Pastoring and shepherding a church comes with both rewards and challenges. A recent Lifeway Research study shows that stress, discouragement, and loneliness are listed among the top mental challenges for pastors. Similarly, a recent Barna study shows that U.S. pastors, overall, are feeling lonelier and more isolated from others than in years past. 

While struggling with loneliness and burnout themselves, pastors are often the first ones people in their congregations turn to when they are struggling with mental health issues. What is attributing to these struggles? And how can we encourage pastors to prioritize their own mental health in order to be able to help their congregations?

Joining us on today’s episode is Mark Dance, director of pastoral wellness for Guidestone Financial Resources, and Kristen Kansiewicz, who serves as an assistant professor and program director of the graduate counseling program at Evangel University.