You are navigating one of the most complex ministry landscapes in recent memory. Cultural polarization, digital overload, financial pressures, and shifting expectations from congregations create a constant weight. On top of these external realities, chances are you are also battling internal struggles; feelings of exhaustion, inadequacy, and isolation. The combination of external demands and internal depletion is leaving you more vulnerable than ever. It is vital that you guard your leadership.
This is not just theory. Barna reported that in 2024 38% of pastors have seriously considered quitting ministry in the past year. Perhaps most alarming of all, only 35% rated themselves as spiritually, emotionally, and vocationally healthy. Decades ago, Bobby Clinton pointed out that only one-third of leaders finished well. It is a tragedy that statistic hasn’t changed for the better.
The Cost of Unguarded Leadership
The reality is clear: leaders are at risk. You are at risk. And when leaders fail to guard their leadership, the consequences ripple out in three profound ways.
Personally
Pastors often bottle up stress to appear strong for those they lead. But suppressing pain doesn’t make it disappear. The inner life begins to fray long before anyone else notices. The key is to address the stressors before they snowball from sleepless nights, strained family relationships, emotional numbness, or unhealthy coping patterns.
Organizationally
Hidden strain seeps into ministry systems. Leaders who avoid sharing their load may delay hard conversations, avoid conflict, or make short-term decisions just to keep things afloat. Staff feel the lack of clarity, congregants sense the distance, and over time the ministry loses both cohesion and momentum.
Missionally
When leaders break down, the gospel witness is clouded. The community you are trying to reach don’t just see a tired pastor, they see a faith that looks unsustainable. The credibility of the message is undermined when the messenger’s life appears depleted, causing those far from faith to wonder if the good news is truly good.
5 Habits to Guard your Leadership
1. Cultivate Rhythms of Rest and Renewal
Leadership is demanding, and without intentional rest, exhaustion is inevitable. Regular Sabbath practices, prayer retreats, and even short daily pauses help leaders slow down long enough to hear God’s voice. Renewal is not a luxury. Renewal is the fuel for sustainable ministry. Leaders who prioritize rest create the capacity to serve with joy instead of from a place of depletion.
2. Stay Anchored in Spiritual Practices
Prayer, Scripture, worship, and silence are not boxes to check. They are lifelines. Leaders who neglect these practices often drift into a performance-driven ministry, measuring worth by output instead of intimacy with God. Consistent spiritual practices help leaders remain grounded in the One who called them in the first place.
3. Build a Trusted Support System
Isolation is one of the greatest dangers in leadership. Every pastor needs a circle of trust. Peers, a mentor, or a coach who can provide honest feedback, encouragement, and accountability. This is not weakness; it’s wisdom. Leaders who invite others into their journey create a safety net that can prevent moral or emotional collapse.
4. Strengthen Emotional and Physical Health
Ministry demands not just spiritual strength but also emotional resilience and physical energy. Leaders who neglect their health, ignoring stress, skimping on sleep, or overindulging unhealthy coping mechanisms, soon find themselves depleted. Exercise, counseling, healthy eating, and adequate rest are acts of stewardship, not selfishness. A healthy leader has more to give.
5. Align Leadership with Calling and Values
When leaders drift from their true calling or operate out of obligation rather than conviction, burnout accelerates. Staying clear about your unique calling, values, and boundaries helps you say yes and no with integrity. A leader aligned with God’s call is more resilient, more effective, and more likely to finish well.
Finishing Well Is Possible
None of this is new to you. You know the feeling, the consequences, and the habits that will guard your leadership. If you are still reading it is likely because you feel seen, maybe even exposed, in this moment. You may not be in jeopardy right now but changes need to be made to guard your leadership.
Seize the day.
Whether it is a trusted friend or peer, a counselor, a doctor, a mentor, or a coach… make the call. Get an appointment on the calendar.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
—John 10:10
Photo by Mike Bird