Way Of Life - Christian Burnout

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November 27, 2013 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org)

“... and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2).

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Christian “burnout,” often called “ministerial burnout,” is a breakdown with physical and mental/psychological/emotional elements that is attributed to working too hard in the Lord’s service.

I’m not talking about the normal ups and downs of the Christian life. I’m not talking about being temporarily discouraged and cast down. I’m not talking about a loss of physical health. Everyone experiences that sooner or later.

I’m talking about getting so discouraged for so long that you quit the ministry or drop out of church or run away from your family or commit suicide or something like that.

He “burned out,” they say. He worked too much. The ministry was too hard. Too much pressure.

But I am convinced that Christian “burnout” isn’t caused by laboring too much for the Lord; it isn’t caused by pressure. It is caused by laboring in one’s own strength and by walking in the flesh rather than the Spirit and by a lack of wisdom in living one’s life.

No one labored harder and suffered more than the apostle Paul, but he didn’t burnout or break down. He spoke of renewal rather than burnout.

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians. 4:16).

Paul was sorely troubled at times and even perplexed, but he didn’t despair.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Corinthians. 4:7-8).

Paul experienced pressure so great that it was “above strength,” but he didn’t collapse.

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).

Paul didn’t burnout in God’s service the first century, and we don’t have to burnout in the twenty-first century.

I am 64 years old and have labored for the Lord for 40 years. I have labored hard and the pressures have been great, but I have not burned out for the simple reason that I have lived according to the following spiritual realities, which are all interconnected. And I commend these realities to all of my believing friends, particularly to young preachers.



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[Galations 2:20]

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

 

Honestly, the Lord's work is not intended to make one tired...... unless it is in one's own strength or one's own reasons and motives or dotted with sin.

 

I think about Mary and Martha and how they each approached the work of the Lord differently.  One was stressed and cranky....the other was joyful and serving selflessly at his feet.  Drinking in His teachings.

 

I do not always agree with David Cloud but this article is biblical and YES there are many in the ministry out there right now that are spiritually tired and weary.... absolutely exhausted.... who need to come back to the foot of the cross and have the joy of their salvation restored as they repent of their sins. 

 

Psalm 51 outlines clearly how David received his joy of salvation back again.

 

YES, Christians should be the most joyful, pleasant, selfless serving, humble, people on this earth who are so excited to work for Christ.

[Bro K]

The christian walk is not a continuous happy carefree life. The bible tells us about the fiery darts that Satan throws at us. Satan desire is to destroy the child of God in any way he can. Somewhere I heard this saying: "If the devil is not chasing you....he's already got you".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

s

[brosmith]

I will give my response as a personal illustration:

 

     I was a Christian school teacher from 1980-1984 and 1987-1990. I taught in the same school both times. In the summer of 1988 the church building (which housed the Christian school) burned down. For the 1988-1989 school year we used the facilities of another church about 10 miles away. In the meantime the church bought land and started the rebuilding process. In the summer of 1989 the church and Christian school moved into the new facilities. The new facilities were heated with an outside wood burning furnace that circulated water through pipes that were installed in the concrete floor.

 

     From 1980-1983 I served the church as a single man (we got married in June 1983). The reason why I quit in 1984 was because of spiritual struugles that I was having. I ended up joining the Army and in Feb 1986 I realized I was lost and needed to be saved. I was discharged from the Army in Dec 1986. In June 1987 we move back to the same town where I accepted the teaching position once again. As a new Christian I was very zealous for the Lord's work and for 3 years I strived to please God and man.

 

     The pastor of the church required that I take on extra duties during the school year (especially during the rebuilding time). I had to work a part-time job besides since the pay was low and we had some bills to catch up on (I did this for a little over a year - I quit the job due to burnout). In the summer time I had to work a full time secular job to take care of my growing family. I was also expected to help with the rebuilding of the church and when the new church building was opened I was expected to fire the furnace at 5:00 AM and keep it going throughout the day and to make sure it was filled with wood before I went to bed.

