Brad Hoffman and Michael Todd Wilson present this workbook designed to be used by people in vocational ministry, alongside their peers, to safeguard them from burnout, moral failure and spiritual exhaustion.

Preventing Ministry Failure combines an updated version of James Guthrie’s A Humble Acknowledgement of the Sins of the Ministry with extracts from James Durham’s Commentary on Revelation in order to emphasize the necessity of pastoral holiness and the encouragement Christ provides to serve Him well. The result is a guide for pastors to openly discuss their common failings that also holds out hope for putting things right. Beyond updating the language, the editors add Bible verses to assist in meditation as well as questions to stimulate reflection and discussion. Here is abundant yet succinct material to promote personal conviction and examination, as well as help, encouragement, and counsel for ministers to shine amid the prevailing darkness.

This book examines the pastor's friendships as they impact a pastor's effectiveness in ministry and his or her personal well-being. Because friendships require high levels of self-disclosure, friendships introduce potential conflict for the pastor as personal self-disclosure may conflict with the pastor's expected role. Taking a qualitative approach, this study looks at how pastors navigate the areas of friendship both inside and outside their congregations. The research involved interviews with ten congregational pastors and reports themes that emerged from the interviews. The researcher developed four friendship types that assist the pastor in balancing pastoral role expectation with expression of vulnerability.

What do we do when we've failed? J.R. Briggs, founder of the Epic Fail Pastors Conference, explores the landscape of failure, how it devastates us and how it transforms us. Without offering pat answers or quick fixes, he challenges our expectations of success and gives us permission to grieve our losses and receive the grace of healing and restoration.

Widespread deficiencies in spiritual formation see an increasing number of ministers buckle under the significant burdens common to the task. There are seasons when a powerful triad of the flesh, the world, and the devil converge (Eph 2:2-3, cf. Jas 3:15 and 1 John 2:16). Misdirected attempts to fulfill emptiness, find worth, or heal longstanding wounds ensue. Widespread instances of sexual immorality result. Sound exegesis and analysis of theological doctrine presents an allowance, in certain cases, for ministerial restoration. However, this necessitates an intimate and intricate approach that differs significantly from the varied solutions churches and denominations offer. Few restoration programs bring a biblical response to bear. Remarkably rare are restoration programs that look to correct causal factors and commit to congregational care. This program orients itself on an understanding of brokenness and the need for holistic (re)formation. The latter requires fallen ministers to progress beyond biblical confession and repentance to partner with the Holy Spirit and key authorities such as an overseer, mentors, Christian mental health professionals, and a designated congregation. The unitive goal is a "sanctifying psychopathology" that properly diagnoses spiritual and emotional health; eradicates the adverse influences of emotional, cultural, and spiritual factors; and redirects self-oriented patterns of thought and behavior.

What do the top church teams do to thrive together? Researchers and practitioners Ryan Hartwig and Warren Bird have discovered churches who have learned to thrive under healthy team leadership. Using actual church examples, this coaching tool presents their discoveries, culminating in five disciplines that will enable your team to thrive.

Charles Stone?s research on thousands of pastors and ministry leaders demonstrates the dangers of approval-motivated leadership. Bringing together biblical insights and neuroscience findings, Stone shows why we fall into people-pleasing patterns and what we can do to overcome these tendencies and have more effective ministry.

Thirty-eight percent of pastors have given serious thought to leaving full-time ministry in the last year. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the unpredictable, never-done work of the ministry, is it any wonder that many pastors have contemplated resigning? Add to this church members’ unrealistic expectations and a knack for criticism, and we see the toll this has taken on pastors and in one area in particular: preaching. Empty preachers are filling pulpits. Is there anything church members can do to help their pastors with burnout and the essential stress of preaching week-in, week-out? After extensive research on the subject, ninety-seven pastors were asked: What can your church members do to help you preach well? Each chapter in this book is a commitment—a clear, concrete action—developed from the study that church members can take to help their pastors preach well. Each chapter also includes a section entitled “A Word to Pastors” that offers encouragement to those in ministry to help reduce their stress and become better preachers.

Dozens of brief yet powerful entries for pastors about what it really means to be on-mission, spiritual warriors who lead the local church from a biblical point of view instead of a modern traditional one.

If you're the only person from your ethnic background in your organization or team, you probably know what it's like to be misunderstood or marginalized. Organizational consultant Adrian Pei describes key challenges ethnic minorities face in majority-culture organizations, unpacking the historical forces at play and what both minority and majority cultures need to know in order to work together fruitfully.