Reviving America by Renewing Church Leaders
Who are the church leaders?
Often when we talk about church leadership, we immediately think about pastors and church staff. However, the leadership of the church also includes unpaid people who are serving in the church. So we include deacons, small group leaders, nursery workers, VBS volunteers, volunteers, maintenance workers and janitors. Church leaders can also include missionaries and church planters. The leaders of the church are anyone who has been called by God to serve the body of Christ. No matter what position you have been called to serve, we all experience times where we need to get away and renew so we can continue the work we have been called to do.
Why do we need to renew church leaders?
No matter how you look at it, ministry is one of the hardest and most rewarding jobs. The moment you say “yes” to God’s call to serve Him, you become a target of Satan who is constantly attacking you in every way possible. The spiritual warfare that goes on around you is Satan’s way of either making you ineffective in the ministry or to take you out of ministry. But God doesn’t leave us unprepared. We have the Armor of God that equips us for the spiritual warfare that occurs around us every day. But after a while, we become tired, exhausted, and perhaps even spiritually hungry. And while our church leaders constantly pour into others, the eventually become empty with nothing left to pour.
Church leaders are vital to the work of Christ and they are needed if America is to see a revival. They must constantly renew themselves so they can stand up and fight again in the spiritual battles in our world. They play a vital role in the kingdom of God. God has called us to be witnesses to the lost and disciple and grow Christians. Our church and ministry leaders are the front line in spiritual warfare. When they become weak and weary, the are not as effective – or they walk away from their calling. But when they renew their strength, they will run and not be weary; they will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31) They can help lead America to revival.
Jesus recognized when the disciples needed to be renewed
In Mark 6 Jesus sent the disciples out to do the ministry in His name. They came back excited over the miracles they had done. But they had been so busy that they didn’t even have time to eat. Jesus knew they needed time to rest, renew, and revive so they could go back out and do more ministry. So he invited them to come away with Him to a desolate place.
Renewing Church Leaders Today
At Wellspring Christian Ministries, we too recognize that church leaders need time to rest and renew. We renew church leaders through Biblical self-care principles, provide mentoring and coaching, and offer mental health coaching services. By renewing church leaders, we help them stay in ministry. Without taking time to renew, they risk raising the white flag of surrender and walking away from their calling.
Renew through Biblical self-care
We combine psychology and the Bible to teach church and ministry leaders biblical self-care principles. Through self-care, they can stay in ministry and continue the call God has placed on their lives. Whatever ministry position you serve in, our Biblical self-care principles are for you. The time for self-care is before you burnout. If you are there now, we can help you navigate through burnout to stay in the call God gave you.
Renew through Mentoring and Coaching
Additionally, we renew church leadership through mentoring and coaching. Every church leader can benefit from a ministry partner mentor who can help them navigate areas of ministry that are new for them from someone who has “been there/done that.” We help pair church leaders with another person in a like position to mentor, coach, and be an accountability partner in the ministry.
Renew through Mental Health Coaching
We also recognize that as church leadership extend empathy and help people navigate life that stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue take their toil. As you hear the turmoil and trauma that others go through, you can actually get something called, secondary trauma. Therefore, you need a safe space to process the emotions associated with secondary trauma. Church leaders also can become victims of malicious gossip as they are slandered by angry church members. As a mental health coach, we are here to be an unbiased, non-judging ear and to help connect you with licensed Christian counselors (if needed), to help you process the emotions that come as you serve Christ by helping others.
