Practicing What You Preach: Prioritizing Mental Health | S04.E04

On this week’s episode of The Intentional Churches podcast, we’re continuing to talk about how we prepare well for that next big “push” in ministry—specifically how to prioritize our own mental, spiritual, and emotional health as leaders. Licensed professional counselor and Gallup Strengths Coach, Stefanie Rowe, joins Erin and Doug, outlining the crisis many pastors and church leaders are facing when it comes to the state of their mental health.

Throughout their conversation, Stefanie shares stats that might surprise you, including: 1 in 5 pastors are struggling with addiction, 50% struggle with depression, 1 in 3 with burnout, and 60% feel lonely. Additionally, only 1 out of 6 pastors are getting the help they need. So, what can those of us in ministry do to make sure we’re prioritizing our own mental health? Stefanie draws on her years of experience and background as a teaching pastor to outline some best practices for pastors (or anyone!) struggling. Erin and Doug add their own insights, talking about taking intentional time off during slower seasons of ministry, putting relationships first, refusing to neglect your own time with God, and being off social media.

Whatever season of life or ministry you find yourself in, this conversation is full of practical tips to help us all practice what we preach and work to prioritize our own mental health!

Learn more about Stefanie and her work on her website:
https://www.stefanierowe.com/

Two helpful resources Stefanie recommends for pastors and church leaders struggling in any of the areas mentioned in this episode include

The State of Pastors volumes 1 and 2:
https://shop.barna.com/products/the-state-of-pastors-vol-2

The Resilient Pastor:
https://a.co/d/08YrszjG

Intentional Churches:
Website: https://intentionalchurches.com           
The Book: https://a.co/d/hFlz17C         
The Blog: https://intentionalchurches.com/blog/   
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@IntentionalChurches         
Facebook: https://facebook.com/intentionalchurches         
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intentional-churches/mycompany/         
Instagram: https://instagram.com/IntentionalChurches         
X/Twitter: https://x.com/intentchurches       

Chapters:
00:00 | Introduction and Overview
03:10 | The State of Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health of Church Leaders
12:22 | Prioritizing Self-Care: Practicing What You Preach
22:46 | Taking Breaks from Social Media: Reducing Stress and Improving Well-Being
25:31 | Taking Inventory: Reflecting on What Went Well and What Didn't
26:59 | Setting Boundaries: Prioritizing Self-Care for Long-Term Health