Louis M. McBurney, M.D., Every Pastor Needs a Pastor. Self-Control Systems, 1978.
Referenced in: Ministry Burnout, Preventing and Overcoming
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This text is over 30 years old, and the ministerial role has changed over that time. But the conditions of the ministerial role and the spiritual and psychological dynamics of ministers described herein remain constant enough that this book is still quite valuable for ministers experiencing burnout and others who try to help. McBurney is a psychiatrist who examines the pressures and problems experienced by ministers.
In Part 1, he helps ministers clarify their sense of call, to whom and by whom. In Part 2, he discusses several common pressures such as expectation of constant availability, unrealistic expectations as to competence and ability (sometimes self-imposed), the illusion of sinlessness and emotional self-sufficiency, the renunciation of material needs, and ambiguity as to standards of effectiveness. Part 3 looks at the common emotional difficulties due to isolation and loneliness, unexpressed hostility, feelings of failure and inadequacy, job insecurity, and role confusion. Part 4 examines the obstacles that make it difficult for ministers to seek help. The first is the pedastal, both in terms of why churches put ministers there and why some ministers actually grow to like it. Leaders on pedastals receive lavish praise and are afforded a kind of distance which may become an “opiate” to cover pain and frustration. Other obstacles are the personality barriers such as a denial of dependency, doubts about one’s masculinity, and rigid moralistic tendencies. Parts 5 suggests ways of dealing with these obstacles. Parts 6 and 7 address the unique struggles of the minister’s wife and children.
This book would be a quick and worthy read to add to the more current resources on burnout, providing a few timeless insights not found elsewhere.
About the Author
Dr. Louis McBurney and his wife are authors of the Real Sex column in Marriage Partnership magazine, and experienced marriage and sex therapists. Louis is founder and medical director of Marble Retreat, a retreat center for counseling couples, where he and his wife Melissa have helped more than 3,000 clergy couples since 1974.
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