I recently attended a ministry networking event that got me thinking about preventing church leader burnout. The keynote speaker shared about his father, a former drug dealer turned pastor who ministered for 30 years in a rough area of my town. As I listened, my heart was stirred in gratitude. I was reminded that the Gospel transforms sinful men and women, and then God uses them for His Kingdom. This pastor had stepped into the fiercest fire to help build God’s Kingdom, and his testimony was remarkable.
It was, though, all a set-up of sorts. His father, the man whom the Lord had used in a mighty way for His Kingdom, burned out at the very end. One simple question crept into the pastor’s soul toward the end of his ministry and had a devastating effect on his resolve: “Does anybody care about what I am doing?”
This simple question, “Does anybody care?”, did serious damage. This pastor burned out, left the ministry, and distanced himself from his family, others, and the Lord. I am no expert, but I believe this happened for a few reasons: (1) He replaced “being” with the Lord with simply “doing” for the Lord. This tension between spiritual depth and practical leadership is something many leaders face, especially when trying to lead with both Spirit and strategy. (2) The people he served, and those serving alongside him, did not encourage him by communicating that he and his work mattered to God and to them. (3) Over time, he felt alone and unseen.
This led me to wonder: can the teams that serve under a church leader play a meaningful role in sustaining their leader and preventing church leader burnout?
At Shepherd Staff, we’ve seen this firsthand through our team approach to ministry support. Here are some helpful reminders you can use to support your leaders and play a role in preventing church leader burnout. Simple, intentional statements from a team member can go a long way.
Remind your church leaders that they matter
Remind them that God sees them, knows them, and cares for them. They matter to God, and He desires to be with them, and for them to be with Him. All else, such as serving in the church, is secondary.
Remind your church leaders that what they do matters
It is good to remind a leader that their service is noticed, not only by those they serve and lead, but also by the Lord, who sees their work and rewards them (1 Peter 5:2–4). Don’t be afraid to tell your leader that their work is significant. We all need that reminder.
Remind your church leaders that their work has eternal impact
Your church leaders are instruments being used by the Father to build His Kingdom. There is no greater calling. The Lord is using church leaders and their teams to build His Kingdom in the hearts of His people. We don’t have to wait until eternity to celebrate what God is doing. The impact, though eternal, starts here on earth. Don’t hesitate to remind your leaders of this.
Remind your church leaders that they are not alone
Leadership can be lonely. It never hurts to simply “be” with your leader. Stand next to them, support them, champion their vision, and show up consistently. This is the essence of “being” with them. Show your leader that you care.
Bonus: Help carry the ministry load
Whenever possible, a team member should step up to support their leader. What could you do to lighten their load? Sometimes, simply taking on a task communicates that you care about them, believe in them, and are there to support them.
These practical reminders are a starting point for how you can play a role in preventing church leader burnout. To close, remember the story of the pastor. He was eventually restored to the Lord. On his deathbed, hundreds of people he had ministered to came to visit him after hearing he was dying. They expressed their gratitude and shared how God had used him in their lives. They came from all over. His family eventually had to limit the number of visitors each day because there were so many.
Praise God for that, but it is also a reminder: don’t wait to say it. And if your team could use support in preventing church leader burnout, connect with us.
