A few years ago, I participated in a two-year program called CREDO for new pastors in the Presbyterian Church (USA). In the first part of the program, about 37 fellow ministers and I stayed for a week at a beautiful retreat center near Louisville, surrounded by the rolling hills of southeastern Indiana. I am a nature-lover, so the opportunity to hike the trails and sit by the lake for an hour or so each day really refreshed my spirit. I’m grateful that I had the chance to take part in this.
The theme of CREDO is the importance of staying healthy in ministry. Over the course of the program, we heard from financial professionals, therapists, dietitians, and leadership experts about the significance of taking care of ourselves as we care for others. In the end, we developed a “rule of life” that will help us to maintain our commitment to spiritual, emotional, and physical health. I still refer to my “rule” when I feel the need for reorientation.
As I’ve reflected on my experience with CREDO (and my struggles to remain healthy as a minister), I’ve recognized that spiritual health is truly a lifelong process. It’s a journey not only for pastors, but everyone who follows Christ. We are all called to be ministers (1 Peter 2:9), and we need to be constantly building our capacity for serving others. A huge part of this is caring for our own needs as we minister to the needs of others. As the summer approaches, I encourage you to pick one thing you can do to better care for yourself. And if you’re interested in developing a “rule of life,” I’d be glad to work with you! Let’s encourage one another to care for ourselves as we care for others!
Grace and peace,
Beau