Leadership Journal

How does a pastor's soul find rejuvenation? That is the question Leadership asked dozens of church leaders, and beyond the valuable, but expected, answer of "read the Bible and pray," many of the answers were insightful and unexpected. Here are 13 things various pastors have done to benefit the soul.

Even a casual reading of the New Testament reveals that Jesus and his disciples did a lot of walking. Of course, for them it was the primary form of transportation, not necessarily a spiritual discipline. Still, regularly taking a long walk can quiet your soul and help you draw near to God. Many pastors report using walks to internalize their sermons and prepare their souls to preach.

In the early centuries, Christians gathered at designated times during the day for prayer. These prayer times, known as "offices," are still practiced by believers today. With the aid of a prayer book, you can pray alone knowing that others across the globe are sharing in your prayers at the same time. David Robinson, pastor of Harvest Fellowship Church in Manhattan, Kansas, says, "Learning to pray along with the Church and for the Church has significantly changed the scope and perspective of my prayers from simply the 'world around me' to the overriding and delivering promises of God's glory."

Erecting proper boundaries is a critical discipline for a pastor. Even Jesus turned down certain requests. People are always clamoring for our time and energy. Learning to say no, even to good ministries and opportunities, will give the soul room to breathe and find rejuvenation.

Ministry is about people, but sometimes we can see people as a commodity necessary to advance our ministry. We may take a member to breakfast, but in the back of our mind, we know that a stronger relationship with this person is a resource for the church's ministry. Of course, this attitude goes both ways. Many people try to use pastors to advance their agenda as well.

So Brian McLaren suggests at least a few "non-utilitarian" friendships: "This is when we intentionally have a friendship because we like the person and we're not trying to use them for our success. It's to be with people just because you appreciate who they are, and they appreciate you." That kind of friendship creates the safety and grace the soul needs to thrive.

The amount of information available today is never-ending. Even the literature available to pastors about ministry is overwhelming. While some of it is clearly beneficial (like the journal you're presently reading, we trust), sometimes we need to rest from filling our heads with new insights and the pressure to implement them. One pastor told us, "Sermons, articles, and books that reveal how dysfunctional my church is drain me and do nothing beneficial for my soul."

Many pastors told us regular exercise is critical to the health of the soul as well as the body. And research has shown that a healthy body positively impacts a person's emotional and mental capacities.

PAGE 1 of 3