Struggling with "the Call"  Growing up I never had a Godly influence in my life. And, other than the occasional Vacation Bible School, or attending church with my uncle from time ...

Lost my desire for life  My story is too long to say here. I've been in ministry for more than 15 years. I've been abused by the sheep, lived through so much pain in the ministry,...

Over 60 and not appointable.  I am a 60 year old minister serving a small two point rural circuit in the United Methodist Church. When I reached my middle and late 50's the ecclesiastical ...

The Blessing of an Authentic Life  My husband and I pastored in various denominations from 1983 until presently where we basically only attend services and he sings in a choir in another ...

I miss the fruit...  I have been in the ministry for over twenty years now. I have been senior pastor now for the last 12. During that time I have endured some extreme conflict ...

You're Not Alone  All of you listen YOU are not alone I have had the fortune of expierencing many occupations over the last 35 years and am currently becoming an elder ...

The Jonah Effect  Today I woke up wondering how we got here? By here I mean a place of complete loss of direction, purpose and calling.

I read your article about pastors ...

LOST  I've had such a wonderful life, loving parents, loving brothers and sisters, loving grandparents, just a all around great family. I ask myself a lot, How ...

I feel stuck.  Want to be a Christian and lead God's people, but the harshness of ministry is putting a toll on me and my family. However I don't want to let God down....

Here Again  I am on leave from my pastorate after enduring a number of extreme panic attacks in my last days "on the job." In my denomination, it is a requirement ...

Never Good Enough  Its been 16 years or will be in Oct 2011 and I am walking away from the pastorate. I used to love preaching, the study, the drafting, the ability to share ...

I wish someone told me how stressful being a pastor is...  I am glad I found this site. Burnout among pastors is so common yet whenever I broach this topic among other pastors and even my supervisor, they would ...

Where do I go from here?  I have been serving full time in the pastoral ministry for 17 years (on my third congregation ... two years now). When I first entered the ministry, I ...

I May Become A Pastor  I am a humble woman. I have raised my kids as a single mom, and have suffered spirit breaking situations for many years of my life. I worked long hard ...

Weary, But Hopeful  It's been 23 years and 3 churches. My first was a little country church. I was young, naive, and full of hope. I was the next Billy Graham. Everyone told ...

Old And Tired  My wife just announced to me yesterday that she's thinking of leaving me. She is frustrated with the way I deal with some of the financial problems we'...

My Burnout Move  I've been in the ministry for over 20 years. I was beginning to suffer the signs of depression about five years ago and fell back on an old hobby I practiced ...

Avoiding Burn Out One Crises at a Time  In reality, my story isn't of a burnout ministry story, (yet). But it's more of a story living at the edge of burning out, and by the grace of God, I'...

Healed   I was a pastor of a church about twenty years ago,like all pastors we get consummed in our duties. I work a public job, which had me working many hours....

Moral Failure.  Hi,

I've been in the ministry now for about 5 yrs and been serving God for at least 13 yrs. But like you were, I'm on antidepressants. I've been depressed ...

Death By Pastor Burnout  Pastor burnout is a viscous enemy of ministry. It nearly killed me... literally.

I remember the exact point I hit bottom. I was staring into a mirror ...