The
preacher who develops a healthy plan to S.H.E.D. the super-hero, messiah
complex that leads to stress and burn-out will endure in ministry. Preachers
are, of course, just as human as everyone else and the rigors of the preaching
life require healthy patterns of sleep (S), hobbies (H,) exercise (E), and
devotions (D).
The hours of sleep one enjoys before midnight are the most refreshing. Early in my ministry, I was a night owl. But that pattern took its toll on my body. As my responsibility increased, the earlier I had to rise in the morning just to keep up with my increasing responsibilities. No more sleeping in until 7:00 or 8:00. For a while, I was burning the candle at both ends by rising between 5:30 and 6:00, and going to sleep between 11:00 and midnight. Eventually, I made an attempt to be in bed between 9:00 and 10:00 so that I could get a good night’s sleep before waking up around 6:00. When I maintain this sleep pattern my body feels rested, my mind is more alert, and the creative juices flow as I engage in the sermon preparation process. Don’t underestimate the value of sleep for creative sermon development and energetic sermon delivery. The Saturday night nerves make falling asleep a challenge for some preachers. If you hop in bed at 9:00 and don’t fall asleep until 11:00 because of nerves, at least your body will be rested and ready to stand up tall as you proclaim Christ the next morning.
During one of the busiest and most challenging years of my ministry I gained nearly 20 pounds! I was trying to lead a struggling, but potential-laden church in making a turnaround toward vital mission in the community. Of course, as is almost always the case with change, conflict ensued and meetings increased. Progress was an uphill climb and I was exhausted. I was, frankly, struggling with depression. One of the first things that fell by the neglected wayside was my exercise routine. I replaced exercise with frequent “pizza and a movie” nights. The weight piled on and my energy level diminished, which only compounded my discouragement. One of the ways to combat weight gain, limited energy, and deep depression is to schedule and commit to an exercise plan. Engaging in exercises like jogging, weight training, racquetball, tennis, or swimming, to name a few possibilities, for 30-60 minutes three times per week is an effective remedy for depressed, exhausted, and out-of-shape preachers. You could multi-task and add devotional time to your exercise by, for example, listening to sermons or worship music as you run outside or on the treadmill. You can breathe prayers to God and memorize Scripture as you swim laps.
1. Which component of the S.H.E.D. plan have you most frequently neglected? What biblical and theological insights can reinforce the importance of S.H.E.D.-ding?
2. Develop a S.H.E.D. plan. Maybe you can try an experiment in which you sleep from 9:30pm-6:00am for seven straight days and observe the difference in your energy and creativity levels. Schedule time to enjoy a hobby for a few hours at least every two weeks. Detail an exercise plan that will guide you three times per week for 30-60 minutes each time. Decide on a devotional plan to feed your soul daily for at least 30 minutes each day. Go ahead and schedule this S.H.E.D. plan in your calendar. You, your family, and your congregation will be so glad you did!
SLEEP
The hours of sleep one enjoys before midnight are the most refreshing. Early in my ministry, I was a night owl. But that pattern took its toll on my body. As my responsibility increased, the earlier I had to rise in the morning just to keep up with my increasing responsibilities. No more sleeping in until 7:00 or 8:00. For a while, I was burning the candle at both ends by rising between 5:30 and 6:00, and going to sleep between 11:00 and midnight. Eventually, I made an attempt to be in bed between 9:00 and 10:00 so that I could get a good night’s sleep before waking up around 6:00. When I maintain this sleep pattern my body feels rested, my mind is more alert, and the creative juices flow as I engage in the sermon preparation process. Don’t underestimate the value of sleep for creative sermon development and energetic sermon delivery. The Saturday night nerves make falling asleep a challenge for some preachers. If you hop in bed at 9:00 and don’t fall asleep until 11:00 because of nerves, at least your body will be rested and ready to stand up tall as you proclaim Christ the next morning.
