Exhaustion vs Burnout

I've been thinking about the themes that appear consistently in my Gathering posts and I know that one of them is fatigue. Both Evelyn and I are often very, very tired to the point, as was the case last Sunday, we called off the gathering because we didn't have the emotional and physical wherewithal to host it.

I have also been thinking about the fact that church, uh, leaders these days devote a considerable amount of energy and resources in attacking the problem of pastoral burnout.

When I was working as a pastor, I struggled to develop strategies to avoid burning out. And, honestly, I wonder if my own act of repentance from traditional, Christendom-rooted, seeker-sensitive, parish-priest led ministry is itself not fruit of burnout.

I want to clarify the fact that, while I am often very tired, this fatigue doesn't feel as if it is a stage in burning out. As tiring as this way of living can be, I continue to feel as zealous and fresh in this lifestyle as I have ever been.

And, I think that the difference between this life and the pastoral life is that this life is life in the Spirit whereas the life of the pastor is a humanly created way of living.

According to Paul, Christ gave His Body some who are apostles, others who are prophets, others who are evangelists and others who are shepherds and teachers. As the church became institutionalized, it invented the role of parish priest/pastor.

And, I believe, that is the difference that accounts for the difference between my life as a subject of the Kingdom and my old life that was church-centered. Becoming fatigued in a church role created by human beings to serve an institution is to become tired apart from the will of God. To become weary in doing good while walking in a role created by the King for Kingdom service connects a man or woman to the refreshing power of the Holy Spirit.

My guess, as I move forward, is that I will still become tired. After all, I am a geezer and this is a very full life. But, as long as I fulfill a Kingdom, not church, role, the Lord will keep me burnout free if I continue to connect to His strength.

I believe that if church leaders want to defeat the problem of pastoral burnout they will have to repent of church focus and eliminate the role of pastor/priest and empower Kingdom people to live out ministries empowered by the Holy Spirit.