Some pastors are on the road to burnout and consider it a badge of honor. They may even consider ministry fatigue to be the inevitable price of pastoring. Perhaps they were told only wimps get winded or that rest only applies to the weak, lazy, or unemployed. A popular axiom I often heard early in my ministry was, “I’d rather burn out than rust out” or “I’ll rest when I get to heaven.”
Normalizing exhaustion, fatigue, and burnout is not only dangerous, it’s ministry malpractice. And I passionately want you to finish the five-decade ministry marathon to which we have been called.
Finishing my race isn’t a good enough goal. I want to finish well and help others do the same. To accomplish that, we must run it at a biblical and sustainable pace by practicing Sabbath consistently.
Pastor, I want to suggest five reasons to reject the myth that ministry fatigue is inevitable:
1. God created a perfect plan.
For those who live in a constant state of exhaustion, you need to know God has a much better plan for your life and ministry. His plan for an abundant life includes rest and restoration for our body, mind, and soul. He personally modeled Sabbath rest for us in Genesis and mandated it in Exodus and Leviticus. Jesus likewise practiced Sabbath consistently and was criticized constantly (six times) for not doing it the way others wanted Him to.
A restless life is a stressful life, and I believe unhealthy stress is preventable for pastors, as well as anyone else who has ever bent the knee to the Lord of the Sabbath.
2. God is sovereign.
Regardless of where you land on the Calvinism scale, we all believe in the sovereignty of God. Ministry fatigue creeps into our lives when we start believing the outcome of our ministry depends on us.
John the Baptist was fond of saying, “I am not the Christ.” When I start stress pastoring, I sometimes audibly say that in front of my mirror.
3. Exhaustion is inevitable; fatigue is not.
I make a distinction between exhaustion and fatigue. Exhaustion is feeling spent, while fatigue is feeling overspent. Exhaustion is how I feel after preaching my guts out on Sunday. It is similar to how athletes feel after they’ve played their very best.
Ministry is hard. Nearly 6 in 10 pastors say it is frequently overwhelming. And burnout is common.
To pastor for five decades, you will need resilience, grit, and a supernatural strength that comes from abiding in Christ daily.
“There is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:28, CSB
Burnout/fatigue is the gradual depletion of your emotional joy, physical stamina, and spiritual focus. Burnout and depression are often used synonymously, even though they are not the exact same thing. Burnout has no standardized diagnostic criteria, so it is largely subjective. Clinical depression is often a chemical issue that deserves to be treated with the help of a Christian licensed therapist and/or medical doctor. Exhaustion does not have to devolve into ministry fatigue, burnout, or depression. If you aren’t sure how to assess your situation, ask a credentialed evangelical counselor for help. I did 15 years ago, and God used that counselor to save my ministry.
4. Sabbath is not a suggestion.
I have no intention of trying to convince you to slow down or lighten up. Some of you might need to speed up and get serious about your calling. Regardless of your situation, we have all been commissioned to go—and likewise all been commanded to stop (shabbat). We are hardwired to work hard then stop to rest and restore with the Lord of the Sabbath. We should reject the myth of ministry fatigue and embrace the command of Sabbath rest because Sabbath is a clear cease-and-desist order.
We see many biblical examples of God’s servants who found themselves in seasons of intense ministry. Moses struggled under the weight of leading the Hebrews through the wilderness, which led him eventually to learn to delegate (Ex 18). Elijah fled from Jezebel after she threatened him (1 Kings 19), which led him eventually to take time to rest and recharge with the help of some angel food. Jeremiah determined he would not speak any more about God after he was disappointed by the people’s treatment of him, yet he reconsidered after some time in solitary confinement. Paul said that he “despaired of life” in 2 Corinthians but finished the race God called him to by pouring into younger pastors through epistles he wrote from prison.
Stress is not something that can be avoided, but it can be managed. In ministry, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being are interconnected. When we suffer in one area, we tend to suffer in all areas.
Sabbath is God’s way of protecting us from ourselves.
5. Ministry is not a solo sport.
“For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” Philemon 1:7, CSB
Who recharges you the most? When was the last time you spent quality time with them on your day off?
If you are married, I hope and pray your primary source of joy and encouragement comes from your wife. Most of my Sabbaths are spent with Janet, who is my greatest cheerleader at home and church. Nobody knows me better or is more motivated to help me break the cycle of burnout.
I also need other friends to cheer me on, so I have a handful with whom I share life.
Pastors need real life relationships, involving real time conversations. Leaders who want to keep growing need to be a part of an intentional, disciple-making community. Who is discipling you right now? My advisor has an advisor, my doctor has a doctor, and my pastor has a pastor. You can’t self-isolate and stiff-arm people for four or five decades then blame them for ignoring you.
As a 2023 report from Barna put it, “Pastors are no strangers to feelings of loneliness and isolation. In fact, Barna’s historical data show that these feelings have increased significantly since 2015 when 42% of pastors shared they either frequently (14%) or sometimes (28%) felt this way. Now, 65% of pastors report feelings of loneliness and isolation, with 18% admitting these feelings occur frequently.”
According to Lifeway Research’s Greatest Needs of Pastors study, younger pastors (under 45) are more likely than their older peers to say they need to invest better in intentional friendships (79%), including relationships with other pastors (73%).
If you’re currently enduring ministry fatigue or burnout, ask the Lord to help you discern whether you’re enduring a temporary season or embracing an unhealthy lifestyle. Then make whatever changes you need to make to run your race at a biblical, sustainable pace that will help you accelerate through the finish line, instead of falling across it or falling short of it.
