Looking after Yourself Workshop Lt Colonel (Dr) Eirwen Pallant Deputy Director International Social Justice Commission

The Salvationist meaning of healthy is the wellbeing of an integrated entity consisting of body, mind & soul. Catherine Booth considered Salvation as ‘It is not a scheme of Salvation merely- it is a scheme of restoration. He proposes to restore me-brain, heart, soul, spirit, body, every fibre of my nature to restore me perfectly, to conform me wholly to the image of his son.’

What is your understanding of God How do it affect who you are and what you do?

Stress Factors  Rejection Ways to Cope  Recognising that it is not personal  Appreciating that we are not alone in our experience  Relying on God and requesting His grace

Other Universal Stress Factors  Too much work  Too little work  Lack of work satisfaction  Lack of clarity of roles  Clash of cultures and expectations  Perceived lack of appreciation  Change  Guilt  etc

Personality influences how we experience stress and the factors that are likely to cause us stress. There are no good or bad personality types just advantages and disadvantages for all types Working in teams means accommodating and appreciating each person in the team with different personalities as well as different skills

 How do we understand what is a team?  How should we operate in the light of our theology?

Why look after our bodies?  A healthy body makes us feel good  We only have one body and we cannot replace it  Our bodies are the temple of God.  A healthy body allows us to be effective in mission

How to look after our bodies Maintenance  Diet  Exercise  Rest  Regular status checks And when it breaks down  Seek the advice of the expert and then implement it

From a pastor 34 years in ministry ‘At my present age I am now being forced to change my patterns… and I can no longer cheat’ (the main reason I have lasted this long without regular time off are because I keep a strict diet, I exercise regularly and spend time seeking God every morning.) Joseph Mattera writing in Ministry Today

Signs of Burnout  Loss of focus and clarity of thought  Loss of passion for ministry  You become a maintainer rather than a leader  You have a continual sense of hopelessness  You isolate yourself from others  You avoid new challenges  You don’t want to problem solve  You dream more of retirement than accepting a challenge  You lack patience with anything mundane  Ministry as work rather than a calling

Burnout Recovery Tips  Take the day of rest  Spend time enjoying the Lord on a daily basis  Prioritise the things that energise you  Revisit your original calling and vision  Stay accountable to others within a leadership community

Review Questions Discussion