Prevention is better than cure. So last time, we thought about identifying early warning signs of burnout in a minister so that measures can be taken to prevent full burnout when the man simply cannot manage his ministry anymore in any meaningful way.
Understanding ministerial burnout
We return to burnout because it remains a major problem, especially among ministers, and is often confused with other conditions such as depression.
As we know, despite our best efforts at prevention, ministerial burnout still happens. When it does, a complete break from his ministerial work is needed, perhaps for several months. This may entail a period away from his church, though this is best avoided if possible. His church should be where he receives the help he needs from others, though sadly sometimes circumstances are not like this.
But in either case, this period should include time for making changes, which likely include changes in his own practices and in his church-related workload. Thus his fellow elders and other church friends need to be involved in this process. We can think of three areas to consider for potential changes.