HOBBIES
Some
pastors, almost as a badge of honor, refuse to have a hobby. They’re too busy
building the church and saving the world to have a hobby. Perhaps I’m less
spiritual, but I enjoy a hobby or two as a release-valve to free my mind at
times from the pressures of life and ministry. I recognize that hobbies can
become a cover for laziness in ministry. Hobbies can also turn into idols that
we run to for escape and peace when God is the dispenser of those treasures. A
hobby is healthy when it is neither an idol nor a cover.
One
of my favorite hobbies is fly-fishing. When ministry pressures are building or
the church is in a busy season like Advent or Lent, I find that a couple of
hours standing in the stream casting flies to trout refreshes me, even if I
don’t catch any fish! Golfing with a few buddies can also rejuvenate my soul,
despite the frustration of trying to hit that tiny white ball in that slightly
larger hole. Golf, I have discovered, only refreshes me when I don’t care how
poorly I play. When I start to care about my game too much, golf quickly leads
to the stress which defeats the purpose of the hobby. The goal is to find a
hobby that refreshes you. It should be something that is relatively stress-free
and allows you to forget, at least for a few hours, the struggles and strains
of life and ministry.
EXERCISE
During one of the busiest and most challenging years of my ministry I gained nearly 20 pounds! I was trying to lead a struggling, but potential-laden church in making a turnaround toward vital mission in the community. Of course, as is almost always the case with change, conflict ensued and meetings increased. Progress was an uphill climb and I was exhausted. I was, frankly, struggling with depression. One of the first things that fell by the neglected wayside was my exercise routine. I replaced exercise with frequent “pizza and a movie” nights. The weight piled on and my energy level diminished, which only compounded my discouragement. One of the ways to combat weight gain, limited energy, and deep depression is to schedule and commit to an exercise plan. Engaging in exercises like jogging, weight training, racquetball, tennis, or swimming, to name a few possibilities, for 30-60 minutes three times per week is an effective remedy for depressed, exhausted, and out-of-shape preachers. You could multi-task and add devotional time to your exercise by, for example, listening to sermons or worship music as you run outside or on the treadmill. You can breathe prayers to God and memorize Scripture as you swim laps.
DEVOTIONS
Not only is the preacher tempted
to let her body go when ministry gets busy and life becomes stressful,
preachers are all too willing to forego the feeding of their own soul in order
to focus exclusively on feeding the souls of others. The primary problem with
this pattern is that preachers who neglect their own soul will find they have
little energy, creativity, and passion to address the soul-needs of others. In
Mark 3:14 we read that Jesus “appointed twelve--
designating them apostles--that they might be with him and that he might send
them out to preach.”
This is a clear reminder that the first calling of the preacher is to “be with
[Jesus]” and the second is “to preach.” I’m convinced that the best preachers
are those who have honed the habit of simply being with and enjoying Jesus. Can
you commit to spending at least 30 minutes each day intentionally and
intimately being with Jesus? What spiritual disciplines, books, and other
resources will most cultivate the soil of your soul for the rain (and reign) of
Christ? If you are a person who likes variety, incorporate a variety of tools
to help you connect with Christ. If, on the other hand, you like routine, then
select a devotional tool that you enjoy daily.
CONCLUSION
Preachers
are human, perhaps even more human than most people because our vocation
requires that we dive redemptively deep into the pain, angst, and junk, the
hopes, dreams, and potential of humanity. If we refuse to S.H.E.D., our mind,
body, and soul will suffer. When the mind, body, and soul of the preacher
suffer, the preacher’s ministry to the congregation will eventually suffer too.
So, take care of yourself and you will be doing your congregation a huge favor.
EXERCISES
1. Which component of the S.H.E.D. plan have you most frequently neglected? What biblical and theological insights can reinforce the importance of S.H.E.D.-ding?
2. Develop a S.H.E.D. plan. Maybe you can try an experiment in which you sleep from 9:30pm-6:00am for seven straight days and observe the difference in your energy and creativity levels. Schedule time to enjoy a hobby for a few hours at least every two weeks. Detail an exercise plan that will guide you three times per week for 30-60 minutes each time. Decide on a devotional plan to feed your soul daily for at least 30 minutes each day. Go ahead and schedule this S.H.E.D. plan in your calendar. You, your family, and your congregation will be so glad you did!
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