In my work on the care of clergy, I’ve frequently said that one of the bigger resisters to the care of clergy is the clergy themselves. I think there is a reason for that. It becomes obvious when you come upon a clergy person who is too focused on taking care of him or her self.
I know of clergy who have very strict boundaries on when they are available and leave the impression that ministry is a job rather than a calling. I’ve encountered clergy who are so good at paying attention to their need for emotional breaks and recreational refreshment that they barely have time for ministry. I’ve known clergy who are so aware of the drain of ministry that they seem to be on a self-pity journey rather than responding to God’s call in life.
Clergy who take their call seriously are offended by even the impression that their personal needs come ahead of responding to the ministry and the needs of their congregation. When you urge them to balance their response to ministry with the need to take care of themselves, it feels as if you are asking them to draw back from their devotion to God’s call to ministry.
What is important for all clergy to understand is that taking care of self in the ministry is not about you. Rather is it caring for self for the sake of the larger ministry. When one fails to pay attention to one’s physical health, the break down of your body can rob you of your effectiveness for ministry. If you neglect the health of your family relationships, it can create a negative witness to those who see the degeneration of your family. If you fail to attend to the emotional strain of ministry, it can lead to an inability to respond to your call in a healthy ministry.
The reason to care for self is for the sake of your call, not in opposition to it.
