying out God’s plan. You are important and seen in the spiritual realm. Through a faithful, daily pursuit of encountering God, you can have the abundant joy and wonder of seeing God’s provision while living in the tension of a world with good and evil. You will develop the sobering reality that prayer is the most important ritual you could practice throughout your day. Rituals like retreats of silence and solitude can serve as an inspiration for continued connection with God in every day life.

Desert Road Ministries exists to enrich the spiritual health of ministry leaders and their families. We envision a worldwide spiritual awakening led by ministry leaders and their families who have encountered God on their personal desert roads.

Desert Road Ministries prayerfully carries out their mission by providing three core services: Ministry Burnout Prevention and Recovery Program, Family Support, and the Oasis Clinic.

Contact us for a free, 15 minute consultation to see if any of these services can help you maintain your spiritual and mental health in ministry!