16 minute read
SO WE DO NOT LOSE HEART: MAINTAINING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE PARISH
Dave Wollan
“The major noble lie is there is such a thing as mental illness. There's no such thing as PTSD. There's no such thing as OCD. There's no such thing as ADHD. Those are noble lies to basically give the excuse to, at the end of the day, to medicate people.”1 That was the recent bold declaration of popular evangelical pastor, John MacArthur. MacArthur posits that mental health issues are a result of a sinful nature influenced by negative social agendas and impacted by unresolved experiences. Meanwhile, he asserts, big pharmaceutical companies are taking advantage of the situation in ways that will have consequences on our ability to function well in society. As expected, his comments were met with immediate backlash and critique.
As a pastor, I too have sometimes wondered if we have been too quick to diagnose and prescribe medication for mental health issues. I think it is helpful and necessary to think theologically, and diagnose spiritually, when it comes to the mental health of our people. That said, I have also been around enough to acknowledge that mental health issues are real issues, and sometimes the God-given gift of medical advancements can aid those struggling mentally. And, of course, pastors are not immune to mental health issues. In fact, due to the isolated nature of the pastoral vocation, coupled with the extreme demands characteristic of it, mental health struggles are a very real issue for ministers of the gospel. This article will explore the mental health landscape among pastors, it’s connection to the demands of the position, and how we might better manage and even steward our mental health.
We Are Afflicted in Every Way
The first session of the LeaderCare initiative offered by the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) was both cathartic and therapeutic. Pastor after pastor expressed feelings of frustration, grief, burnout, and loneliness as we processed our lives in the parish. It was July of 2021, and we were finally emerging from the cloud of the pandemic. We were emotionally spent, exhausted from trying to problem solve our way to normalcy, and disappointed with how long it was taking. To make matters worse, our facilitators from SOULeader Resources presented some stark statistics:
• Every month, 1,500 pastors leave the parish
• Fifty percent of pastors get divorced
• Eighty percent feel unqualified
• Eighty percent of seminary graduates leave ministry in five years
• Seventy percent fight depression2
SOULeader’s dire statistics reflect what others are saying regarding metal health and burnout among pastors. A survey done by Pew Research found that “the percentage of clergy reporting a diagnosis of depression was 12.7%, far exceeding the most recent estimate of 6.7% of US adults with depression.”3 In a study of seven-year trends among pastors, a Barna survey showed that “65 percent of pastors report feelings of loneliness and isolation,” up from 42 percent seven years prior.4
This is a huge problem. In a vocation that is already struggling with pastoral shortages, and with a wave of retirements on the way, we cannot afford to have the pastors we already have burning out or succumbing to mental health crises. I’d like to suggest a few problem areas that are contributing to the problem.
"Running the Church”
Author Eugene Peterson is probably best-known for his Bible translation, The Message, but his best works are his books on the pastoral vocation. Peterson cherished the office of pastor, and in his writings, he encourages and challenges pastors to stay true to their call. His wisdom comes from decades in the parish, and a deep knowledge of the scriptures. It also comes from many of his mistakes and struggles.
One particular lesson that always stands out for me is a conversation he had with his daughter, Karen. Peterson had been working hard, trying to keep up with the demands of a young church plant. Here’s how he puts it in his memoir, The Pastor:
I had tried to slow down. I had tried to relax. But I was afraid of failing. I couldn’t help myself. One evening, after supper, Karen she was five years old at the time asked me to read her a story. I said, “I’m sorry, Karen, but I have a meeting tonight.” “This is the twenty-seventh night in a row you have had a meeting.” She had been keeping track, counting…I resigned. I told [the elders] I had tried not to work so hard, but that I didn’t seem to be able to do it.
