Shepherding Minds...

A good friend of mine, James E. Leary, has recently written "Shepherding Minds: Rebuilding the Church’s Response to Mental Health". I have provided a small taste for your reflection... I believe this book would be of great value to your ministry. 

   "As ministry leaders, counselors, caregivers, and church members, our role is not to rush people past their pain or fix their sorrow with platitudes. It’s to stand with them in it. To hold space for both tears and trust. To remind them that their sorrow is not the whole story, and that real joy—God’s joy—is still possible right there in the midst of the struggle. That’s where the strength is found: not in getting over it, but in walking through it with God beside us. That is where true healing begins. 

So, how do we bring this into our churches in a way that’s not just inspiring in the short term but truly sustainable over time? Here are practical ways to cultivate this kind of culture in a lasting way. 

✔️ Use Scripture in All Care Training Every time you train a care team, whether for grief support, crisis response, mental health ministry, or hospital visitation, anchor that training in God’s Word. Scripture provides the framework that keeps our care grounded in God’s redemptive story rather than merely human compassion.

✔️ Introduce Reflection and Lament in Worship. Not every worship event needs to be high-energy and celebratory. In fact, for many who are suffering silently, those kinds of services can feel alienating. Create occasions where honesty is welcomed. Plan occasional evening worship events on reflection, lament, and quiet trust. These can include songs that express longing and waiting, readings from the Psalms, moments of silence, journaling stations, and opportunities for prayer. 

✔️ Include Scripture in Care Conversations When you’re sitting with someone in pain, Scripture should neither be forced nor forgotten. The goal is not to “fix” their problems with a verse but to remind them they’re not alone. For example, you can create a gentle entry point by asking, “Would it be okay if I shared a verse that’s helped me?” A quiet reading of Psalm 23 or Isaiah 41:10 can often speak more deeply than lengthy advice. Let the Word act as a balm, not a bandage. 

✔️ Equip Your Worship Leaders. Worship leaders are not just musicians; they are spiritual shepherds. The songs they select and the atmosphere they shape on Sundays profoundly influence how people experience God. Encourage them to choose songs that reflect the full arc of the gospel story: creation, fall, longing, redemption, and hope. Urge them to build in moments of pause and silence, recognizing that someone in the room is carrying sorrow. Worship that honors this emotional reality creates a sanctuary where healing can begin." (chapter 8, The Word and Worship) 

   

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."  - 2 Corinthians 1:3–4

3 Areas of Pastoral Stress..

3 Areas of Pastoral Stress ...

      by Matt Henslee, lead pastor of Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving, Texas and co-author of "Replanting Rural Churches".

A recent Lifeway Research study found that nearly half of pastors say discouragement (48%) and distractions (48%) are challenges they face, stress (63%) emerges as the number one challenge for pastors.

👉 Stress is the number one mental challenge for pastors. Here are three areas that cause the most stress for a pastor.

1. Finances
It’s important to remember each of these areas undoubtedly have a personal or family side and a ministry side. Yes, this is about pastors and what causes us stress in ministry. But we’re still people, and many of us have spouses, children, and other things we navigate outside of our roles as pastors.

On the family side of things, most pastors I know will never crack the Forbes Richest People in the World list. While there are some wealthy pastors out there, many are everyday people like most of our church members—living week to week, battling debt, and feeling the crunch of ever-increasing inflation.

On the church side, we all experience stretches when the weekly giving is lagging, and the deacons start asking you to preach on tithing. Just as many of our members live week to week, battling debt, and feeling the crunch of ever-increasing inflation.

Church finances can be stressful for pastors because they ebb and flow with key members moving or facing financial hardships. It weighs on us because we know the adage, “The buck stops here.”

Pastor, be encouraged with a word from our Chief Shepherd in Luke 12:24: “Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?”.

It’s going to be okay; God’s got this. He’ll take care of you, your family, and your church. Work to eliminate debt. Live within your means. Be wise. And trust God.

2. Relationships
People are another cause of stress for pastors. As a husband and father with four little ones at home, the family side of this stress point usually peaks around holidays.

If you have little ones at home as we did, that often means disappointing the people you love when your Christmas Eve service or even Christmas falls on or near a Sunday, causing your family to miss out on the traditional Christmas festivities.

