Today is R U OK? Day. We’ve all seen the ads with Hugh Jackman. The concept is simple – take a moment to look your friend or co-worker in the eye and ask them “Are you OK?” It may not be necessary, but it does no harm. But it can do a lot of good, [...]
Archive for ‘Ministry and Depression’
Follow Friday
Thursday, May 26th, 2011My friend Sally Oakley has started a blog at http://oakleythoughtso.blogspot.com/ She writes A bit of a working title. It’s an idea James and I have had, to write (perhaps together?) about our experiences of depression. It sounds depressing, I know, but the idea would be to make it extremely practical and readable; something that anyone [...]
Responsibility and Grace
Sunday, January 9th, 2011There are a number of causes that lie behind ministers and pastors burning out, hitting the wall, breaking down, or generally flaming (or shaming) out. Underlying these causes are issues of human frailty, sin, insecurity and depravity. A significant example of this is the tendency for ministers to overextend their concept of responsibility to the [...]
Q&A: What is your current reason for living?
Friday, December 31st, 2010Asked by Anonymous. Thanks for the question. There will be a more complete answer when I write about the recent season of my life soon. But the simple and quick answer is this: worship. My reason for living is to worship God. Why? Beyond the fact that that is simply the Right Thing to Do… [...]
Complex Martyr Complex
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010A thought-provoking article from Acts 29 by John Bryson entitled “Learning to be Miserable.” Here’s an excerpt: “Don’t be a whiner, quitter, or baby and quit pouting or being surprised about “how hard” it is to do what you are doing. Of course it is. You are limited as a fallen human in a fallen [...]
Struggles in Christian Leadership
Monday, July 12th, 2010Eye-opening and thought-provoking article at Acts 29 on “Why every leader needs a shepherd”. An excerpt here, but read it in full for some challenging statistics. Pastors deal with an array of emotions as a result of ministering to a group of people. The stress of preparing sermons, developing leaders, handling boards, raising funds for [...]
7even
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009I had this piece emailed to me today by a member of my leadership team. Bill Wilson posts “7 Things Your Pastor Wishes You Knew, But Is Afraid To Tell You” It’s not their fault, but your minister didn’t learn everything they needed in seminary to be a pastor. Like doctors leaving medical school, clergy [...]
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Friday, December 11th, 2009An interesting piece on “When depression leads pastors to suicide” at The Christian Century (H/T TitusOneNine): Being a pastor—a high-profile, high-stress job with nearly impossible expectations for success—can send one down the road to depression, according to pastoral counselors… When pastors fail to live up to demands imposed by themselves or others, they often “turn [...]
Forever Young
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009I know very little of this situation but I was moved close to tears when I read of the suicide of Acts 29 network church planter Thomas Young of The Sanctuary Fellowship in Texas. Wisely, some factual information has been released publicly: The Sanctuary has posted updates at their website: A marital dispute arose between [...]
The Hard Side of Ministry
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009I earlier looked at comments from Mark Driscoll on loneliness in leadership. He has now released the second part of his reflection. This part if mostly advice and it’s pretty decent. I particularly like the following: …Too often leaders do not practice sufficient times of silence and solitude when such times can be invaluable to [...]
