1 00:00:00,356 --> 00:00:03,139 Have you ever struggled with being burned out as a pastor? 2 00:00:03,139 --> 00:00:05,211 If so, why? And what helped you 3 00:00:05,211 --> 00:00:07,142 to get out of that season? 4 00:00:07,142 --> 00:00:09,784 Kevin: Yeah, I've certainly been burned out 5 00:00:09,784 --> 00:00:12,599 as a pastor in the past. 6 00:00:12,599 --> 00:00:13,883 And the cause of it 7 00:00:13,883 --> 00:00:15,857 and the remedy if you like 8 00:00:15,857 --> 00:00:20,433 was not trying to be someone else; 9 00:00:20,433 --> 00:00:22,734 realizing my limitations. 10 00:00:22,734 --> 00:00:24,363 It's very easy because early on, 11 00:00:24,363 --> 00:00:28,541 I'd read about other Christians, 12 00:00:28,541 --> 00:00:30,948 and especially listen to sermons 13 00:00:30,948 --> 00:00:33,043 saying you must do this as a pastor. 14 00:00:33,043 --> 00:00:35,295 So I'd be up at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. 15 00:00:35,295 --> 00:00:36,982 reading and praying. 16 00:00:36,982 --> 00:00:39,273 And I'd be a total zombie. 17 00:00:39,273 --> 00:00:40,571 I just can't do that. 18 00:00:40,571 --> 00:00:41,692 Now, other people can. 19 00:00:41,692 --> 00:00:43,078 If someone can, that's great. 20 00:00:43,078 --> 00:00:44,546 I'm not saying to someone else 21 00:00:44,546 --> 00:00:46,525 don't to that if it works for them. 22 00:00:46,525 --> 00:00:50,616 But for me, my mind doesn't work at that time. 23 00:00:50,616 --> 00:00:54,548 I find it better to be later in the day; 24 00:00:54,548 --> 00:00:56,071 well, not later in the day, 25 00:00:56,071 --> 00:00:58,340 but when I'm up and around, if you like, 26 00:00:58,340 --> 00:00:59,255 and ready. 27 00:00:59,255 --> 00:01:01,723 I mean I read Scripture a lot and think about it. 28 00:01:01,723 --> 00:01:06,935 But yeah, it would just wipe me out. 29 00:01:06,935 --> 00:01:09,099 And I'd read also, 30 00:01:09,099 --> 00:01:11,325 you have people like Spurgeon. 31 00:01:11,325 --> 00:01:14,249 I once heard he could preach 12 sermons 32 00:01:14,249 --> 00:01:15,773 a week or something like that. 33 00:01:15,773 --> 00:01:18,676 Again, it's realizing, I can't do that. 34 00:01:18,676 --> 00:01:23,017 At the moment, I'm doing two fresh sermons a week. 35 00:01:23,017 --> 00:01:25,017 A Wednesday service we have 36 00:01:25,017 --> 00:01:26,262 and a Sunday. 37 00:01:26,262 --> 00:01:30,303 I can preach more when I'm repeating things 38 00:01:30,303 --> 00:01:31,612 I've taught in the past. 39 00:01:31,612 --> 00:01:32,743 That's easy enough. 40 00:01:32,743 --> 00:01:35,542 But as far as coming up with fresh sermons 41 00:01:35,542 --> 00:01:36,732 and properly studying, 42 00:01:36,732 --> 00:01:38,789 it used to be three. 43 00:01:38,789 --> 00:01:40,969 But there's always a compromise there. 44 00:01:40,969 --> 00:01:43,223 I used to go and do street evangelism 45 00:01:43,223 --> 00:01:45,205 on a Saturday before finishing 46 00:01:45,205 --> 00:01:48,290 preparing Saturday evening 47 00:01:48,290 --> 00:01:52,195 for the next morning. 48 00:01:52,195 --> 00:01:54,815 I would be mentally wiped out 49 00:01:54,815 --> 00:01:56,951 after the street evangelism. 50 00:01:56,951 --> 00:01:58,747 So there's a compromise there. 51 00:01:58,747 --> 00:02:01,561 It's not wearing Saul's armor; 52 00:02:01,561 --> 00:02:05,036 realizing what you can and can't do. 53 00:02:05,036 --> 00:02:09,497 People demanding your time all the time. 54 00:02:09,497 --> 00:02:13,013 Of course, you want to be helping and so forth. 55 00:02:13,013 --> 00:02:18,158 But it's prioritizing things. 56 00:02:18,158 --> 00:02:22,456 Learning to say no sometimes. 57 00:02:22,456 --> 00:02:26,444 Because otherwise you can just get wiped out there. 58 00:02:26,444 --> 00:02:28,242 And you've got to learn as well 59 00:02:28,242 --> 00:02:31,856 the things you can't change or deal with, 60 00:02:31,856 --> 00:02:33,524 to just trust the Lord with them. 61 00:02:33,524 --> 00:02:36,238 Pray for those problems and things like that; 62 00:02:36,238 --> 00:02:40,922 things from the outside. 