Pastors and leaders are burning out. In a recent article by Carey Nieuwhof, he shares some startling information from Barna Research: 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.” That’s a staggering 20% drop over the course of six years—and it’s a trend no ministry leader can afford to ignore. Between emotional exhaustion, chronic stress, and the ramp-up in pastors experiencing burnout, ministry has never felt more difficult.

Barna CEO David Kinnaman said, “A drop in the level of pastoral health drop this significant in just 7 years isn’t just unprecedented, it signals a crisis that the church has to address.”

LET’S TALK…

Every pastor and leader should have a coach! That includes you and me! It puzzles me why anyone would think they couldn’t be helped through coaching. I’ve been coached by someone for over 20 years. No, it hasn’t solved all my problems, but I needed it. You need it, too, especially during these challenging days.

Here are four reasons you need a coach. I’ve shared them many times, but here they are again! 

1. You need encouragement. You probably are more burned out than you realize. Are you feeling discouraged or encouraged? In Hebrews 3:13, it says, “Encourage one another daily….” Get that? Daily. Ministry is tough. Yes, things often don’t go how we hoped and prayed they would. To add to our misery, we take failures personally. In coaching, we can share discouragements and receive words of needed assurance.
2. You need accountability.  We all have good intentions, but are we following through with them? You need someone to graciously help you do what you said you’d do. It’s easy to be complacent and go through the motions of ministry. Coaching helps us keep going and doing what God has called us to do.
3. You need another perspective. The older I get, the more I realize I need others’ input. God never designed us to go it on our own. Outstanding leadership is not making your own decisions. Great leadership is making wise decisions, and that requires a broader perspective than myself. Greg Salciccioli, the president of CoachWell said, “Coaches can see what you cannot see…they can add depth and greater discernment to decisions” (See Proverbs 15:22).
4. You need to grow. We all get stuck at times. We must be honest about where we are, seek to know where God wants us to be, and trust God to bring about the changes to get us there. Coaching helps us with that. It contextualizes our faith. It puts it into practice. Coaching challenges us to change.

BEFORE YOU GO…

Recently I started up a ministry called “Ascent Pathways.” The purpose is simply to help others succeed. I may not be the person to coach you, but I can even help you find one if you want. 

I’d love to chat with you! No pressure. You can set up a free appointment with me by clicking this link.