Preventing Ministry Failure

Great ministers don't just happen.Great falls from ministry don't just happen either. A complex mix of factors both internal and external test the limits of your ability to minister wholeheartedly over the long haul.Senior pastor Brad Hoffmann and licensed professional counselor Michael Todd Wilson work with pastors removed from their place of service. The common experiences of these pastors revealed patterns that consistently contributed to burnout, ineffectiveness and moral failure. If such patterns can be predicted, the authors reasoned, can they beprevented?Preventing Ministry Failureis a personal guidebook for pastors and other caregivers to prepare them to withstand common pressures and to flourish in the ministry God has called them to. Work through the exercises and reflections individually or in conversation with your peers, and you'll find yourself better equipped for the challenges of vocational ministry, and more conscious of the presence of God leading you on and restoring your soul.

Michael Todd Wilson is a licensed professional counselor and cofounder of ShepherdCare Brad Hoffmann is senior pastor of Memorial Baptist Church in Baytown, Texas, and cofounder of ShepherdCare

Before We Begin: Getting the Most from This Workbook	p. 9
Introduction: Why Preventing Ministry Failure Is So Important	p. 15
Ministry in America Today	p. 15
Resolving the "God Complex"	p. 19
The Process of Restoration: The Journey Back Home	p. 21
The Seven Foundation Stones for Effective Long-Term Ministry	p. 25
Intimacy: Connecting to the Heart of Successful Pastoring	p. 33
What Intimacy Really Is	p. 34
The Consequences of Avoiding Intimacy	p. 36
Intimacy with God	p. 41
Intimacy Through Close Friendships	p. 43
Intimacy with Your Spouse (and What to Do if You're Single)	p. 48
Practical Steps Toward Deeper Human Relationships	p. 52
Finding and Growing a Few Good Same-Gender Friendships	p. 59
Wrap-Up	p. 63
Calling: The Power for Effectiveness in Ministry	p. 65
Understanding Our Call to Ministry	p. 65
Being Sure of Our Calling	p. 76
Called Versus Not Called: The Negative Effects of Working Outside Our Calling	p. 82
Staying Versus Leaving: Called to Remain or Move Toward a New Assignment?	p. 88
Wrap-Up	p. 97
Stress Management: Avoiding Ineffectiveness and Burnout	p. 100
Stress: The Energy to Accomplish Our Calling	p. 100
The Energy Drain of Stress Mismanagement	p. 106
Are You Distressed?: Self-Evaluation Tools for the Weary	p. 111
Practical Safeguards: Spiritual and Relational	p. 117
Practical Safeguards: Emotional and Physical	p. 126
Wrap-Up	p. 137
Boundaries: Protecting What Matters Most	p. 139
Personal Boundaries	p. 140
Real-World Boundaries in Our Ministry Setting	p. 147
Real-World Boundaries with Intimate Relationships	p. 157
Real-World Boundaries with Ourselves and with God	p. 164
Wrap-Up	p. 168
Re-creation: The Fuel to Re-energize Ministry	p. 170
Slaves to the Schedule	p. 170
Common Excuses for Not Re-creating	p. 174
The Three Rs of Re-creation: Rest, Recess, Renewal	p. 179
Creating Our Own Re-creation Plan	p. 182
Wrap-Up	p. 187
People Skills: Managing Our Most Valuable Resource	p. 190
Personality and Personality Theory	p. 190
Active Listening: Tailored Shepherding for Our Unique Flock	p. 201
Reflective Listening	p. 205
Assertiveness Techniques Every Minister Can Use	p. 211
Wrap-Up	p. 219
Leadership Skills: Setting Ministers Apart from the Rest of the Sheep	p. 220
Transformative Leadership	p. 220
Dealing with Change in Ministry	p. 226
Leadership Styles: What's in Your Wardrobe?	p. 230
Other Ingredients for Effective Leadership	p. 239
Wrap-Up	p. 244
Feelings List	p. 251
Christian Counseling Resources and Related Ministries	p. 254
The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory	p. 255
Balanced Breathing Exercise for Relaxation	p. 257
Personality Strengths Inventory	p. 258
Contributors from CareGivers Forum	p. 261
For Further Reading	p. 262
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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Preventing Ministry Failure

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