PastorServe

Every month 1,500 pastors burn out and leave the church. Learn how to beat the odds. The majority of pastors are not truly known-by anyone. They subconsciously isolate themselves from both staff and congregation so their insecurities, doubts, and failures aren't exposed. Yet confiding in the wrong person can be a dead end at best and disastrous at worst. Former pastor Jimmy Dodd reveals how those in pastoral ministry can receive ongoing support, accountability, and restoration from relationships with a boss, counselor, trainer, mentor, coach, and good friend. Discover how you can move from surviving to thriving with the six relationships every pastor needs. Jimmy Dodd addresses six key relationships every pastor needs to invest in to move past insecurities, doubts, and failures. The goal isn't just to survive a current crisis-but to prevent future crisis in both your ministry and personal life through accountability, support, and friendship. Jimmy Dodd is the founder and president of PastorServe, a ministry that provides care, counseling, and friendship to pastors. His passion is to see pastors thrive. A pastor himself for more than thirty years, Jimmy is now a well-known speaker and is a graduate of Wheaton College and Gordon-Conwell Seminary. Jimmy and his wife, Sally, have five children.

What are your top twenty expectations for your pastor? Now multiply your list by the number of people who attend church with you. Is it any wonder pastors are overwhelmed and underappreciated? They're expected to know every member by name, preach a "home run sermon" every Sunday, condemn sin without hurting anyone's feelings, and be available to serve others 24/7 while not neglecting their own family. The intensity of these expectations and lack of appreciation can and does bring the majority of pastors to a place of despair and ultimately departure from pastoral ministry. This practical field guide offers tangible ways to better understand and care for the pastor who cares so deeply about you. A healthy church requires a healthy pastor. Discover proven ways to make a positive impact in your pastor's world and the life of your church. Jimmy Dodd is founder and president of PastorServe-a ministry that provides care, counseling, and friendship to pastors. Having been a pastor for more than thirty years, his passion is to see pastors thrive. He is a graduate of Wheaton College and Gordon-Conwell Seminary. Jimmy and his wife, Sally, have five children. Jimmy is also the author of Survive or Thrive: 6 Relationships Every Pastor Needs. Larry Magnuson and his wife, Barbara, lead SonScape Retreats-a ministry that for over thirty years has provided week-long experiences in spectacular settings uniquely designed for the challenges facing pastoral couples. Larry's career took him from inner-city Chicago to the suburbs of Minneapolis where he served in a variety of roles including youth pastor, associate pastor, church planter, and ultimately lead pastor. Larry is a graduate of Bethel University and North Park Seminary. Larry and Barbara have four children. To the Pastor To the Congregation Introduction: Why the State of Pastors Should Matter to You Chapter 1: Your Pastor Needs a Champion: It Could Be You Chapter 2: Twenty-Four—Hour Pastor: Allow Your Pastor to Be a Real Person Chapter 3: Pastor Superman: Managing Expectations Chapter 4: Capacity: It's Limited Chapter 5: Friendship With Your Pastor: It's Not For Most Chapter 6: Pastoral Compensation: Reflecting God's Generosity Chapter 7: The Pastors Spouse: Life in a Minefield Chapter 8: The Pastor's Family: Kids as Collateral Damage Chapter 9: Conflict: It's Inevitable Follow-Up: What's At Stake Acknowledgments Appendix A: Vision of a Healthy Church: A Case Study of Friendswood Community Church Appendix B: Praying for Your Pastor: Why Is It So Important? Appendix C: 35 Practical Ways to Lovingly Support Your Pastor Resources End Notes/Bibliography About the Authors.