Since the beginning of eleven:28, we’ve been talking about the spiritual toll that results from working in churches. It’s not always bad, but it is almost always intense. When someone works in the midst of trauma weekly, even daily, that trauma takes a toll. When that trauma is compounded by ministry’s ongoing mirror into one’s own soul, that soul is in jeopardy of burnout or worse.
The problem for pastors is, who do they tell? Do they tell their staff, who often reports to them? Do they tell their elders, who often determine their salary and are integral to the long-term vitality of ministry? Do they confess it to their congregation, who often look to them for spiritual reassurance?
There are no easy answers to these questions. Statistics and studies are out there. However, it is stories that give insights. Throughout the history of God’s people, they have turned to stories rather than statistics to describe their experiences. This is the Glass Houses Project. We are committed to starting ongoing conversations that allow church leaders to tell their stories publicly, vulnerably, and clearly.
Please listen to their stories.