85% of Pastors Don't Make it Past Year 5
The why behind Greenhouse Retreats
That was the finding of a Duke study (somewhat disputed on the interwebs, of course. Some put the number at ONLY 50% or so).
A couple of weeks ago I came across an article written by one of those 50-85%.
In it, he describes the all-too-familiar practices of someone who is in the late-stages of burnout before he left pastoral ministry for good.
By the time of my burnout, my devotional times always revolved around simply preparing for the next upcoming Bible study classes and sermon preparations.
My personal time with Jesus, to be loved by Him and to pray to Him earnestly, was non-existent.
I have fundamentally forgotten that I needed to be loved and forgiven first by Jesus before doing anything else.
If that sounds like you, this is why I started Greenhouse Retreats. To help people in ministry greenhouse their own souls, not merely build a greenhouse for others.
If you’re not in ministry, I’m so very glad you’re with us!
And maybe one of the greatest gifts you could give to your pastoral staff would be to hit “forward” on this email and encourage them to sign-up.
Greenhouse Retreat Volume 3, Issue 2: What Do You Want?
In the gospel of John the very first thing Jesus says is this haunting question: “What do you want?”
It’s the question that drives almost interaction throughout John: Nic at night, the Woman at the Well, the paralytic by the pool, and more.
And it’s the question that the Lord has used throughout my life to get to the deepest layers of my heart.
So:
Access and print out the free retreat materials (printing is optional but recommended).
Block off 4-6 hours sometime in the next few weeks OR simply use the material in shorter chunks as a daily devotional guide.
Most importantly, show up and see how the Lord might meet you.
Click here for the October 2024 always free Greenhouse Retreat: What do you want?
Greenhouse retreats: helping you create conditions ideal for long-term fruitfulness.
Happy flourishing y’all,
Alex