Most Christians seek to become a part of a team to serve within their local church body. This is a good sign of their spiritual growth and helps people think outside themselves and give to the greater good. But as with everything, too much of a good thing may not be good for us. People who dedicate all their time in service to the church can experience burnout. Burnout not only is not good for the church, also for the person who is volunteering.
Many leaders would tell the person to quit volunteering in response to the burnout. Yet, they don't always address the reasons behind the burnout. If you or someone else is experiencing burnout, here are some strategies to deal with what you're feeling in a way that will not only help you grow but also help the church as well:
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1. Follow Your Passions
One of the most common reasons for burnout within a church service is people go where there is a need, rather than where their passions lie. For example, women, whether they have children or not, may feel compelled to help in the Children's Church ministry or nursery simply because there's a need there. Furthermore, a woman with children may feel they owe the nursery or children's church ministry a turn to serve there since other people watch her children. But this may not be where a person feels called.
Furthermore, when people fill a need of a ministry that is dying, it only perpetuates the idea that the ministry should continue. Anyone feeling like they want to serve in a local church body should discover where they feel called. One way to do this is to discover their passions. The first thing they can do is analyze what they like to do in their spare time. Do they have a heart to help at the local soup kitchen? Do they like watching teens or interacting with them? Do they enjoy teaching Bible study to others? This is a great way to discover exactly where their passions lie. If they are thinking about serving, discover where their passions lie and serve there. Don't serve in a ministry simply because there's a need to fill. Rather, discover how God has wired you and follow that leading.
2. Be Reconciled
Perhaps someone is experiencing burnout because they're frustrated by the people leading the team. If the lead person is not paid staff, sometimes people will lead with a limited amount of energy and resources. They may procrastinate or delegate too much work to other people, and because of these factors, volunteers may feel the burn. If the leader is not a good leader, it may be time to have a discussion. Have the person ask a pastor or other leader in their church to mediate a meeting where they can express how they're feeling about the situation.
The worst thing for the church is when people are unreconciled to each other, secretly gossiping about others because of their lack of leadership. Disunity is one of the quickest ways to sabotage spiritual and numeric growth within a church. Seek to be unified to everyone as much as you can. Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Although peace cannot be achieved with every person, it is still important to strive for it.
3. Take a Break
Being a part of a church does not mean you need to be serving all the time. Just as we need vacations from our regular work, we also need breaks from volunteering within a church. Taking a season of time off from service does not mean you're not being a good Christian or you're not in alignment with the church's vision. Everyone needs some time off now and then. You may simply need a break if you have no issues with the people leading your ministry and are leading within your passions. Designate a certain amount of time and just bask in God's presence. Allow God to fill all the places you feel mentally and emotionally exhausted. Allow God to fill those places as only he can. When the designated time is over, seek to reinstate yourself within the ministry. The time of refreshment will be good for everyone involved and may give your ministry the boost it needs.
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4. Change Your Measurements
Sometimes we feel burnt out simply because we're using the wrong measurements. We sometimes feel as though we are burnt out because our ministry is not reaching its metrics for numeric growth or its goals to "make disciples." But we need to change our perspective on what measurement and growth really entails. A group of ten kids that are reading their Bible regularly, getting together to study it, and eventually change their lives are growing at a more rapidly than 400 kids in a group where they're easily bored by the pastor during his sermon each week. Shift your perspective from one of numeric growth and measure the number of kids that are hungry to know God more intimately as the ultimate test for growth.
5. Determine if the Ministry Is Flourishing or at a Standstill
Many small churches tend to keep ministries for a long time. They simply do it based on tradition and are afraid if they lose that ministry, somehow their ministry will be less effective. However, churches need to analyze every ministry in their church. They need to ensure that ministries are truly fulfilling the church's ultimate mission and vision.
6. Assess a Ministry's Effectiveness
Are volunteers willing to go the extra mile so ministry will be successful? Are there new people coming each week (or month) to ensure your ministry is hitting the mark? Are you the only person burnt out, or are there other people who have left the ministry? It's important to measure whether the ministry is effective and if the burnout is a result of the person or the actual ministry. People can feel burnt out on a ministry that simply isn't growing, no matter what measurement is used. If, for example, a particular missions meeting held every month is no longer bringing in people and has low numbers for an extended time, it may be time to get rid of that ministry.
Burnout in ministry is common. Burnout can come because of a myriad of reasons. Assess whether you are the reason for the burnout or if the ministry is the reason. If you are reconciled and make peace with each person on your team, if you're concerned about people's hunger and passion for Jesus, and you've analyzed the ministry's effectiveness and, after taking your break, have not revitalized your passion for the ministry, you may be the cause of the burnout. If, however, you've done all these things and there are other factors contributing to the burnout, it may be time to get leadership involved. Not only may you feel burnt out, but other people may as well. By curbing burnout at its source, churches can have vibrant ministries for every person in a volunteer position and give them the assurance that their ministry is growing. Then, they will fulfill the ultimate purpose of giving their time and energy to the Lord.
Originally published Thursday, 16 May 2024.