No More Churches: The Failed Ministry of an Anxious/Depressed/Idealistic Pastor

by Beau M Brown

The statistics concerning pastors are alarming. Hundreds are leaving ministry every month. Huge percentages are dealing with anxiety and depression. Around half report being in unhappy marriages. Burnout in professional ministry is real and it leaves lasting marks on pastors, as well as their families and congregations. This is the story of one pastor's decade-long journey through congregational ministry, a journey that would eventually end in professional burnout and career change.This is an honest look at the strange realities of everyday life as a pastor. It's a narrative filled with real stories of real people...the beautiful, the horrible, and the mundane. If you've ever wondered what pastors do all week, here are some answers.Throughout No More Churches, the author explores a number of issues and situations, mining each one for its theological and ministerial significance. - Constant Criticism- Toxic Personalities- Mental Illness- Infertility- Racism- Homophobia- Emotional Abuse- Sexual Harassment- Ignorance- SexismWhile navigating each one of these, No More Churches attempts to locate the peace and healing that can be so difficult to discover in any field of work. In the end, the author provides an authentic and hopeful outlook on ministry and life. Burnout isn't the end of the world; it can actually be the beginning of something truly life-giving.

103 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 24, 2019

Reviews

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a growing library of memoirs and personal histories by folks who’ve left Christian ministry or the church entirely and/or that have in some way greatly reframed their feelings about the institution that has played such a large part in their lives – add “No More Churches” to that list (and if this is a subject that interests you and you haven’t read it yet I highly recommend David Gushie’s “Still Christian” as your next read upon completing Beau Brown’s book). As someone who personally left the church after a life in which I moved from (though I wouldn’t have known to call it that at the time) fundamentalism to mainline Christian to “progressive” Christian to post-Christian/non-religious (with stops at every possible station in between and adjacent along the way) this is definitely a subject that continues to interest me. I love reading people’s stories about their own path on this journey even when they end in completely different destinations than my own—be religious, non-religious, Jesus-loving or non-believing or whatever just be honest and tell me your story and I’m interested. The author does that here and I found it a quick, entertaining, thoughtful, worthwhile read. Each page feels full to the brim with unapologetic and open honesty which I appreciate. What’s more, the author has a natural voice and is noticeably a storyteller (probably comes from years of preaching, speaking and reading) which I appreciate (I could almost envision the same voice and tone launching into “forgotten history” or true-crime stories though I doubt those are areas he wants to go as a writer!). I enjoy the anecdotes and find it important that current and former ministers reveal their stories on many of these matters (mental health, sexual harassment, petty power politics) so that those who choose to stay in such institutions do best by those they claim to serve (and that those who are served return the favor to those giving their lives to their spiritual welfare). If the church is going to survive and be of any use to the next generation it needs to be honest and purge itself of the things that not only drive people away but do serious harm to them. I echo another review in that my only “complaint” would be length, I could certainly go for another 50-100 pages.

[J. Todd Kingrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Beau Brown's short reflection on his ministry experiences to be emblematic of the issue of clergy burnout. Especially in small-to-medium-sized congregations, and especially in rural, traditional congregations, pastors are expected to be all and do all. It creates unfair expectations that no one can live up to, and more often than not the pastor is left to fend for him/herself in struggling to balance all the demands of ministry. Denominational assistance is often not made available until it's too late (if it's made available at all), and church members have little to no concept of the biblical role of pastors and members. There's too much "We've always done it this way before" and "Well, Pastor So-and-So was always doing ______ for us." Pastors experience tremendous stress, depression, anxiety, physical ailments, and emotional problems because too much is expected of them. Brown's journey is one that all church leaders find themselves in at some point. He does a very good job of balancing the angst, frustration, and woundedness he experienced with moments of humor. Aside from a couple of mentions about seeking help, or how he approached a particular situation or person, the book doesn't offer a step-by-step way of dealing with clergy burnout. There's no "three-point plan" or "seven steps to avoiding burnout"--just a raw, honest, unfiltered look behind the curtain at a problem that's far too prevalent.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review here:

https://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/...

My only real problems with the book are the length (It's 122 pages) and a few formatting errors. Don't let that stop you. (Side note: I paid for a print edition, not the kindle edition. The print edition is not available as a reviewable option on here.)

[Lanita Ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful and vulnerable book written by a friend of mine. I was honored to be let into a friend's journey in faith