Nurturing a Spirit of Rest in a Busy Ministry Season

Introduction

How can church leaders avoid burnout during the holidays? Is it possible?

While the holiday season is often full of fun and festive activities, these added events can bring heightened responsibilities and stress to church leaders. Around Thanksgiving and Christmas, church leaders are tasked with holiday planning alongside managing normal day-in and day-out ministry responsibilities.

Because of this, it’s important for church leaders to intentionally foster rest and create balance in the middle of a busy ministry season. Here are a few ways to nurture a spirit of rest during the holidays.

Understanding Burnout in Ministry 

According to Merriam-Webster, burnout is defined as “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.” In the context of church leadership, especially during the holiday season, burnout often affects mental, physical, and spiritual health. This may look like increased exhaustion, irritability, frustration, and lack of motivation. Little tasks may feel big, and big tasks may feel overwhelming.

A study by Barna revealed that 42 percent of pastors have considered quitting full-time ministry within the last year. Of those, 56 percent say “the immense stress of the job” has factored into their thoughts on leaving. Stress and burnout go hand in hand, so it’s important to identify it early.

Causes of Holiday Burnout 

Other than continued daily tasks and responsibilities, there are a few extra causes of burnout during the holidays. These include:

• Increased expectations
• Working extended hours
• Emotional demands of the congregation
• Larger workloads
• Potential conflicts
• Isolation
• And, neglect of self-care.

In a season where a lot is expected of church leaders, it’s easy to try and carry it all alone. The reality is that these added responsibilities will add up and eventually take their toll. Because of this, it’s important to be strategic in prioritizing rest and recovery.

Strategies for Rest and Recovery

Burnout doesn’t have to be inevitable. Instead, by implementing strategies for rest and recovery, church leaders can take on the season and manage their to-do lists well. Here are a few rest and recovery strategies to try:

Delegate Tasks

You don’t have to do it all! Recruit other staff members and volunteers to take tasks off of your plate. Recognize the gifts and talents of those around you, and use those to help ensure holiday events go smoothly and are all taken care of.

Set Boundaries

Not only is it important to delegate, but it’s also important to know how to say “no” or “not right now.” It’s not always easy to set boundaries, but they’re crucial for avoiding burnout. Some boundaries could include not working on certain days or past certain hours, or limiting the number of “things” your church does during this season.

Schedule Personal Time

Another strategy is to intentionally schedule personal time during the holidays. Stepping away from work, even ministry is important for the sake of your family and personal health. It’s okay to get away for short periods in this season and trust others to pick up the slack in your absence.

Incorporating Spiritual Practices

In all of it, it’s important to remember to prioritize spiritual practices and disciplines. Prayer, worship, and times of solitude can help you reframe your perspective, increase your faith, and maintain balance in your life. As a church leader, don’t be so busy leading others to Christ that you forget to run to Him yourself. 

The Role of Congregational Support

Another great way church leaders can alleviate pressure in a busy season is to engage the support of their congregation. This includes sharing the responsibilities with active members and practicing open communication. People won’t know you’re stressed and overwhelmed if you don’t tell them. Work to remain open and honest so others can come alongside you to share the load.

Utilizing Helpful Tools

Finally, one of the best ways to avoid burnout and nurture a spirit of rest is to use tools designed to scale down your to-list. The right software can help to free you up in the holiday season so you can focus more on ministry and less on administrative tasks. For example:

• Instead of manually contacting every volunteer, utilize mass communication tools to send out needs and requests.
• Set up workflows to follow up with first-time guests and promote Christmas activities. As part of the workflow, notify other staff members who can take ownership of next steps.
• Utilize service planning to streamline organizing and scheduling worship and volunteer teams.
• Use data from giving and people platforms to know what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to.

Using helpful tools can help streamline processes so you can focus on what really matters this season.

Next Steps

It is possible to nurture a spirit of rest in a busy season, but it does take planning and intentionality. As you think through your season, don’t neglect prioritizing rest and spiritual balance. This not only will help you avoid burnout, but it will also help you and your church thrive amid a busy season.

If you’re looking for tools to help take things off your plate and simplify your to-do list, we’d love you to give Ministry Brands Amplify a try. Start your free demo which includes people, giving, websites, streaming, and more here.