Why do preachers/pastors get burned out?

Question

Spare me your sarcasm.

Answer 1

Have you ever tried to explain something to a child over and over and over again and they just don't get it? Sometimes standing up and teaching to people who continually do wrong is very frustrating. Working with teenagers and trying to explain why salvation is so important and they just don't care and want to live like the world is very frustrating to me.

Not only that, there is the thought that they live in a fish bowl and everyone watches them in every situation. Almost as if you are living on stage and someone is waiting for you to goof up.

I think that Satan tries to cause those who are closer to the Lord to stumble (ie...Job) so that he can say that God has failed them and stuff. Even though Christians are always saved if Satan can keep them from doing what God has planned for them then a life is being wasted.

Answer 2

For all of the above reasons! My hubby is a Pastor and has been for over 20 years, and it is rough! He is on call 24/7 even when he's on vacation, we might have to turn around and come home.
Yes, people count on him for many things, counseling, hospital visits in the middle of the night, always knowing the answers, always being on.
The biggest burden tho, is the spiritual one. He is responsible and very accountable before God for the people in the church. He is to take care of them as his flock, and if any stray,he's to try and get them to come back! Responsibility is huge here and it is 24/7 too.
Many Pastors leave their churches and the occupation because of people bickering and fighting in the churches, remember not everyone is saved who goes to church faithfully. Some are hard to get along with and stubborn, and like to gossip. If all were saved and kept up with their prayer lives the job of a Pastor would be great, but this is usually not the case. Not everyone who calls themselves a Christian is.
He also has a responsibility to help them all to grow, and some don't want to! It's a very tough job, and they sure don't get paid enough, fact is, most small town Preachers get paid just about minimum wage for all that they do.

Answer 3

God developed the concept of the church!

Not a pastor to run everything. The church has been gifted with all the gifts needed to accomplish God's goal of a human working community. Every Christian is gifted differently.

When a Pastor is doing work outside of his gifted area, it equals working in the flesh and burn out. A preacher may be trying to be a pastor, but they are different gifts.

Hope this helps!

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As for frustration with this forum, you can still get some good answers so dont quit because of the haters!!!

Answer 4

The preaching of sermons and dealing with the people in the congregation can burn you out. Because now days preachers/pastors do a lot of counseling and as you can see from this website there are a lot of mixed up people in the world and they go to church. Being a pastor is a full-time job plus overtime. That is why it's so important for them to take much needed vacations.

Answer 5

I think alot of pastors get burned out because they really don't like sharing the load of spiritually fullfilling the lives of others. I think alot of pastors like the idea of being in "charge" of things. I left a "good" church because eventually I was able to see that was the case. Alot of churches want to see people do better, but not really better than the general body is doing themselves. I don't think Pastors are exempt from this. I think that they burn themselves out because they receive excellent spiritual growth/maturity from helping others and don't really want to share that claim to fame. I'm saying this with the knowlege of hearing so many Pastors say, "I'm looking for a person to do this or that or the other" and when those people come into the flock who are actually capable of handling things whether they do something similar for a profession or trade or whatever, that person ends up being literally "run" away from the flock because of jealousy. This is just my observation of over ten years of churching and now on my third church where I'm hoping to God I end up staying.

Answer 6

Your question could have many answers. For one, unfortunately, congregations place so much expectations upon a pastor. Expectations that he knows all and is sinless when the opposite is most certainly true. Pastors often feel this pressure and expectations from their church. Also sometimes pastors have their own inner doubts and at times those are in conflict with what they are expected to believe and teach and they feel conflict and pressure due to those inner conflicts. Also those expectations from their "flock" certainly are different due to everyone being different and you are in a position that you are expected to please everyone yet that is impossible to do. Last a true caring pastor takes, at times, full responsibility to win or convert his entire congregation or community and that is also unrealistic and often brings a sense of failure to his mind. Also remember that the pastor is also the counselor for his church and sees many who have problems within the church. Often husbands and wives that are on odds with each other or conflicts between Christians where there should be no conflicts. Often he overhears secrets that he finds hard to believe and finds out things about people at their weakest moments when on the surface they appear to be totally different and the pastor takes upon himself the burden of solving all the ills and troubles of the Church when that expectation of his is so often unachievable and unrealistic. Add it all together and you have pressure for a person that takes the job or position seriously and I'm sure there are plenty of other problems and things that create a stressful situation of trying to live a holier than thou life when you are just a human as the other persons yet visible flaws and sins in your life can cost you the job you hold and the source of income for your family. There are as many different answers to your question as there is different people and pastors. I've just tried to present a few of the things thath pastors have on their plate.

Answer 7

Pastors (Shepherds) of church bodies are on call 24/7, 365 days a year. They have wives, children, and they are also the servant, teacher, counsellor, and mediator for however many people are in the church. Some churches have associate pastors, youth pastors, music ministers, etc., to share the load, so to speak.

But they can burn out simply because they are not fed as often as they feed others. We must all be fed on the Word of God, ministered to, nourished, and able to find rest and peace in order that we can minister and nurture others. Sometimes, pastors of small church bodies do not have the associates to "share" their responsiblities and they can burn out after a few years.

That is why it is so important for the elders of the church, the laypeople, and the new Christians to do whatever the Lord leads them in their skills, talents, and abilities for their church bodies. We, the church, are a family---was are but one of the families of God. Each of us are members of a body.

The example, I'm sure, you may have heard is that we are all extremities and parts of the same body. If one part is sick or not working properly, then it's up to the remaining body members to get that "body part" up and working again.

When a pastor is getting tired, then the elders of the church need to step in and make sure he is given time to rest, be at peace, and the opportunity to be fed by another shepherd.

We just pray that all of those who have chosen to serve God in the capacity of Pastor will be greatly blessed. And we pray that the members of the church body will act in harmony with one another so that the body can function appropriately, effectively, and obediently. In Jesus Name, we pray. AMEN

Answer 8

It could be a variety of reasons. The may be feeling inadequate, or they could be having marital troubles, just same as anyone else who gets burned out from doing their job.

I would much rather have a pastor who is burned out decide to step down for a while than have a pastor who continues to preach and wouldn't be totally there.

Answer 9

same reason so many others do.... they try to tak on more than they can handle... for a pastor who is firm in his Faith and dedicated fullly to God... the desire to serve can over ride common sense... That is why it is so important for a pastor to have other pastors he can be in close contact with to monitor for the burn out and head it off... others can see it much sooner than the one in danger.

Answer 10

There is no proof that God exists--at all---none.How could anyone even be a preacher?They get burned out then what?They live in Hawaii?