Mad Church Disease

This week's featured book: Mad Church Disease (Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic) by Anne Jackson, who definitely knows whereof she speaks.

The most striking quote was when she related the question posed to her by a colleague when she was on a church staff and struggling with burnout:

“Does working at this church interfere with your communion with Christ?”

Wow. A lot of pastors would answer as she did, with a resounding “yes.” At times, I would have had to say the same thing.

Other things I underlined:

“We allow the idol of convenience to replace the knowledge that the Holy Spirit has instilled in us” (p. 53).

“No one thinks pastor and then thinks ‘good time’” (p. 164).

And a quote from Penelope Trunk: “People are afraid to be amazing” (p. 174).

The book also, very helpfully, led me to begin the process of reflecting on how my choices, my behaviors are responsible for my own stresses and flirtations with burnout. It’s easy to blame others, or “circumstances,” but the truth is, as she says, “The first step in overcoming burnout is to own up to the decisions that have led you there.” Meaning, my own decisions. Rats.