63 00:02:40,922 --> 00:02:43,145 When I go to sleep at night, 64 00:02:43,145 --> 00:02:46,616 the world still revolves perfectly well. 65 00:02:46,616 --> 00:02:50,786 So, God can handle that on His own. 66 00:02:50,786 --> 00:02:55,436 So, yeah, and you know even things 67 00:02:55,436 --> 00:02:57,228 that have helped me: 68 00:02:57,228 --> 00:02:59,193 making sure I'm eating right. 69 00:02:59,193 --> 00:03:03,940 Not being obsessed with health, 70 00:03:03,940 --> 00:03:09,237 but someone can just eat really bad 71 00:03:09,237 --> 00:03:13,385 and it can affect how tired they are. 72 00:03:13,385 --> 00:03:17,327 Getting some exercise really helped me. 73 00:03:17,327 --> 00:03:20,305 It might only be 20 minutes one day 74 00:03:20,305 --> 00:03:22,119 or 30 minutes or sometimes I might 75 00:03:22,119 --> 00:03:24,333 get a good bike ride of a couple hours, 76 00:03:24,333 --> 00:03:30,673 but that's kind of rare (the latter). 77 00:03:30,673 --> 00:03:33,574 Making sure I get enough sleep. 78 00:03:33,574 --> 00:03:37,255 Again, I would starve myself of sleep at one point. 79 00:03:37,255 --> 00:03:39,812 There are people who can do that, 80 00:03:39,812 --> 00:03:41,443 but I can't. 81 00:03:41,443 --> 00:03:44,007 I need an 8 hours. 82 00:03:44,007 --> 00:03:46,725 Saturday morning to Sunday it might be 83 00:03:46,725 --> 00:03:48,645 4 hours or 6 hours, 84 00:03:48,645 --> 00:03:52,127 but I have to have a catch-up. 85 00:03:52,127 --> 00:03:54,250 Because I used to think it was more holy 86 00:03:54,250 --> 00:03:55,380 the less sleep you had, 87 00:03:55,380 --> 00:03:56,725 and things like that. 88 00:03:56,725 --> 00:03:57,953 Which was a big mistake, 89 00:03:57,953 --> 00:04:01,099 but I remember listening to John Piper, 90 00:04:01,099 --> 00:04:04,063 who once said a woman was saying, 91 00:04:04,063 --> 00:04:08,064 I've cut down my sleep 92 00:04:08,064 --> 00:04:09,660 and I'm always tired. 93 00:04:09,660 --> 00:04:12,223 I'm just always exhausted. 94 00:04:12,223 --> 00:04:14,305 What's God trying to tell me though this? 95 00:04:14,305 --> 00:04:17,276 And John Piper said, "Go to bed." 96 00:04:17,276 --> 00:04:20,278 You know, it can be obvious sometimes. 97 00:04:20,278 --> 00:04:23,217 Again, we've got to realize 98 00:04:23,217 --> 00:04:26,612 we're not someone else. 99 00:04:26,612 --> 00:04:30,120 But of course, the other things 100 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,689 that are essential is to always be 101 00:04:32,689 --> 00:04:36,160 in the Word and prayer, 102 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:37,921 which is very difficult not to be 103 00:04:37,921 --> 00:04:39,968 if you're a pastor anyway. 104 00:04:39,968 --> 00:04:44,936 But the other thing I would have - 105 00:04:44,936 --> 00:04:46,913 a mistake if you like - 106 00:04:46,913 --> 00:04:51,278 one time, I would be preparing the sermons 107 00:04:51,278 --> 00:04:53,423 going through various books, 108 00:04:53,423 --> 00:04:58,494 and also I'd be doing personal reading as well 109 00:04:58,494 --> 00:05:01,792 which again, everyone's different. 110 00:05:01,792 --> 00:05:05,111 But I was told never just read 111 00:05:05,111 --> 00:05:06,851 what's in your sermons, 112 00:05:06,851 --> 00:05:09,460 as in your preparation for your reading, 113 00:05:09,460 --> 00:05:12,634 because - I can't remember how it was phrased, 114 00:05:12,634 --> 00:05:16,674 but after awhile I began to see 115 00:05:16,674 --> 00:05:19,428 it's not right because - 116 00:05:19,428 --> 00:05:22,319 the point is, you need to be feeding; 117 00:05:22,319 --> 00:05:24,018 you need to be fed yourself. 118 00:05:24,018 --> 00:05:27,389 But then I realized that's not right, 119 00:05:27,389 --> 00:05:29,879 because the idea was, for instance, 120 00:05:29,879 --> 00:05:31,575 at the moment we're going through 121 00:05:31,575 --> 00:05:32,866 Matthew's Gospel 122 00:05:32,866 --> 00:05:34,899 and we're going through Exodus. 