The following are excerpts from The Professional Church Worker vlog by Luke Esselman and Tyler Seehafer.
Burnout is the feeling that you’re at the end of your rope with effort and that there are too many things on your plate; that the expectations placed on you (by yourself or your supervisor) are greater than your capacity to do them; they are unrealistic. It’s when you’re tapped out and don’t have energy (physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual).
Burnout does not mean you should quit ministry. If you can identify it and find things that can help you cope, you can get through it.
There’s a difference between being stressed and being burnt out. It’s important to learn to identify in ourselves and in our schedules when we need a break. It’s a lot of balancing and knowing yourself and seeing where you’re at. There are times when you have greater capacity; there are times when you don’t.
Things that lead to burnout:
- Unrealistic expectations. Realize that working with people, especially when dealing with faith practices, is not cut and dry. Getting into demographic data can help you set realistic expectations. But setting goals is a good thing and failure is also good, because if you don’t fail it means you’re not even trying, and you’re not going to learn.
- Trying to manage stress by working more. Ministry is never done, so don’t push yourself through in hopes it will get better after “just this one event.” Learn to take a step back to breathe and allow your emotional/mental state to level out. It doesn’t all rely on you. This is the Holy Spirit’s work. If you need a break, take it; the world is not going to fall apart.
- Isolation: Being focused solely on what you’re doing and not taking part in other ministries or interacting with them. Find a cluster near you; find a community that you can talk ministry with. Even if you’re an introvert, you need other people to talk to. Consider joining a local Bible study where you’re not the leader. Be in the Word. Sometimes reading the Bible can feel like work, because that is part of your call. Find ways that you can be filled with the Gospel.
- Lack of delegation. Sometimes we don’t have many people available, but the more people you can ask for help, the better. You may feel guilty about delegating parts of your job. But your job is to bring the Gospel to people. If you’re delegating, you’re still bringing the Gospel to people. You find someone and prepare them to share the Gospel. It takes work to build a community of people you can delegate to. Sometimes the church worker’s job is to do everything the pastor doesn’t have time to do (“and all other duties as assigned”). But don’t be afraid to have conversations with leadership if you’re finding yourself spending a lot of time doing things that are not part of your call.
Signs and symptoms of burnout:
- Exhaustion that doesn’t go away.
- Negativity/bitterness about the job in general.
- Anxiety-induced insomnia. Poor sleep magnifies all other issues.
- Reduced productivity.
Healthy habits:
- Learn to say no.
- Use your vacation time. Use your sick/personal days.
- Join a cluster group. When you’re in burnout, it is sometimes hard to identify. That’s why it’s important to be in a ministry cluster group or pastoral winkel. By gathering and establishing relationships, others can help you realize when you’re showing signs of burnout.
Recommended book:
- Don’t Burn Out, Burn Bright by Jason Young and Jonathan Malm
The Professional Church Worker is a vlog by Luke Esselman, the Commissioned Ministry Advocate for the Michigan District, and Tyler Seehafer, Director of Youth Ministry and Media at St. Paul, Ann Arbor. They discuss information, hot topics, and issues that pertain to the lives of Professional Church Workers. You can see the playlist of episodes on YouTube. The specific episodes on church worker burnout can be found here and here.
The Michigan District, LCMS offers many free resources for professional church workers. Visit michigandistrict.org/churches/church-worker-care/ to access them. For mental health case management and referrals, contact Deaconess Christie Hansard.
LCMS Worker Wellness Retreat grants provide assistance for rostered church workers who desire to participate in a retreat program through a Recognized Service Organization (RSO). Please complete an online form to apply for a grant. Funds are limited.
Please note that, prior to applying, you must speak to your district president about your desire to receive a retreat grant. He or his representative will review your application.
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