Healthy Rhythms in Ministry | pastor, missionary, burnout, wellness, work-life balance

Have you struggled with interpersonal conflict in ministry? Or had the urge to just walk out the door and quit being a pastor? Maybe you have just resigned from the mission field and have no idea what to do next.  George Small has faced all of these challenges in his 40+ years of ministry and is more in love with Jesus today than when he was first saved in 1968. You are in for a treat in this episode as George shares his hard-earned ministry insights. We are here to help you stay faithful to your calling over the long haul, and Pastor George Small is a wise guide this week. Find out more about George Small on his website: georgesmall.com  His new podcast will be Small Talk with George. What questions do you have for George? Leave them in our Facebook group and we will have him chime in.  Subscribe to our email newsletter by hitting the Subscribe button on our website: resilientclc.com 

**TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains a story of a car accident and a child's death** Life in ministry isn't always easy, and sometimes it is brutal. If you have walked through deep pain, heartbreak or betrayal we want you to know that you are not alone. If you have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event in ministry, there is hope and healing available.  In this episode, Scott Rambo shares a tragic story he lived through on the mission field in Uganda. He explores themes of suffering and spiritual warfare, how isolated and alone he felt, and what helped on his healing journey.  Weekly sermons and conversations from Scott's Church can be found here: Beyond the Sermon Subscribe to our email list to get helpful tips for building healthy rhythms in your inbox every week: resilientclc.com  Join our Facebook group: Resilient Christian Leaders Collective and share a resource that helped you get through a dark season so others don't have to feel so lonely. If you currently need intensive care, we have personally been helped by Alongside Cares in Michigan. Their three-week in-person counseling retreat made all the difference for us.  

Have you ever felt lonely, isolated and misunderstood? Or you've gotten a new ministry assignment and it's nothing like you expected. Maybe you've had the thought: "No one understands what I'm going through."  In this episode Glenn Broce shares hard-earned wisdom on how to navigate the challenges of ministry transition and starting over in a new place. You will learn the two practices that make all the difference when you're feeling lost and unsupported. Find Glenn on his podcast: Men Who Lead Well   

Do you find yourself self-medicating with too much coffee, food, or busyness? Are you exhausted at the end of the day and sleep doesn't help? Do you wonder if you might need to take a sabbatical or quit ministry to get relief?  Chuck DeGroat, pastor, counselor, educator, and author, says that burnout recovery might actually begin in the last place you want to look: humiliation and the very end of yourself. He suggests that just tweaking some habits might actually be getting in the way of the deeper work God wants to do within you.  Connect with Chuck DeGroat's work: https://www.chuckdegroat.net/ Is it Sin or a Style of Coping? substack article Click the subscribe button to begin receiving our weekly email: https://www.resilientclc.com/

Have you ever been hurt in a relationship or felt misunderstood? Have you ever felt bitterness or resentment creeping into your heart after a conflict in ministry? Ever wonder if you have to stay in relationship with the person who harmed you? In this episode we share about a recent time in our ministry where we were significantly betrayed by someone we were walking with, and the pathway of forgiveness we were invited to travel. And then we break down what forgiveness is and what it is not- bringing clarity to a really challenging topic.  Share your thoughts about this topic in our Facebook group: Resilient Christian Leaders Collective Click the SUBSCRIBE button at the top right of our website to join our mailing list. Tomorrow we are sending out a list of recommended reading on the topic of forgiveness! 

Have you ever wondered if you should quit your ministry job? Or encountered mental health struggles that prevented you from living into your calling? Maybe you've had the thought: "If this is what God called me to, why does it feel so heavy?" Ministry isn't just a job. Leaving feels like you're losing everything. In this episode Kelli Schoefer shares how to navigate challenging seasons of ministry and the one thing that made all the difference for her.  Get connected to Revelation Wellness: Click here. Find Kelli Schoefer at Land of the Living Counseling as a Holistic Health Coach  

Have you ever felt beyond exhausted in ministry or wondered if you were experiencing burnout? Today we had a conversation with Melissa Wagner, a therapist in Lexington, KY. Melissa told her story of a scary trip to the hospital that revealed underlying burnout. And she shared how Jesus revealed Himself to her in a very real and surprising way.  Find Melissa Wagner at Compass Christian Counseling: Meet Melissa Subscribe to our email list to get helpful tips for building healthy rhythms in your inbox every week: resilientclc.com 

Ever find yourself in the middle of an unexpected transition? Or experience a deep loss and not know how to handle it?  Feel like your world came crashing down and no idea what to do next? In this episode, we are sharing the story of our exit from the mission field and 3 things that might help you navigate a challenging season.   Subscribe to our email list to get helpful tips for building healthy rhythms in your inbox every week: resilientclc.com  

This podcast will help you build resilience in ministry through real stories and holistic practices. Every episode you will join us for conversations with pastors, missionaries, and other Christian leaders to learn what kept them going through some of their hardest seasons. It’s our hope that this podcast feels like a breath of fresh air and maybe a life-preserver if you feel like you’re drowning today.