In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Tom Campion about growing up in small-town Illinois and being raised by a psychologist in a Christian family before psychology was really accepted in the church. Tom and Jay discuss whether advances in the field are in line with scripture, some pitfalls of pastors trying to act as therapists for their congregation, and the value of outsourcing this type of care. Tom shares some thoughts on proactive pastoral self-care, the tricky parts of navigating personal relationships with those in your church, and the need for ministry partners who share the load. Finally, Tom identifies some common signs of burnout and life rhythms that safeguard pastors for the long haul. 

Dr. Thomas Campion, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist.  He has completed his PhD in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Organization Psychology. He has been working with ministries and government agencies for over 20 years providing psychological evaluations and consulting/ clinical services nationally and internationally. He and his team currently work with over 50 different ministries, seminaries and missionary organizations as well as 165 different government agencies across the globe. His specialty focuses on providing comprehensive, foundational evaluations to assess compatibility and readiness for high-stress and leadership positions. The goal is to help guide organizations to equip individuals for success and longevity in the positions they are seeking. He has specifically assisted the Vineyard nationally and internationally in providing evaluations for church planters, pastoral development, succession planning, team building, and counseling services for multiple decades. He has been a part of the Urbana, IL Vineyard Church since the late 80s and he has continued attending with his family and children. He has enjoyed the opportunity to bring the science of psychological evaluations to faith-based organizations to provide a proactive approach to equip and support individuals in fulfilling God’s call on their lives.

Show Notes: 

2023 VUSA National Conference “Making All Things New”: https://conference.vineyardusa.org/

Books by Ruth Haley Barton 

Campion Barrow & Associates