Today we are going to address the issue of “The Pastor and Self Care”. It is my firm belief that the single most important aspect to having a healthy church is a healthy pastor. Unfortunately, unhealthy pastors are becoming an epidemic. Even as we are recording this podcast today, the Christian world is reeling once again with the news that another pastor has taken his own life. Sadly,  this is not an isolated case. Over the last 12-18 months, several stories have surfaced of pastors who have done the same. Why is this happening, and why does pastoral ministry seem to be taking an increasingly devastating toll on our emotional, physical and spiritual well being, and how do we protect ourselves as pastors from issues like burnout, losing our call, addictions and more? 

To help us talk about the issue of pastoral self care, I have asked Sean Nemecek, former Converge Midamerica pastor, and now (?) for Pastor In Residence Ministries, a ministry dedicated to the restoration of broken pastors.

• Why don’t you start by giving the 2 minute Sean Nemecek story.
• What does self care mean as it relates to the pastor, and why is it important for church health?
• What are the tell tale signs that we are not doing well in the area of self-care?
• What is the prescription for being “sick” in our self-care?
• What are some resources for pastors who need more than a “tweak” in their self care?