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“Being in ministry is like being an endurance runner in a hot climate and you can easily become dehydrated”.
This description of their experience from a Christian leader is typical for many leaders Living Leadership comes across. Whether a leader is feeling weary or energised, we’re convinced every Christian leader, and leaders’ spouses too, can benefit from encouragement and support to help them keep going, with joy.
Planning and praying, leading and serving, leaders shoulder great responsibility with little reward in this world. Antisocial working hours, managing diverse expectations, and emotional investment in people in need can take their toll. Lack of clarity about roles and limited investment in their wellbeing can compound the situation.
When support is provided, it is usually from a line manager or denominational overseer, and some leaders feel unable to be open about challenges and temptations. Without godly mentors and biblical standards of conduct, especially when giftedness and charisma are valued more than Christlikeness, wrong motivations and character flaws can go unchallenged.
The consequences can be painful: burnout, marriage breakdown, parenting struggles, and gifted leaders who started well end up walking away from ministry, sometimes even from the faith.
Leaders’ spouses can experience these issues by proxy and are sometimes themselves chronically under-encouraged.
Running with endurance and joy
Living Leadership aims to help Christian leaders (meaning men and women with a formal leadership role in a church or organisation, whether paid or voluntary) and the spouses of Christian leaders run their race with endurance and joy. That way they won’t drop out because of discouragement, disillusionment or disqualification.
Those who pour themselves out for others often struggle to find space to be refreshed themselves or someone they can trust to talk about the challenges they face. That’s why Living Leadership’s ‘Refresh Ministries’ exist: to encourage leaders and spouses of leaders in God’s grace through supportive relationships, in grace-filled environments.
Creating space to be refreshed
Through our annual Pastoral Refreshment Conferences and bi-annual regional Refreshment Days across the UK and Ireland, Living Leadership provide a space to draw aside and be blessed.
During a Refreshment Day (one day) or Pastoral Refreshment Conference (three days), we hear from God’s word, spend some time in reflection and have opportunities for people to pray with others, including experienced leaders who are available for one-to-one support. These take place in beautiful locations around the country.
They’re spaces where leaders can exhale—laying aside the responsibilities and weights of ministry—and be replenished for the journey ahead.
Someone to talk to
Knowing just how helpful a listening ear and godly advice from outside your situation can be, the team also provide one-to-one pastoral care and mentoring.
Living Leadership’s has a Network of experienced leaders who understand the unique pressures and temptations of Christian leadership. Whether it’s a one-off conversation about a specific issue, or meeting up regularly with someone who can encourage and walk beside you, the Living Leadership team are available to support any leader or spouse who needs it.
For those who would value meeting with a group of people in a similar situation, Refresh Groups are available and meet regularly (usually monthly or twice monthly) throughout the year. These include those specifically for spouses of leaders and women in ministry.
Refresh Groups offer mutual encouragement facilitated by one of our Network members, either online or in person. For many, these have been valuable regular meetings to keep them going through the hard seasons, the joys and the everyday moments of ministry life.
Don’t just take our word for it…
Leaders regularly tell us how God has used our ministries to sustain and enrich them in his service.
“An oasis which refreshes, encourages and challenges to hopefully help me serve God and my church in a way that glorifies Him” - Pastoral Refreshment Conference participant.
“Meeting one-to-one has been a huge blessing. It feels like such a safe space where I am always heard, helped, encouraged and pointed to Jesus” – One-to-one support recipient.
Get in touch
We count it our privilege to serve those who serve the Lord and his people.
If you’re a leader, a leader’s spouse, or know a someone who is, we’d love to hear from you! Let us walk alongside you with grace wisdom and care.
Visit www.livingleadership.org to find out how Living Leadership can support you or someone you care about.
