Slow Down To Stay In The Game

Bill figured out how to slow down and stay in the game. The game was racquetball. Bill was one of three pastors with whom I regularly played racquetball at the YMCA in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, back when I was in my mid-30s. Bill was retired. As I near retirement, I find myself still looking up…

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Help Your Pastor “To Remember the Sabbath”

As a Lutheran, I grew up memorizing Luther’s Small Catechism, including Luther’s explanation to the commandment “to remember the Sabbath.” We are to fear and love God, so that we do not despite preaching or God’s word, but instead keep that word holy and gladly hear and learn it. (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 1160) “The…

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Ministry Burnout and The Clergy Sabbatical

Recently, I read an article about ministry burnout. One of the author’s preventive measures to avoid burnout is to make sure the pastor takes one day a week “off.” I had to re-read this.  What?  Do people today really believe that the way to make sure pastors don’t burnout is to encourage them to take…

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