No one enters the ministry merely to survive. Everyone wants to thrive in his or her calling, yet burnout is rampant in all areas of ministry. Based on extensive interview research with pastors through the course of several years Burns, Chapman and Guthrie deliver invaluable insights into the common characteristics of resilient pastors.
Five themes of resilient ministry emerged from the research including: spiritual formation, self-care, emotional and cultural intelligence, marriage and family, and leadership and management. Each of these themes, while unique, is dependent on one another, and the authors approach them as multiple strands of a tapestry woven together.
The wisdom gleaned from the pastors in this research is invaluable as clarity is brought to bear on what works and what doesn’t work in the trenches of ministry. While these themes may be important to everyone, there is a unique nature to how they are reflected in the lives of pastors and their families.