When it comes to the church side of relationships, pastors see the absolute best of people—and the worst. You may have an impossible-to-please deacon, a member with the spiritual gift of anonymous complaint letters, or another who, if you let them, would fill every second of every day of your time.

If you’re a pastor reading this, we could probably share stories about relational stresses in our churches. But I’d like to remind you we stress people out, too. Our members are sinners. We’re sinners. And leading and serving in our yet-to-be-glorified state will bring about stress and animosity from time to time.

Shepherding sheep is messy, but what a privilege God gives us to lead and love His people with care. And do you know what? It’s worth it.

I’m reminded of Proverbs 27:23: “Know well the condition of your flock, and pay attention to your herds”.
Sheep may bite, run off, or do dumb things. It’ll stress you out, but it’s why you’re there.

3. Time
Time is the final stressor I’ve felt the most—both with family and at church. As a husband, I work hard to carve out time for date nights or downtime with my wife. As a father of four, I often feel like an unpaid Uber driver taking them from place to place.

And as a pastor, I rarely feel there’s enough time in a week—let alone a day—to write an effective sermon, handle administrative tasks, follow up with visitors, make visits, evangelize, and so forth. I’ve yet to meet a pastor who complains about having too much time.

Your wife will be with you long after any church you serve. Plus, she makes a much better date than your church … I’m just saying. Date her. Treat her like a queen, and make sure she’s not getting the leftovers of your time.

When you put your kids’ activities on your calendar, you have an immediate out—especially for trivial matters. But it’s also your reminder to be involved in their lives and activities.

Many of us are on social media, and it’s not only stressful in general, but it can easily be a major time-waster. Post a little something encouraging, and then get off. It’s not worth it when you have a family to love, a church to lead, and a lost and dying world in need of the Savior.

Finally, when you start your sermon prep early in the week, you build in some bandwidth for unplanned crises or ministry needs. Your sermon is important, but it’s one of many important aspects of being a pastor.

Don’t let an unfinished conclusion or illustration keep you from meeting the day-to-day needs of your flock or family—plan for disruptions by starting early in the week and picking it back up as soon as possible.

While finances, relationships, and time can cause significant stress for pastors (and their members), let’s not forget it’s a privilege to serve God’s people as pastor. It might not make you rich by worldly standards. Some people may drive you batty, and you’ll almost always be crunched for time. But it’s totally and completely worth it.

People Need the LORD...

On Tuesday morning, September 11th, 2001 I was sitting in my office at First Baptist Church, New Jersey. We were located some 14 miles from the World Trade Center Twin Towers, better known today as "ground zero". It was a crisp, clear morning with many ministry plans for the coming weeks on my desk. But, when the phone rang, the fact that I was unprepared for that news would be an understatement. The hours and days that followed were surreal.

Within our immediate congregation one member worked in the north tower and survived, exiting just shy of the south tower being struck by the second plane. He caught the last train out of the city. Other members of our community had to walk across the bridges to escape the devastation. A good number of other friends and neighbors never made it back home. The week unfolded day by day with lists of the unaccounted for, along with multiple prayer sessions. The simple fact was... People needed the Lord. 

As I look back, Sunday morning, September 16, 2001 was the most clear and concise service in which I have ever preached. I stood before an entire congregation of faces marked with grief, fear, brokenness, and confusion. Some people didn't even regularly attend our church, or any church. We were gathered that morning, while the fires still burned beneath the wreckage, with singular purpose - to seek the grace, mercy and consulation from of our heavenly Father... People needed the Lord. 

My friend, we share the same divine calling... We are physicians of the soul... Shepherds of the lost lambs... Healers of the brokenhearted... Bearers of light for those walking in darkness. Whenever we come to the pulpit, counseling room, hospital bedside, or graveside, we truly stand on holy ground. All agendas, programs, or projects must fade into the background in the face of eternity. Our clear and concise ministry should always be this ... People need the Lord.

Sunday morning will come, and your congregation will arrive with many who have experienced private wreckage, fires still burning, or hopes unaccounted for... Give them what they need... Give them the Lord! 

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  ~ Psalm 147:3

~ PJVS