Clergy Burnout a Growing Concern

Even when they are not working, they are thinking about it and most of the time, even dreaming about it. It's like being a parent. You can't take a day off from that no matter how old your kids get and they can't stop caring about their "flock" no matter how tired get.

I'm glad someone wrote about this finally.

No Rest For the Holy: Clergy Burnout a Growing Concern

David Gibson
Religion Reporter

God may have rested on the seventh day, but for a growing number of his ministers, there is more work -- and stress -- than ever, and less chance to unwind. That has led to all sorts of health problems among clergy, from a lack of exercise and a rise in obesity to problems of depression and substance abuse and all the many ills of modern life that pastors spend so much time helping their congregants tackle.

Indeed, even as the folks in the pews head off to vacations this summer, priests, rabbis, pastors and ministers of all faiths often find themselves looking after those left behind and still in need of spiritual support, or using any down time to catch up on the inevitable backlog of administrative work that always takes second place to the care of souls.

"It's a huge problem," said Rich Teeters, a veteran pastor and speaker who currently serves as at Renaissance Church, a non-denominational congregation in Summit, N.J. "People's deaths and serious illnesses and troubles and marital problems -- they don't take vacations."
read more here
Clergy Burnout a Growing Concern