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A Guide to Ministry Self-Care
Ministry has never been an easy path, and the challenges of today’s changing church landscape only heighten the stress and burn-out of congregational leaders. A Guide to Ministry Self-Care offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of both the causes of stress and strategies for effective self-care. Written for both new and long-time ministers, the book draws on current research and offers practical and spiritual insights into building and maintaining personal health and sustaining ministry long term. The book addresses a wide range of life situations and explores many forms of self-care, from physical and financial to relational and spiritual.
242 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2018
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October 11, 2018
I don't remember talking that much about clergy self-care in college or seminary. We talked about caring about others, but less about ourselves. Topics like days off, vacations, sabbaticals (especially sabbaticals) weren't at the top of the list. Things have changed over the past thirty years. More and more conversations are taking place. Younger clergy have raised concerns about work hours and conditions, pay and time away. Setting boundaries has become important. This is new for clergy, but for congregations as well. It would be helpful to all of us to have a guidebook to help us navigate these realities. Fortunately, one of those guides has has appeared.
A quartet of scholars/practitioners, all of whom are affiliated in some way with Central Baptist Seminary in Kansas, have written a very helpful and thoughtful book that should be on the desk of every member of the clergy. In their preface, Richard Olson, one of the authors, notes that he had been teaching a course on Self-care for a number of years, first by himself, and later with his colleague Ruth Rosell. While they could find a numerous helpful books addressing the subject, "none seemed to offer the breadth of self-care, nore did they address the varied and changing milieu in which religious leaders now work" (p. ix). It was out of this context of looking for resources, that the Olson and Rosell decided to create their resource, inviting along the way two others who had been their doctor of ministry students to join them in creating the book that appeared as part of the Alban series now published by Rowman and Littlefield. The authors acknowledge that there is no one-size fits all program of self-care. They also acknowledge that while there is gender balance, they are all white. However, they have consulted with colleagues, friends, and students who are not white to get their input.
I will note that the book has been submitted for consideration by the Academy of Parish Clergy for its annual Book of the Year effort. Considering the APC concern for clergy health, I expect it will get due consideration.
The book is comprised of fourteen chapters divided into two parts. Part I speaks to the need for self care. Part II focuses on "Strategies of Self-Care." In part one they address the changing landscape of ministry, using the imagery that Phyllis Tickle used to speak of a five hundred year rummage sale for the church. The idea is that every 500 years or so the church goes through massive transitions, and we are living in the midst of one of them. There are other images as well, like a perfect storm. The reality is that since the 1960s the church has been undergoing massive changes, and that these changes including diminishing numbers in membership and finances are affecting clergy significantly. Diminishing respect for clergy is also part of the equation. Of course, these aren't the only challenges. The reality, however, is that clergy are experiencing significant stressors.
With this foundation, the lift up the need for self-care in different contexts, from parish clergy to hospital chaplains. Each is different, with different needs. They also speak of burnout and compassion fatigue. The latter was quite revealing. This is a form of stress, but is different from burnout in that it relates to our exposure to trauma, and the requests to address trauma in the lives of others. After awhile we can become fatigued or numb. There is also a chapter simply dealing with stress, which affects both physical and mental health. Clergy are, for instance, more prone to obesity than the general public, as well as heart disease. Clergy are more susceptible to mental health issues, including sleep disorders. Advice is offered to us on these matters, here but in greater depth in part II.
Part II is composed of ten chapters, which begins with a word about resilience and ends with a "theology of self-care." Resilience speaks of surviving and thriving in the face of the challenges that come our way as clergy. They define resilience as the ability to bounce back and coping well with our realities. This starts, they note, in five ways, starting with letting go of victim thinking, and then moving on to the reduction of anxiety by controlling "intrusive thoughts and images." From there, they suggest engaging in "constructive self-disclosure" (finding a trusted someone to speak to ones feelings and concerns). From there creating a narrative of the stressors. Finally, articulating life-principles that allow one to live with an openness to the future. Granted this isn't easy, but a necessary starting point. With this as the starting point, they move to spiritual self-care, relational self-care, physical self-care (remember clergy are often physically unfit), developing inner wisdom, experiencing laughter and play (it's good to laugh some), finances (always a stressor for clergy), intellectual (continuing education, etc.). With these covered they address what they term "basic steps." These include increasing "skills in advocating for a balanced life with needed self-care." In other words, be assertive in your needs. Be "more effective in time management;" step three is using "self-care creativity in engaging media" (email, social media, etc.); finally "write and follow a self-care covenant." Another way of putting this is developing a "rule of life," which includes a person who keeps one accountable. Have I done these things? Not very well. I'm hoping younger clergy are being more intentional than some of us long-termers. They conclude by inviting clergy to develop a theology of self-care that begins with grace and hope. With this I agree.
