Can a pastor do it all?
I had coffee with a pastor friend of mine recently to catch up and exchange ideas for an outreach event we were planning down the road. When I asked how things were going with the ministry he gravely looked me straight in the eye, said he couldn’t share details for confidentiality reasons, but asked me to please pray for all of the families in distress. He told me I wouldn’t believe the number of couples grappling with infidelity and pornography related issues, the number of people battling serious depression, all the parents who couldn’t figure out how to connect with their own children, and the leaders who were getting burned out trying to minister to all of them.
I had coffee with a pastor friend of mine recently to catch up and exchange ideas for an outreach event we were planning down the road. When I asked how things were going with the ministry he gravely looked me straight in the eye, said he couldn’t share details for confidentiality reasons, but asked me to please pray for all of the families in distress. He told me I wouldn’t believe the number of couples grappling with infidelity and pornography related issues, the number of people battling serious depression, all the parents who couldn’t figure out how to connect with their own children, and the leaders who were getting burned out trying to minister to all of them.
I’ll never forget what he said next: “We’re just not trained and equipped for all of this.”
My friend’s account is a common one. A recent LifeWay Research poll discovered that:
- 84 percent of pastors say they’re on call 24 hours a day.
- 80 percent expect conflict in their church.
- 54 percent find the role of pastor frequently overwhelming.
- 53 percent are often concerned about their family’s financial security.
- 48 percent often feel the demands of ministry are more than they can handle.
- 21 percent say their church has unrealistic expectations of them.
It’s no wonder ministry leaders are leaving the ministry in droves.
If your ministry could use support to take some of the counseling burden off your pastoral staff, the Restoring Relationships Online Journey created by Christian Psychologist Dominic Herbst may be a good tool for you. This ministry has helped thousands of individuals attain victory in their marriages, families, finances, and overall soul well-being by leading them on a journey through their own Calvary.
We would be honored to come alongside your team as a resource and “first response team” to your church or organization.
In addition to the online support provided by the Restoring Relationships Online Journey, we are part of a parent organization called Bethesda Family Services Foundation which can provide professional training and equipping for your staff, live Encounter events, speaking engagements, one-on-one counseling, and family interventions.
You want relief. We’re here to help. Looking forward to partnering with you soon!
Praise for Restoring Relationships:
“…the simplest, most direct, and most result-proven curriculum I have ever seen. The change in hearts and lives is immediately evident.”
–Reverend John Hagee | Cornerstone Church, San Antonio, TX
“If this training were presented to the general populate of the church, perhaps the necessity for Divorce Recovery could be eliminated.”
-Anonymous Participant
“I am [now] able to understand where I came from, understand how I react and know that I must change in order to break the cycle and move forward with Christ to enable my children to become health and happy in their lives.”
-Katrina Lynn-Jirik Snider, Participant
“I lost a boulder of hurts that kept me from being truly free from the feeling of unworthiness.”
-Patricia McDaniel, Participant
“THANKS to the Lord and to your ministry, our marriage and family relationships are better than ever… your Journey through Calvary works like none other! There actually is healing for past infected wounds that had been destroying our family. Thanks for explaining the Journey, taking us to our past and through Calvary for the Lord to restore our soul. Keeping the Great Physician at the center is the answer! Thank you !!!”
-Jacqueline Basha Patullo, Participant
