1.0Church Answershttps://churchanswers.com3 Necessary Self-Cares to Survive the Pastorate | Church Answersrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="nC9muPiOIW"><a href="https://churchanswers.com/blog/3-necessary-self-cares-to-survive-the-pastorate/">3 Necessary Self-Cares to Survive the Pastorate</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://churchanswers.com/blog/3-necessary-self-cares-to-survive-the-pastorate/embed/#?secret=nC9muPiOIW" width="600" height="338" title="“3 Necessary Self-Cares to Survive the Pastorate” — Church Answers" data-secret="nC9muPiOIW" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">
/* <![CDATA[ */
/*! This file is auto-generated */
!function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document);
//# sourceURL=https://churchanswers.com/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js
/* ]]> */
</script>
https://churchanswers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Two-Men-Having-A-Conversation-At-Breakfast.png1200628Pastoral survival can be a grim topic. Pastors deal with depression (18% of them, per Lifeway Research), loneliness (65% of all pastors in 2023), trauma, unrealistic expectations on pastoral families, and more. The life of a hireling is easier than the life of a shepherd. Caring for sheep (and not a few goats) is a life-giving endeavor. By that I mean shepherds give their lives for the sheep, just as Jesus did. Pastors grow mentally weary from sermon preparation; grow emotionally weary from bearing the burdens of the flock and their family; and physically weary from burning the candle at both ends—and often the middle as well. Even when successfully maintaining time alone with God, an active prayer life, and full trust in his plan, the struggle to maintain self-care is real. I’ve never heard of pastors who intentionally wear themselves down to nothing; it just happens. Here are three ways you can actively participate in your own survival.