There is profound wisdom here that emerged from years of ministry and teaching. Richard Olson is now in his 80s. He spent years in pastoral ministry, and like many of us, struggled with stress and such. His wisdom is combined with that of younger colleagues, bringing to our attention helpful words that might make for a healthier future in ministry for many.
A quartet of scholars/practitioners, all of whom are affiliated in some way with Central Baptist Seminary in Kansas, have written a very helpful and thoughtful book that should be on the desk of every member of the clergy. In their preface, Richard Olson, one of the authors, notes that he had been teaching a course on Self-care for a number of years, first by himself, and later with his colleague Ruth Rosell. While they could find a numerous helpful books addressing the subject, "none seemed to offer the breadth of self-care, nore did they address the varied and changing milieu in which religious leaders now work" (p. ix). It was out of this context of looking for resources, that the Olson and Rosell decided to create their resource, inviting along the way two others who had been their doctor of ministry students to join them in creating the book that appeared as part of the Alban series now published by Rowman and Littlefield. The authors acknowledge that there is no one-size fits all program of self-care. They also acknowledge that while there is gender balance, they are all white. However, they have consulted with colleagues, friends, and students who are not white to get their input.
I will note that the book has been submitted for consideration by the Academy of Parish Clergy for its annual Book of the Year effort. Considering the APC concern for clergy health, I expect it will get due consideration.
The book is comprised of fourteen chapters divided into two parts. Part I speaks to the need for self care. Part II focuses on "Strategies of Self-Care." In part one they address the changing landscape of ministry, using the imagery that Phyllis Tickle used to speak of a five hundred year rummage sale for the church. The idea is that every 500 years or so the church goes through massive transitions, and we are living in the midst of one of them. There are other images as well, like a perfect storm. The reality is that since the 1960s the church has been undergoing massive changes, and that these changes including diminishing numbers in membership and finances are affecting clergy significantly. Diminishing respect for clergy is also part of the equation. Of course, these aren't the only challenges. The reality, however, is that clergy are experiencing significant stressors.
With this foundation, the lift up the need for self-care in different contexts, from parish clergy to hospital chaplains. Each is different, with different needs. They also speak of burnout and compassion fatigue. The latter was quite revealing. This is a form of stress, but is different from burnout in that it relates to our exposure to trauma, and the requests to address trauma in the lives of others. After awhile we can become fatigued or numb. There is also a chapter simply dealing with stress, which affects both physical and mental health. Clergy are, for instance, more prone to obesity than the general public, as well as heart disease. Clergy are more susceptible to mental health issues, including sleep disorders. Advice is offered to us on these matters, here but in greater depth in part II.
Part II is composed of ten chapters, which begins with a word about resilience and ends with a "theology of self-care." Resilience speaks of surviving and thriving in the face of the challenges that come our way as clergy. They define resilience as the ability to bounce back and coping well with our realities. This starts, they note, in five ways, starting with letting go of victim thinking, and then moving on to the reduction of anxiety by controlling "intrusive thoughts and images." From there, they suggest engaging in "constructive self-disclosure" (finding a trusted someone to speak to ones feelings and concerns). From there creating a narrative of the stressors. Finally, articulating life-principles that allow one to live with an openness to the future. Granted this isn't easy, but a necessary starting point. With this as the starting point, they move to spiritual self-care, relational self-care, physical self-care (remember clergy are often physically unfit), developing inner wisdom, experiencing laughter and play (it's good to laugh some), finances (always a stressor for clergy), intellectual (continuing education, etc.). With these covered they address what they term "basic steps." These include increasing "skills in advocating for a balanced life with needed self-care." In other words, be assertive in your needs. Be "more effective in time management;" step three is using "self-care creativity in engaging media" (email, social media, etc.); finally "write and follow a self-care covenant." Another way of putting this is developing a "rule of life," which includes a person who keeps one accountable. Have I done these things? Not very well. I'm hoping younger clergy are being more intentional than some of us long-termers. They conclude by inviting clergy to develop a theology of self-care that begins with grace and hope. With this I agree.
There is profound wisdom here that emerged from years of ministry and teaching. Richard Olson is now in his 80s. He spent years in pastoral ministry, and like many of us, struggled with stress and such. His wisdom is combined with that of younger colleagues, bringing to our attention helpful words that might make for a healthier future in ministry for many.
Displaying 1 of 1 review