 

     In 1990 (not sure of the month) I was hospitalized for 5 days and diagnosed with kidney stones. The attack came on one morning as I was putting wood in the furnace. the doctor told me that it was stress related. After I was released from the hospital I was expected to resume all of my duties immediately.

 

     In the spring of 1990 I informed the pastor that I would be resigning at the end of the school year. Around that time, the church was having their annual business meeting and I had been nominated to be a deacon but when the church found out that I was resigning from the school then practically everyone voted against me. After that incident I was accused by the pastor of being bitter. We left the church a few months later. It wasn't bitterness. It was burnout and being disgusted with the way things were.

 

Bro Steve Smith

brosmith@sonlightchristianradio.com

www.sonlightchristianradio.com

 

[JerryNumbers]

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

 

Honestly, the Lord's work is not intended to make one tired...... unless it is in one's own strength or one's own reasons and motives or dotted with sin.

 

I think about Mary and Martha and how they each approached the work of the Lord differently.  One was stressed and cranky....the other was joyful and serving selflessly at his feet.  Drinking in His teachings.

 

I do not always agree with David Cloud but this article is biblical and YES there are many in the ministry out there right now that are spiritually tired and weary.... absolutely exhausted.... who need to come back to the foot of the cross and have the joy of their salvation restored as they repent of their sins. 

 

Psalm 51 outlines clearly how David received his joy of salvation back again.

 

YES, Christians should be the most joyful, pleasant, selfless serving, humble, people on this earth who are so excited to work for Christ.

 

 

I believe your correct, I believe many enter the ministry at an early age, they have children to care for, be with, play with, plus a wife who is demanding, plus things needing to be done around their home & when their work for the Lord demands much of their time & they have not enough to maybe even NO TIME for wife, children, & doing those things around the home a husband ought to do, they can burn out.

[John81]

It's important to make sure our pastors aren't overburdened, that we step up and help when the pastor says volunteers are needed; and also to keep our eyes open for ways we can help even when there hasn't been a call for help.

 

It's also important our pastors have days off, and also that we respect their days off and vacation time, even if they just stay at home, and not bother them unless there is a very real emergency.

 

Most of our pastors are busy and do a great deal more stuff than we ever see, from general maintenance around the church, to sermon preparations, selecting the music, preparing Bible studies, Sunday school lessons, counseling, work for weddings and funerals, visitations the things that come up day to day, and none of that even touches upon all the things they tend to with their family.

 

A very important matter in all this is keeping our pastors lifted up in prayer.

[Steve Schwenke]

I appreciate Br. Smith's honesty here.  I believe this is a key reason why so many experience "burnout."  It is the slave-driving "pastors" who "lord it over God's heritage" and have unreasonable expectations for their members.  The Pastor is to lead sheep, not drive cattle.  He is to lead by example, not be a brutal taskmaster.  He must be sensitive to the physical well-being of his members, and compassionate regarding the members' time for personal relaxation, family, and other needs at home. 

It is jerks like the pastor Br. Smith described that CAUSE people to "burnout."  They treat the local church like their own personal Kingdom, and their members as slaves for his using.  Of course, he makes it sound real "spiritual" by telling everyone how they must "sacrifice" for the "Lord's work."  The only problem is that these guys have confused their own little "kingdom building" with the "Lord's work." 

 

I am for a return to the simplicity of the New Testament.  We don't need all of these "programs."  We simply need Christians to love Jesus CHrist enough to tell others what He has done for us, and then love Jesus Christ enough to live the Holy life the New Testament calls us to. 

SIMPLE....We have complicated it beyond measure with our multiple "ministries." 

 

In Christ,

[Miss Daisy]

I found it troubling that he was teaching at a Christian school for 4 years and wasn't saved. Hello?

[John81]

I found it troubling that he was teaching at a Christian school for 4 years and wasn't saved. Hello?

That's actually not all that uncommon. I can't even count the number of testimonies I've heard and read over the years of someone (usually someone who grew up in church) who was very involved in their church, really thought they were walking with the Lord, by all appearances seemed to be saved and bearing fruit, often becoming involved in ministry, and then some years later actually being born again.

 

When our pastor says something about area pastors he's always careful to distinguish between the ones who are actually saved and those who are not.