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Whether we call it "called into the ministry," or "full-time Christian service," or "vocational Christian ministry," the fact is that while all Christians are called to minister, there are those who have answered a more specific call to service. Pastors, music ministers, youth pastors, whatever; these people are on the front lines in the spiritual warfare. Unfortunately, like soldiers on the front lines in a war, our ministers are often wounded by "friendly fire," darts thrown, not by Satan, but by our fellow Christians. Talk about "occupational hazard!"
I used to be in the ministry myself, full time, as a Youth Pastor and/or Music Minister. I left the ministry after almost ten years because I got tired of battling the personal agendas of most churches and many pastors, much of which have no relation to the mission of the Church.
The simple fact is that we treat our shepherds abominably. We use them, we manipulate them, we hurt them. We say that their priority should be their family, and yet we get upset when they can't jump to our every whim. We expect them to on the job 24 hours a day, yet we pay them less than minimum wage. In my opinion, the Church needs to fall on its face before God and confess its sin in the way it treats its shepherds.
Are you a minister who is hurting? Have you been fired unfairly (or even fairly)? Have you lost your family, or are about to, because of your ministry? Are you burned out? Then this page is for you.
Restoration Manual - A Workbook For Restoring Fallen Ministers & Religious Leaders
Ministry Health - Support For Pastors And Church Professionals includes hundreds of articles addressing various areas of Christian ministry: leadership, conflict, personal support, and a variety of other resources. A free weekly email newsletter is available and edited by Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div, M.S.A. Articles from Ministry Health have been reprinted numerous places including Net Results, Sharing the Practice, Global Christian Network, and a growing listing of many other sites.
Clergy Recovery Network - has been on-line for almost 2 years with resources and 24 hour/day, seven day a week forums for clergy. We are an outgrowth of the Christian Recovery Movement and are committed to bringing emotional/spiritual healing and help to pastors.
Pastor-In-Residence Ministry, Inc. - A ministry dedicated to restoration of exited pastors back to full-time Christian service.
Center for Creative Growth - Counseling with Heart -Therapists trained by the John Bradshaw Center and an excellent Resource List of other Internet sites dealing with psychological growth and recovery.
The Center for Ministry Empowerment fosters wholeness, strength, and usefulness for ministers and their families wounded by stress, conflict, and ethical failure who desire to learn from adversity and defeat.
The Pastor's Helper
A One-Stop Ministry Resource site for pastors and other Christian workers.
Charis - Counseling Ministry to Ministers
Mastering Life Ministries
Christian Recovery Connection
SonRise Word Ministries,
Inc.
In-Christ Counseling
John Mark Ministries
MinistrySearch.com