"And it’s not just Karen. It’s you, too. I haven’t been a pastor to this congregation for six months. I pray in fits and starts. I feel like I’m in a hurry all the time. When I visit or have lunch with you, I’m not listening to you; I am thinking of ways I can get the momentum going again. My sermons are thrown together. I don’t want to live like this, either with you or with my family."5
Peterson wanted to be a praying pastor, a pastor who reads and studies. He wanted to have time for people. He wanted to lead his people in worship and preach good sermons. He wanted to be an unbusy pastor.
“So what’s stopping you?” the elders asked. Peterson then remembered and repeated an exasperated assessment from a colleague in ministry, “I’m tired of running this damn church.”6
Strong words, and yet, relatable words! I don’t care how big your church is, it takes a lot to run it! The demands are relentless. Every Sunday morning worship is followed by another Sunday morning worship just seven days later.
Pew Research found that “these obligations result in most clergy working 40-60 hrs. per week, with up to 25% of clergy working more than 60 hrs. per week.”7 Too many pastors are working too many hours. Evening meetings and Bible studies, early morning commitments, and Saturday events (or sermon writing), crowd into a pastor’s family time, or time to rest.
The temptation is to become, as Peterson calls it, a “shopkeeper” of the church. Ministry gives way to maintenance, and the maintenance demands never end. In the thick of it, it is difficult to see the danger of it. Every meeting seems important. It appears things won’t get done unless the pastor does it or is at least highly involved.
To make it even more difficult, these excessive hours might even be what your congregation expects. After all, we’re the professionals. We’re the paid staff. It’s our job to be at the beckon-call of our congregation. So, we schedule meetings for every night of the week. We agree to the appointment on our day off. We take calls late at night. Our family dinner-out is interrupted by a member with a minor crisis. Granted, in a sense, this is all part of the job. But, in reality, this is also the result of poorly understood boundaries by the pastor and the congregation.
Of course, this is just symptomatic of the world we live in. We can stand in the pulpit and beckon to “all who labor and are heavy laden,”8 but we ignore and attempt to push through our own weariness, our own heavy-ladenness.
Back in July 2021, author Jenny Smith reflected on the experience of pastors coming out of the long, weary pandemic, only to be confronted by fresh challenges:
"Then we opened our doors to in-person worship again. We crossed the finish line! We made it! We did a hard thing! Then Instead of collapsing at the finish line in a heap. Instead of drinking water. Instead of resting our aching bodies. Something else happened.
An official-looking race organizer slapped another number on our back and pushed us toward another starting line that mysteriously appeared.
Wait. What?
A second marathon? Right now?
We look down at our blistered aching feet, our hopeful but exhausted heart, our overwhelmed but determined mind, and we take a step forward into life as a gathered community once again.
Why? Because our world doesn't know how to stop."9
It is an act of faith to rest. It is trusting that God, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, will continue to work while we are not.
It is an act of faith to rest. It is trusting that God, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, will continue to work while we are not. Acknowledging our finitude is a good thing. We are embodied creatures. We are made in the image of God, but we are not God. We must be mindful of our limitations. Martin Luther once observed, “A man's life and the health of his organs and the proper condition of his body are gifts of God, the Creator. Therefore, care is to be taken particularly of one's health.”10
We need to learn the art of saying “no.” We need our councils and elders to insist on this and protect it. We need to manage our calendars, and not let our calendars manage us.
But care for our bodies, and our minds, goes well beyond setting good boundaries. We are created for community.
Isolation and Loneliness
Despite working long hours, many of them surrounded by congregation members, pastors often struggle with feelings of isolation and loneliness. The role of spiritual leader and shepherd often precludes pastors from developing supportive friendships within the parish. In addition, the post-ELCA landscape has resulted in pastors being more isolated from other like-minded ministers. Furthermore, pastors living in small towns or rural communities may feel like they live in a fishbowl, which can hinder close connections.
