How to Help the Bi-Vocational Pastor at Sandy Grove Church to Have Balance in Ministry and Life through Equipping & Teaching of the Saints along with a Structured Plan to Meet the Ministry Demands

Duran Kiley Odoms, Liberty University

Document Type Article

Abstract

Burnout, a subject that was birthed in the 1970s was only associated with the private and public sectors of the workforce. It has transitioned into other avenues where personal interaction takes place. Ministry is a profession where people interaction happens weekly and sometimes daily. Ministry is repetitive work that must be done daily, weekly, and monthly. Many pastors have fallen prey to this awful and painful enemy. Burnout has caused many pastors to lose their church, family, and life. The lack of ministry assistance and the demand for the job have taken a toll on many pastors whether they are full-time or part-time. Burnout has been really tough on bi-vocational pastors in rural areas. This study will attempt to give insight on burnout and how to avoid and overcome it by equipping saints for ministry, teaching self-care, church administration, and teaching who the pastor is from a biblical perspective. While this study does not present the only way to address burnout, it does provide some biblical methods to consider for handling burnout. This study was done at Sandy Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Conecuh County, Alabama in the rural community of Johnsonville.