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The Importance for Care, Well-Being of Those Serving in Ministry

 

Why is caring for the well-being of those in ministry so important? 

Imagine what the trajectory of the church would be if the pastor’s well-being deteriorated to the point of unhealth. Imagine what the trajectory of missions would be if the missionary ‘s well-being deteriorated to the point of unhealth?

Here are statistics from a new Barna poll on pastors.

In 2015, 72% of pastors said they felt “very satisfied” with their job as pastors.


In late 2022, just 52% of pastors were “very satisfied with their jobs.”


This is a 20% drop in just seven years. Carey Nieuwhof states in his blog titled '5 Shocking Realities About the Real Estate of Pastor Burnout', "The health of a leader impacts the health of a church or an organization, we’ll see a ripple effect of pastoral exhaustion that could damage churches for years to come."

In the spring of 2023, Field Partner International did a study of missionaries to gain insight into current challenges and needs of missionaries.  

The data showed 59% experienced “significant” personal challenges they did not anticipate. The top five challenges identified were stress/overwork, language barriers, cultural barriers, slow progress and logistical issues. 


And 28% of missionaries left the field because of those challenges.


The Director of Valeo Research Institute, Geoff Whiteman states, “Healthy workers are essential for effective ministry, longevity, and the advancement of the gospel.” 


These statistics are alarming. We can easily become stuck and paralyzed by this trajectory. Remember, our enemy is on the prowl, ready to devour those in ministry by isolating them. Be alert and take heart because through care and awareness it does not need to be their fate. 

How can we help?

We can help mitigate some of these contributing factors by building greater connectivity and relationships with those who serve in ministry. Thus, the reason to steward care for the well-being of our missionaries and pastors is vital. 


Member Care encompasses various facets of care through a holistic approach for an individual, family, team or organization:

  • Pastoral - caring for the spiritual needs.
  • Mentor - providing guidance, encouragement, wisdom from life experience and giving advice.
  • Teacher/Trainer - giving knowledge and instruction, objective-based, and teaching tools.
  • Consultant - expert advice on a specific topic that helps to diagnose the problem and prescribes solutions.
  • Spiritual Director - helps the person grow in their spirituality (in their spiritual walk with God).
  • Encourager - supportive friendship·.
  • Life Coach - draws out the plans and potential the person wants to achieve in moving forward.
  • Referrals - what specialists to refer people to - counselor, therapists, medical, financial, educational, etc.
Are you ready to stand in the gap? Change the trajectory of well-being for pastor and missionary. Be a bridge towards wholeness. Get some help today.


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