It’s no surprise then, that research done by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows that “half of clergy surveyed said they are frequently or often lonely.”11 Not only do pastors feel more and more lonely and isolated, but Barna’s seven-year trend survey also shows that “pastors’ feelings of support from those around them have decreased. In 2015, nearly seven in 10 pastors said they frequently felt well-supported by people close to them. By 2022, that number had shifted lower—while nearly all pastors today (92%) say they feel supported to some extent, just 49 percent say they feel this frequently.”12
I have been fortunate to have, what Eugene Peterson calls, a “Company of Pastors” for over two decades. This group of colleagues in ministry has met every Friday morning at the coffee shop for over twenty years. A lot has changed in that time we were all youth directors in the early 2000s, now most of us are pastors but one thing that has remained consistent is that we support one another. We talk a lot about football, about family life, about church and ministry, and about all the good times and good laughs we’ve had over the years. We’re friends, and even though there is probably a lot of church business and shut-in visitation that could happen during those two hours every Friday morning, I make no apologies for dedicating that time, and I guard it diligently.
In addition to my Friday morning Company of Pastors, I also have been blessed to make strong connections through the LCMC LeaderCare cohort I was able to participate in, and through my Doctor of Ministry program with the Eugene Peterson Center for the Pastoral Imagination at Western Seminary. These further connections of support, encouragement, learning, and comradery have protected me from the all-too-common loneliness and isolation that plagues the pastoral profession.
But many pastors may not have the opportunity to build such pastoral friendships or have opportunities to engage in association or education cohorts. Fortunately, in our technologically connected world, there are other options for colleague connection. The LCMC has been good about forming pastoral “Life Groups.” These groups, many of which meet virtually, offer connection and support in the pastoral vocation, and may be a lifeline for isolated pastors.
A “Spiritual Life”
Ok, my Lutheran friends, don’t stop reading. I realize that phrases like “spiritual life” and “spiritual disciplines” make us anxious. Spiritual disciplines seem like a slippery slope to works righteousness and self-righteousness. But I want to suggest that attention to the spiritual life, including spiritual disciplines or practices, is not as beneficial for our spiritual well-being as it is for our mental well-being.
Luther, in his typically earthy way, describes the non-legalistic way we are to approach the spiritual life:
"We are to lead a spiritual life, but in such a way that also the bodily may enjoy its recreation. This principle applies particularly to those who do hard work or suffer great temptations and are troubled with sleeplessness. These may drink more freely in order to quiet themselves and induce sleep.. Such a person should eat and drink in order to bring body and soul together again. So we are to go on our way down the royal middle, turning neither into Epicureans and dissolute sots nor into sad monks and hypocrites... God hates sadness and loves a joyful and honest heart; for enough are the troubles and the sadness which the devil inflicts on men in other respects. Therefore the body is to be accorded its honor and care, but not to the point of making it wanton and indulging it in all sorts of shameful excesses.13
So we are to go on our way down the royal middle, turning neither into Epicureans and dissolute sots nor into sad monks and hypocrites
Discipline and attention to our spiritual lives is good, but not at the expense of our bodies and our mental health. And at the same time if properly understood and balanced, spiritual practices will support our mental health.
There is actually scientific proof of this: a study conducted by Michael Liedke found that with just twelve minutes of prayer or worship a day “there is an increase in BPNF, which is a neurotransmitter that helps us grow healthy brain cells … When we worship, gamma waves are created in our brain that can actually help us feel the presence of God.”14
Additionally, Liedke reports that hypoactivation of the amygdala that leads to “measurable decreases in depression, anxiety, chronic pain and even posttraumatic stress have been identified and can be traced back to one daily action, worship.”15 So while Augustine may have been right when he observed that our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God, perhaps these neurophysiologists could add that our minds are unbalanced until they find their balance in God.
Think about your own “spiritual life.” I know that I am in a better head-space when I’ve taken time to be still before the Lord, praying, and reading his word. I know that my week feels incomplete when I miss worship. Worship, prayer, Sabbath, and reading God’s word literally forms us, and conforms us, into Christ. It is as Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
Dr. Kristine Kansiewicz, who has studied mental health trends among pastors, agrees concerning the role of spiritual practices in forming resiliency. She writes, “Additionally, maintaining positive spiritual disciplines that are personal (not just job-related spiritual duties) keeping a weekly Sabbath, connecting with deeper purpose in the work of ministry, and using positive religious coping are all ways that pastors can increase resilience.”16
We don’t have to engage in spiritual practices. Our salvation does not depend on anything we do, and our standing before God cannot improve any more than it is for all who are in Christ Jesus. That said, spiritual practices are for our good, for our benefit. We get to do these things!
