Episode 205 - How to Withstand Ministry Wounds

I was hurt. We had just finished a contentious meeting where I felt personally attacked. It came out of left field. It seemed like it wasn't just my ministry that was being questioned, but me as a pastor--me as a person.

I felt like my next steps were obvious: protect myself by not being too "real" with people anymore. Jeff likes to call it being a "plastic pastor." If I just acted how I thought people wanted me to act, maybe I'd be okay.

We've all been there, haven't we? Over time, you stop being yourself because it seems like when you're yourself, it makes it easy for people to hurt you. Maybe like me, you had the "great" idea to just act like someone else.

Looking back, that was a bad idea. Luckily for me, I wasn't too good at pretending, anyway.

On today's podcast, Bill Thrall joins us to talk about how TRUST can help a pastor withstand the wounds that ministry inflicts. Bill very patiently walks through what it looks like when pastors are lacking trust, and paints a picture of hope for pastors who can find spaces to be themselves and let others in.

For more with Bill, check out episode 112, and to dig deeper into trust-based relationships, listen to episode 131. Both of those episodes are a great resource for pastors who are isolated and searching for how to experience the love of God and others in their lives.

We hope you've been encouraged by this conversation and that you'll join us next week as we talk to some guests about the importance of differentiation and how it will help you as you minister and lead others.

Episodes 205 and 206 will be such important episodes for you as a pastor - we can't stress this enough. How you manage yourself, your leadership, your emotional and spiritual health - these are all consequential areas that will affect all of your life and ministry. We offer them to you for your personal and ministry health and encouragement!

Pastor Bill Thrall