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Christianity Today, May, 2009 |

Caring for the Caregivers

Studies suggest that pastors' health declines are a church problem.

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra | posted 4/14/2009 08:34AM

Pastors increasingly struggle with their physical and mental health, according to recent denominational studies.

Two of every three pastors in the Presbyterian Church (USA) are either overweight or obese, ...

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Gary Sweeten

Posted: April 14, 2009 10:19 PM

I have coached Christian Leaders for decades and see the issue of poor health coming from poor preparation for the leaders about how to say no and poor preparation for the board and congregation who do not understand what leaders do and what they need. Many leaders are driven to please everybody and that is impossible. Leaders are not trained to understand congregational dynamics. Many congregations are hard to please and keep their leaders anxious by complaining.

Adam S

Posted: April 14, 2009 4:33 PM

When I was chair of our Deacons (board that oversaw the pastor in my church) we asked the pastor to turn in hours not to monitor that he was working but to try to keep him from overworking. I insisted that he take vacations and encouraged others in the church to preach regularly to allow him to focus on professional development. I am sad to say that within a year of moving from the area the pastor was fired. Primarily over issues of work. (New board did not agree with my previous views of healthy work/family/spiritual development balance.) I encourage pastors and boards to take this very seriously. One resources is Anne Jackson's book "Mad Church Disease".

Diane

Posted: April 14, 2009 4:30 PM


I meant to say "by making it a "sin" to have church work and services start LATER in the morning", and not as I had it posted at 4:25 p.m. Also, see: www.sleepfoundation.org for lots of helpful info on how sleep deprivation is a silent killer.

Diane

Posted: April 14, 2009 4:25 PM

Wake up and acknowledge SLEEP DEPRIVATION as the silent killer that it is. From Puritan times, Americans have defied God and His gift of sleep, by making it a "sin" to have church work and services start early in the morning. When people, including pastors, are forced out of needed REM sleep by an alarm clock all week, it is refreshing to sleep until one wakes up naturally. But churches refuse to allow that when they start services or study groups later than 9:00 a.m. (unless they've had the sense to have either Saturday or Sunday NIGHT services/groups). My husband would love the Bible Study our pastor offers . . . but it is at 6:30 a.m. only and my husband often works night shifts and needs to sleep later in the morning after arriving home at 2 a.m. or so. Stop the condemnation of SLEEP!

Drew	Posted: April 14, 2009 3:56 PM

Those are great stats although you're blanketing the entire compilation of pastors when you imply these numbers are correct ("We believe this is typical of pastors across all denominations,"). In my profession we all work 10-12 hour days plus take calls at night. We KNOW that our diet and exercise will keep us alive longer and at some juncture in our career we really REALLY have to have a lifestyle change. Pastors are no different and have the same opportunity as anyone (usually more I'm sure) to slip away for an hour at the gym and to eat right. You make a comment on the board caring for the (crass) CEO. How's that work I ask? The CEO takes care of the board in my world and the board takes care over themselves. And why does the article present the problem without a solution? That might finish this out nicely.

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