So remember the Sabbath (which was made for us!), and rest, it’s good for you! Let the word of God dwell within you. Take it to the Lord in prayer! Hear the word and receive the sacraments. These things are for our good!
Conclusion
To borrow from St. Paul, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”17 There are a lot of things that seem to be against us these days. Expectations that run us ragged, isolation that leaves us lonely, and a job that can turn freedoms into obligations and chores can decimate our families and destroy our mental health.
But, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”18
So we do not lose heart. He who called us is faithful.
Pastor Dave Wollan and his wife, Andrea, have four kids and live in Hutchinson, MN, where Dave has served at Faith Lutheran Church since 2001, first as Youth Director, and as pastor since 2013. Dave received his undergraduate degree at the Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle, his Master of Divinity from the Institute of Lutheran Theology, and recently received his Doctor of Ministry from Western Seminary. Dave loves drinking coffee, watching movies, reading, and holding unrealistically high hopes for the Twins, Timberwolves, and Vikings.
Footnotes:
1Leonardo Blair, “Pastor John Macarthur Says There Is No Such Thing as Mental Illness, Calls PTSD ‘Grief,’” The Christian Post, May 1, 2024, accessed June 3, 2024. https://www.christianpost.com/news/john-macarthur-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-mentalillness.html.
2“LCMC LeaderCare” (Allenspark, CO, Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ, 2021).
3Israel Galindo, “Addressing Clergy Mental Health.” Columbia Theological Seminary, February 23, 2024, accessed on June 5, 2024, https://www.ctsnet.edu/addressing-clergy-mental-health/
4“7-Year Trends: Pastors Feel More Loneliness & Less Support,” Barna Group, July 12, 2023, accessed on June 5, 2024, https://www.barna.com/research/pastor-support-systems/.
5Eugene H. Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir (New York: HarperCollins, 2014), 277-278.
6Winn Collier, A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson (Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook, 2022), 149.
7Israel Galindo, “Addressing Clergy Mental Health.”
8Matthew 11:28, The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishers, 2011). The ESV version is used throughout this paper.
9Jenny Smith, “The Second Marathon: A Thought for Pastors on Walking the New Normal,” Summerlea United, July 14, 2021, accessed on June 6, 2024, https://www.southwestunited.net/news/2021/7/14/the-second-marathon-a-thought-forpastors-on-walking-the-new-normal.
10Martin Luther, compiled by Ewald M. Plass, What Luther Says: An Anthology (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986), 787.
11Shari Finnell, “Understanding Wellness and Mental Health among Pastors in 2024,” Faith and Leadership, April 16, 2024, accessed on June 6, 2024, https://faithandleadership.com/understanding-wellness-and-mental-health-among-pastors2024.
12“7-Year Trends: Pastors Feel More Loneliness & Less Support.”
13Luther, 787.
14“Seven Minutes of Worship Every Day Will Change Your Brain,” The Business & Financial Times, March 7, 2022, accessed June6, 2024, https://thebftonline.com/2022/03/06/sevenminutes-of-worship-every-day-will-change-your-brain/.
15Michael Liedke, “Neurophysiological Benefits of Worship,” The Journal of Biblical Foundations of Faith and Learning, 2018, accessed on June 7, 2024, https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1063&context=jbffl
16Lindsay Nicolet and Miles Mullin, “The Truth about Pastors and Mental Health Challenges,” ERLC, October 25, 2023, accessed on June 7, 2024, https://erlc.com/resource/the-truth-aboutpastors-and-mental-health-challenges/
17Romans 8:31
18Romans 8:37
