Pastors face many challenges in their roles as spiritual leaders. One of the biggest ones is meeting the diverse needs of their congregation. They must constantly balance providing spiritual guidance with addressing practical issues such as finances, health, and relationship problems.
Through years of training and devotion, pastors commit themselves to guiding their congregations through life’s challenges. But all of this, combined with the expectation of delivering powerful sermons week after week, can create a sense of constant pressure.
Researcher Valerie Ling is a Clinical Psychologist and Director of The Centre for Effective Serving. She has a wealth of counselling experience and a passion for training Christian and Ministry workers in building resilience and avoiding burnout.
We Don’t See the Person
Valerie recently joined us on 20Twenty to share what her research has shown about Pastor and Clergy burnout since the start of the pandemic, and some specific strategies that can be implemented to address the issue.
According to Valerie, offering feedback to church leaders after a Sunday service might be desirable to us; but it can prove to be quite stressful for pastors if they receive a large influx of messages on Monday morning. After a weekend of fellowship, they are often left feeling exhausted.
‘If everybody sends that one email,’ says Valerie, ‘after you’ve had fellowship on a Sunday, it can be quite overwhelming for Pastors. I think what’s happening in our society is we are getting more and more inclined to see human beings as objects. We see the role and we see the job, but we just don’t see the person.’
‘Anybody who has a lot to do with serving the public is dealing with these sorts of dynamics. But for me as a Christian, it’s just sad to see it happening in the church.’
Listen to Valerie’s full interview on 20Twenty below:
