There I was in my late twenties—single, juggling a ministry career, personal training, and a master’s degree in Christian leadership. Despite good exercise and eating habits, I battled high blood pressure, acid reflux, tension headaches, hair loss, insomnia, and occasional stress hives. I didn’t realize it then, but my mind was consumed with stress, and my body was screaming for my attention. The rigors of ministry, school, and a part-time job meant a non-existent work/life balance. That—plus a tendency toward over-responsibility and never saying no—left me chronically stressed and running on fumes for years. Looking back, I was in the middle of ministry burnout but had no idea.
I didn’t have anyone speaking into my hectic life and helping me establish boundaries or care for myself while I cared for others. But the truth is, even if someone had attempted to help me, I’m not sure I would have listened. I was working for the Lord, so of course I could take on one more thing. After all, as a servant-minded Christian wanting to fully devote her life to the Lord, that’s what you’re supposed to do. Right?
Perhaps you identify with my story or know someone else who might. To help others avoid ministry burnout, I’ll define it, explain why it happens, share signs to look for, and provide the path forward to holistically care for yourself.
What is ministry burnout?
Burnout involves ongoing stress coupled with a waning capacity to handle it. Anyone in any vocation could experience it. As I explain in Embodied Holiness: The Biblical Call to Bodily Care, “ministry burnout arises when our physical and spiritual well-being are finally so overwhelmed that we are unable to snap out of it and do the next thing.”1
In a secular job, burnout factors could be a demanding schedule, challenging coworkers, a long commute, unrealistic expectations, and a difficult boss. Combine these with additional spiritual stressors in ministry, like working over forty hours a week, spiritual concerns for others, tough counseling situations, battling disunity, insufficient volunteers or funds, and so forth, and you’ve got the breeding grounds for ministry burnout. Even the apostle Paul admitted that he carried a daily pressure and anxiety for those he led (2 Cor. 11:28). Burnout in a secular career is one thing, but ministry burnout hits on another level. One that isn’t sustainable, and if ignored, will impact your health and possibly sideline your calling.
Why does ministry burnout happen?
I could give numerous answers here. Everyone has their own reasons why burnout happens related to their personality, context, and background. The point is discerning your own reasons and doing something about it.
The following reasons for ministry burnout reflect my struggles:
- I battled a false guilt of letting people down and the fear of man for worrying what others would say if I expressed having too much on my plate.
- I stuffed emotional distress and pretended it didn’t exist.
- I lacked boundaries and accountability.
- I neglected my physical health because I worked out too much and failed to take time to rest.
Perhaps, the most pernicious and frequent cause of ministry burnout is an elevated view of self that disregards one’s own finitude.
Whatever the reason, the sooner you get to the bottom of the heart issues that lead to burnout, the better. Ask a spouse, friend, coworker, family member, or anyone who will give you the hard, honest answers—if you’re ready to listen.
What are the signs of ministry burnout?
Signs of burnout are plentiful and can manifest cognitively, emotionally, mentally, and physically because we’re embodied beings with a psychosomatic (mind/body) connection. Indicators of burnout could be:
- Emotional outbursts
- Agitation and frustration
- Inability to relax
- Nervous or avoidance behaviors
- Racing thoughts
- Trouble focusing
- Headaches
- Stomach issues
- Insomnia
- Clenching/grinding teeth
- Hair loss
As if that’s not bad enough, long-term effects of burnout can lead to high blood pressure, eating disorders, addictions, shingles, GI issues, depression, anxiety, high cholesterol, ulcers, stroke, and even heart disease.
Self-assessment questions
First, soberly ask yourself: If nothing in my life were to change, where will my health be in ten years? Your honest answer may just be the wakeup call you need that will clarify the following questions.2
- Am I on the cusp of chronic disease? Or if I have one, am I managing it?
- Do I move my body on a regular basis or spend too much time exercising?
- Do I turn to food for stress relief or to manage my emotions?
- Are my calories from real or proceeded foods?
- Am I drinking sufficient water, or do I drink mostly suguar?
- Do I take time to enjoy nature, music, art, or other restful activities?
- Am I cultivating relationships outside of ministry life?
- What sources of stress can I minimize?
- Do I notice myself holding my breath, clenching my teeth, furrowing my brow, or tensing another part of my body to deal with stress?
Body stewardship: the Path Forward
The path forward first relies on holding a biblical view of the body—one that understands your body matters. God intentionally designed your body for specific purposes (Gen. 1:26-28; Ps. 139:13-16. He cares about how you treat it (Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 10:31). Thus, when convinced of your body’s value, you will take care of it. The goal is not prioritizing physicality over spirituality. The goal is soberly recognizing your body’s role in fueling service to God and others.
This is where body stewardship comes in. It means “accepting responsibility for your body by appropriately caring for its needs.” It flows from the command to glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:20).3 Responsibly stewarding the body entails recognizing the ways God designed the body to function in four primary areas: rest, stress management, nutrition, and exercise.
- God designed your body with certain limitations; thus, you get rest and seek to manage stress.
- God designed your body to need various nutrients; thus, you eat carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water.
- God designed your body to improve with exercise; thus, you engage in cardiovascular work, strength training, and flexibility movements.
Amidst years of seminary and ministry work, it’s taken me years to discover what it means to honor God in my body. Though I’m still in progress, I take the lessons I had to learn from hindsight and use them to educate other Christians now. Nearly fifteen years later, I strive to equip others with a biblical view of the body that impacts the way you live at yourbodymatters.org. It’s my life’s calling and the reason I wrote Embodied Holiness: The Biblical Call to Bodily Care. For much more on holistically caring for yourself to avoid burnout, I hope you’ll check it out.
Works Cited
1. Lainey Greer, Embodied Holiness (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2025), 226.
2. Many of these questions come from Embodied Holiness, 243–246.
3. Ibid., 16. The full rationale behind each aspect of body stewardship is further detailed in my book.
About Lainey Greer
Lainey Greer (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the founder of Soma Consulting and leads Your Body Matters, a ministry that equips others to steward their body for the glory of God.