123 00:05:34,899 --> 00:05:36,861 Okay, so, the idea of that statement 124 00:05:36,861 --> 00:05:38,909 is don't just use my preparation 125 00:05:38,909 --> 00:05:40,934 in Exodus and Matthew, 126 00:05:40,934 --> 00:05:43,337 because I need feeding myself. 127 00:05:43,337 --> 00:05:45,507 But the problem with that statement is 128 00:05:45,507 --> 00:05:47,088 I should be feeding myself 129 00:05:47,088 --> 00:05:50,385 through Matthew and Exodus. 130 00:05:50,385 --> 00:05:52,195 Otherwise, I shouldn't be teaching it 131 00:05:52,195 --> 00:05:54,211 to anyone else. 132 00:05:54,211 --> 00:05:56,012 Often, this is what it is. 133 00:05:56,012 --> 00:05:58,583 As I'm preparing, and of course, 134 00:05:58,583 --> 00:05:59,845 I'm doing this all week, 135 00:05:59,845 --> 00:06:01,582 I'm thinking about the Scriptures 136 00:06:01,582 --> 00:06:03,505 and I'm thinking this is so helpful. 137 00:06:03,505 --> 00:06:05,444 I can't wait to share 138 00:06:05,444 --> 00:06:06,394 with the brethren. 139 00:06:06,394 --> 00:06:07,701 I can't wait because I know 140 00:06:07,701 --> 00:06:09,580 it's going to help them the same. 141 00:06:09,580 --> 00:06:11,319 That's how it should be. 142 00:06:11,319 --> 00:06:13,399 But my point here is 143 00:06:13,399 --> 00:06:15,887 I was picking up other stuff as well, 144 00:06:15,887 --> 00:06:20,076 and I can only take so much. 145 00:06:20,076 --> 00:06:23,106 And that's the way, I think I heard MacArthur - 146 00:06:23,106 --> 00:06:25,328 that's the way he reads the Bible, 147 00:06:25,328 --> 00:06:27,926 mastering one book at a time. 148 00:06:27,926 --> 00:06:30,390 Well, I'm trying to do it with two at a time, 149 00:06:30,390 --> 00:06:33,762 but that's the way that works for me 150 00:06:33,762 --> 00:06:38,374 at the moment. 151 00:06:38,374 --> 00:06:39,999 So the big thing was 152 00:06:39,999 --> 00:06:42,358 we should imitate other men, 153 00:06:42,358 --> 00:06:44,646 but you got too much in bondage to that? 154 00:06:44,646 --> 00:06:46,461 And that was what was burning you out, 155 00:06:46,461 --> 00:06:47,599 wearing Saul's armor; 156 00:06:47,599 --> 00:06:50,470 having expectations that just weren't really 157 00:06:50,470 --> 00:06:52,738 the Lord's will for you personally? 158 00:06:52,738 --> 00:06:54,769 Kevin: Yeah, as I said, the things 159 00:06:54,769 --> 00:06:56,192 that didn't work for me, 160 00:06:56,192 --> 00:06:57,950 I don't want anyone to listen to this 161 00:06:57,950 --> 00:06:59,978 and think well, I shouldn't do that then. 162 00:06:59,978 --> 00:07:01,063 It may work for them. 163 00:07:01,063 --> 00:07:03,453 And if it works for them - great. 164 00:07:03,453 --> 00:07:05,121 It's a bit like sometimes 165 00:07:05,121 --> 00:07:08,408 a Christian mother, for instance. 166 00:07:08,408 --> 00:07:12,855 She'll hear about getting up at 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. 167 00:07:12,855 --> 00:07:14,825 to pray and read the Bible. 168 00:07:14,825 --> 00:07:17,552 And she's trying to do it with a little toddler 169 00:07:17,552 --> 00:07:19,476 who is screaming or getting ready, 170 00:07:19,476 --> 00:07:21,197 and sometimes it can be better to 171 00:07:21,197 --> 00:07:23,212 just get the children ready to whatever, 172 00:07:23,212 --> 00:07:26,084 and then sit down with a cup of coffee. 173 00:07:26,084 --> 00:07:28,941 And have your devotion then. 174 00:07:28,941 --> 00:07:31,274 Rather than a time when it's impossible. 175 00:07:31,274 --> 00:07:33,019 Everybody's different. 176 00:07:33,019 --> 00:07:37,396 There should be a time though. 177 00:07:37,396 --> 00:07:38,967 But as a pastor, as I said, 178 00:07:38,967 --> 00:07:41,510 as far as reading the Word, 179 00:07:41,510 --> 00:07:44,043 it's harder not to do 180 00:07:44,043 --> 00:07:48,705 because you've just got so much preparation anyway.