In the Christian church, particularly in the West, we face a crisis of leadership. This is mainly a problem of low morale. Recent statistics reveal that large numbers are weary, depressed, want to give up and feel crushed by the job. Pastors have fallen into the busy trap, which flatters their vanity but prevents them from focusing on prayer and preaching. Allowing others to dictate your diary leads to burnout: you cannot satisfy all demands. The purpose of this book is to underline survival principles. It offers a month's worth of 31 short chapters, each focusing on a single aspect such as 'Prioritising', 'Avoiding the sex trap', 'Mentoring younger leaders', 'Let the Godhead do the work', 'Putting family first', and 'Avoiding Busyness'.

Why does one well-equipped, well-meaning person in ministry succeed while another fails? Bob Burns, Tasha Chapman and Donald Guthrie undertook a five-year intensive research project on the frontlines of pastoral ministry to answer that question. What they found was nothing less than the DNA of thriving ministry today.

Every pastor's wife is a faithful servant and leader in her own right. She has great influence on her church, her community, her family, and her husband, and she finds joy in seeing God move in the lives of others. Yet she also faces unique challenges that too often go unnoticed and unaddressed. At times, a pastor's wife may feel she can't talk about her struggles even with those who are closest to her, which can leave her feeling alone, depleted, and misunderstood. She may settle for this way of living, but that's not God's desire for her. Christine Hoover knows firsthand the unique struggles and opportunities afforded a pastor's wife--she's been filling that role for more than 20 years. Coming alongside as an understanding friend, she offers encouragement and guidance to the struggling pastor's wife, showing her how to make meaningful personal relationships with God, her husband, her children, her church community, and other women--relationships that will sustain her and help her thrive.

A challenging and encouraging manual for day-to-day life in ministry written specifically for couples who want to do more than survive the process of church planting and leadership—who want to actually thrive and grow in faith together as a family. Though we may feel like we can't show it, every aspect of planting a church is personal. Church planters and those in ministry leadership roles give so much to starting and growing healthy, thriving churches that when some people inevitably criticize the church, or leave altogether, it's hard not to take it personally. Brian and Amy Bloye know firsthand the emotional and relational toll that planting churches can take. In It's Personal—part of the Exponential series, inspiring and equipping next-generation church planters—the Bloye's get personal about finding the right balance of family and ministry. Planting a church is more than a ministry—it's a calling that touches every aspect of your life in very personal ways. With intimacy and wisdom, Brian and Amy discuss topics like: How to protect your marriage while planting a church. How to respond to growth and change. How to lead well while still maintaining space and time for family. How to know when it’s becoming too personal. With a forward by Andy Stanley, It's Personal will challenge and encourage you to avoid some of the pitfalls of planting a church and be equipped to build both strong and prevailing ministries, and healthy marriages and families. Each chapter includes interviews with church-planting couples who share their personal joys and struggles, giving you authentic insight into the issues families face when planting a church.

You wanted to be in ministry. You felt the call. Perhaps you had been in another career field prior to ministry, or maybe you heard the Lord call you as a child and have pursued nothing else. Maybe you didn't have the opportunity to go full time and are bi-vocational or serving as a lay leader. Whatever the case, here you are. Is it what you thought it would be? Just as doctors sometimes get sick and mechanics- cars break, ministers get discouraged and have the tendency to sin too. And Loraine Coleman has experienced that firsthand. A life coach and ordained minister, Loraine Coleman has compiled years of research into this helpful, applicable book. Through simple illustrations and sound advice, this book will help you learn to overcome the stress and fatigue that comes with ministry. You'll learn to handle the emotions through helpful tips like journal your prayers, forgive others, or even spend more time sleeping. Through specific and challenging questions and exercises, you'll feel rested, rejuvenated, and ready to be Thriving in Ministry by continuing what God has called you to do.

“They made me take care of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I neglected.” (Song of Songs 1:6b) Paul urged Timothy to learn this vital principle when he was still young. It contains one of the keys in Christian work: If someone in ministry is not all right, the quality of their ministry will be affected. In Christian ministries, it is easy to find workers who never think of themselves. While selflessness is a Christlike trait, at times we can push ourselves too far, leading to the paradigm of stressed and burned-out people. In order to love God and serve others, we often need to be still, take a rest, and be refreshed. This book will help Christians find the balance between ministry and “monastery,” between the urgent work of service and the place of rest and restoration. Caring for our own “vineyard”—the talents, gifts, and emotional resources of our personality—is not only a privilege but a duty. It is part of good stewardship, an act of obedience as disciples of Christ. Far from being a sign of a more spiritual attitude, neglecting our own needs can be a serious mistake and even a sin.