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GUEST POST: Burnout Culture

Two days ago the Assistant Director of Children?s Ministry at our church announced her resignation at our monthly all-staff meeting. Her simple explanation to the staff: ?I?m burned out.? This brought immediate understanding to the ministry personnel sitting around the table. It wasn?t a sin issue or a leadership conflict; it was another burn out.

As I?ve experience the ups and downs of ministry for the past 5 years, I?ve hit points where I ask the question, ?Am I getting burned out?? The mind flashes to the statistic pounded into us at Bible College: the average youth pastor lasts 18 months before getting burned out. I?ve heard about and witnessed the burnout of so many ministry friends and colleagues in my years as a church-going Christian, why would anyone get into a profession so fraught with the fear of burnout?

Then a thought struck me today. It?s not a fully developed thought, and at this point it is more of a question: Have we created a culture in which ministry professionals expect to burn out? Do we talk about it so much that when things get tough and difficult we automatically think we have reached an irredeemable point of tiredness? Have we given ourselves a two-word explanation that keeps people from asking any more questions?

There will be obvious times when we get stuck in a rut, and there will be times when lose sight of our vision, and there will be whole seasons in which our ministry life seems to take away any chance of a healthy spiritual life. But I don?t know that we can call that burned out. Maybe ?routine? or ?tired? or ?too busy.? Maybe.

Do we need to find a place in which we are fulfilled, using the gifts God has given each of us in full dependence upon him, and making an impact because of that? Please, yes! Will there be down times even when we find such an oftentimes-elusive ministry position? Of course.

Maybe I?m just burned out and don?t want to admit it. Either way, let us think twice before we use such a poignant phrase. As we disciple the next generation of youth workers, let us create a culture of success instead of fear. Let us be honest about our struggles before we are beyond help. And let God take the glory as we press ever forward building His Kingdom.

Andrew Rothacker is the youth pastor of LEFC Student Ministry and Twitters right here.I follow him, do you?

simplykurt.com

Random Randomness

A few totally unrelated thoughts:

- Tiger Woods: Sadly, lots of people have marriages that are in trouble and lots of people contribute to, or respond to, their marriage trouble by having an affair. And for most people, they get to navigate all the ramifications in private. I really wish we would let Tiger and other public figures do the same. He messed up…but why are the details any of my business?

- Token Tiger Woods Joke: “Apparently, he drives an SUV the same way he drives agolf ball…into the trees.” Of course, the irony isn’t lost that the only reason I can pass that joke along is due to his problems being aired in public.

- President Obama: In the interest of full disclosure; I didn’t vote for Barack Obama primarily because I just wasn’t convinced that he had enough experience for the most important, most stressful (note the increase in grey hairs already on his head!) job in the world. And, in my humble opinnion, his charisma, youth and oratory skills allowed him to hide his inexperience. Bottom line is that I’m not sure our President has ample leadership experience, and it seems like watching him navigate health care and the war(s) we find ourselves in are bearing this out. BTW, I’m not convinced John McCain would have been any better. My feelings are that men/women who serve in the senate don’t typically have enough exposure to the types of decisions and leadership scenarios a president faces. I’m certainly not like [...]

youthministrygeek.com

Save Andy Sale at Simply Youth Ministry

Over at Simply, we are having a Save Andy (and us all) Sale. He’s decided that he wants to be a Rock Star instead of Youth Ministry. Watch this video and see how bad he his. Help show him his future is really in Youth Ministry by helping make this sale a huge success. And you save 30 – 70 on some of our best resources.

Visit the Sale Here!

marriedtoayouthpastor.com

God runs through it!

simplyurbanministry.com

Soul Food! If you love yourself, feed yourself!!!