Prepare to Move Forward

We are about to explore your pastoral call and your church’s mission over the next few posts. In preparation for that, it would be good to acknowledge how you feel about them and whether at this point you are eager to continue to pursue them. If you are hesitating in answering that, you could be on the verge or even in the midst of burnout. If you feel that way, please get some immediate help from a counsellor. Your denominational office likely has someone they can refer you to. There are also ministries that provide pastoral retreats combined with counselling, such as Kerith Retreats in Alberta and Manitoba, Fairhaven in BC, and others across the rest of Canada.

If you aren’t burning out but are tired, you still need to restore your health and recover a healthy perspective on your call and mission. You probably have come to terms with the fact that, because of ongoing need, your ministry’s mission will not be fully achieved this side of Christ’s return. A mission that has no end can seem overwhelming and sometimes undoable. And then there is your call: when can one consider one’s call to have been fulfilled? We really don’t know.

So, being realistic, how can we maintain a passion for our call and our mission when in these circumstances?

This post, from June 10, 2012, will help you stay inspired when you are only halfway up the mountain.