If you ask most pastors how they're doing spiritually, they tend to say, "I wish I had the time to devote to spiritual formation" or "Well, I ought to be doing more in that area." They tend to emphasize their shortcomings. One church leader put it more directly: "Being a pastor is hazardous to your spiritual health. The very call to which we're so deeply committed can also become a saboteur of spiritual life."

How can we accurately assess our spiritual vital signs? How can we stay spiritually fit? For help with these questions, LEADERSHIP gathered four leaders who know the hazards but also have addressed the need to nourish their souls.

-Henry Blackaby directs the office of Prayer and Spiritual Awakening at the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in Atlanta. He has pastored in the inner city districts of San Francisco as well as the rural outposts of northern Canada. His recent books include Experiencing God and Fresh Encounter.

-David Rockness has been pastor of Lake Wales ...