Faithful and Fractured

Jean Proeschold-Bell Rae

Description

Clergy suffer from certain health issues at a rate higher than the general population. Why are pastors in such poor health? And what can be done to help them step into the abundant life God desires for them?Although anecdotal observations about poor clergy health abound, concrete data from multiple sources supporting this claim hasn't been made accessible--until now. Duke's Clergy Health Initiative (CHI), a major, decade-long research project, provides a true picture of the clergy health crisis over time and demonstrates that improving the health of pastors is possible. Bringing together the best in social science and medical research, this book quantifies the poor health of clergy with theological engagement. Although the study focused on United Methodist ministers, the authors interpret CHI's groundbreaking data for a broad ecumenical readership. In addition to physical health, the book examines mental health and spiritual well-being, and suggests that increasing positive mental health may prevent future physical and mental health problems for clergy. Concrete suggestions tailored to clergy are woven throughout the book.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781493410736
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2018 by Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell and Jason Byassee
Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakeracademic.com
Ebook edition created 2018
Ebook corrections 10.01.2018
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-1073-6
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Cover image: The Japanese art of kintsugi transforms broken ceramic vessels into beautiful and unique works of art using gold. The term “kintsugi life” highlights how you can employ this metaphor in your own life.
Endorsements
“I’ve enjoyed being called to pastoral leadership and have felt privileged to help a new generation of pastors into the vocation. But let’s face it: church can be demanding, difficult, and even toxic for those who try to lead. The research reported and skillfully interpreted in Faithful and Fractured can be of great help to those of us who oversee pastors and to pastors themselves. It offers tested, proven guidance for us to remain faithful even when we are fractured by the vocation to which God has called us.”
— Will Willimon , Duke Divinity School; United Methodist bishop, retired; author of Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Leadership
“There are plenty of books outlining how difficult the work of ministry is and the toll it takes on the men and women who do it. There are far fewer resources that point to what can be done to reverse the damage. Faithful and Fractured honestly assesses the problem and then goes on to break new ground, describing practical ways that clergy can build positive mental health to not only survive ministry but also flourish while doing it.”
— Matt Miofsky , lead pastor of The Gathering; author of Happy? What It Is and How to Find It
“An invaluable resource for clergy and for all who care for them, especially their therapists, spiritual directors, and judicatory leaders. This book should be required reading for every seminary student. May the wisdom that is reflected in these pages become a way of life for pastors in the years ahead.”
— Elaine Heath , Duke Divinity School
“Pastoring is a dangerous, glorious journey. Drawing on extensive research on the lives of working pastors, Proeschold-Bell and Byassee offer a life-giving path for pastors to become fully alive. Follow the deep and practical wisdom of this book and watch your life and ministry flourish.”
— Ken Shigematsu , pastor of Tenth Church, Vancouver, British Columbia; author of God in My Everything
“Bravo! Faithful and Fractured is as important as it is urgent. Christian ministry is a high calling and a gift, yet it is beset by profound challenges and difficulties. The rigorous work of the Clergy Health Initiative, supported generously by The Duke Endowment, provides significant quantitative and qualitative data on which to base new strategies and actions. The future of ministry will be much brighter and more life giving if we pay attention to this beautifully crafted, substantive book.”
— L. Gregory Jones , Duke Divinity School
“ Faithful and Fractured makes clear a great many things about pastoral ministry that I had only vaguely understood before. I found myself nodding, smiling—or, as often, grimacing—with recognition at every page. In particular, the book provides an illuminating account of the paradoxical nature of ministry, which may simultaneously deplete and strengthen, discourage and reward. Faithful and Fractured is based on thorough research but provides much more than mere analysis. It commends a way for us to be fully alive and thus to live fully to the glory of God.”
— Craig C. Hill , Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
“The strength of this major research initiative lies in its combination of data and narrative, social scientific rigor and theological wisdom, description and practical guidance. We now know a great deal more about the health and well-being of clergy—which encompasses survival, resilience, and flourishing—and we are greatly indebted to Proeschold-Bell and Byassee.”
— Bishop Ken Carter , resident bishop, Florida area, the United Methodist Church
“In this insightful, interesting, and informative new book, one comes to understand the wear and tear clergy experience in serving others and in answering their vocation. This readable, well-researched book provides current science to the profession of clergy work. It is a book that scholars and others need if they plan to understand that service is stressful—even the shepherd can get lost and will need time to be refreshed.”
— Joseph R. Ferrari , DePaul University
“This is likely the most important study to date on clergy health and sustainability. Proeschold-Bell and Byassee offer expansive research and practical wisdom for weary ministers. I’m hopeful their work is helpful to current pastors and is also translated into better pathways of preparation and training for future pastors.”
— Chuck DeGroat , Newbigin House of Studies; licens ed professional counselor, Michigan
Dedication
From Rae Jean
I dedicate this book to the United Methodist Church pastors of North Carolina, who have constantly inspired and taught me.
I also dedicate this book to Robb Webb and Kristen Richardson-Frick, who are passionately committed to the United Methodist Church and who care deeply for the health of pastors.
From Jason
This book is for pastors and for those who care about pastors. I dedicate my portion of it to one of the latter group—Susan—whose elegance and kindness and desire for holiness made her a new mother for me.
Contents
Cover i
Title Page iii
Copyright Page iv
Endorsements v
Dedication vii
List of Illustrations xi
List of Tables xiii
Preface: The Birth of the Duke Clergy Health Initiative xv
1. Creatures Doing the Creator’s Work 1
2. When Work Is Holy: Highs and Lows of Ministry Work 17
3. Slowed Down and Overwhelmed: Clergy and Depressive Symptoms 33
4. A Practical Guide to Combating Stress Symptoms 55
5. The Pastor’s Paradox: Clergy Health and Disease 79
6. Feeling Alive: The Role of Positive Emotions 99
7. Clergy Flourishing: In Their Own Words 127
8. The Lord Bless You and Keep You 157
Acknowledgments 163
Appendix: Recommendations for Clergy Health Programs 167
Bibliography 179
Index 193
Back Cover 197
Illustrations
Figure 1.1 Feelings of Unpredictability 2
Figure 1.2 Expectations for Availability 4
Figure 1.3 Presence of Conflict 9
Figure 2.1 Feelings of Doubt 23
Figure 2.2 Thoughts of Leaving Ministry 23
Figure 2.3 Prevalence of Three Types of Burnout 30
Figure 3.1 Symptoms of Depression 36
Figure 3.2 Depression: Clergy versus US Population 37
Figure 3.3 Types of Therapists Most Recently Seen 40
Figure 4.1 Stress Appraisal Model 56
Figure 4.2 Likelihood of Relocation 61
Figure 4.3 Social Isolation 67
Figure 4.4 Social and Emotional Support 68
Figure 4.5 Marriage, by Gender 70
Figure 4.6 Satisfaction with Family Life 70
Figure 4.7 Pastoral Roles 70
Figure 5.1 Disease Prevalence: Clergy versus NC Population 84
Figure 6.1 Broaden and Build 104
Figure 6.2 Workers’ Daytime Happiness Cycle 109
Figure 6.3 The Components of Positive Mental Health 113
Figure 6.4 Positive Mental Health Comparison 115
Figure 6.5 Depression and Positive Mental Health 121

Unless otherwise noted, all data in figures comes from surveys completed in 2016 by full-time church-appointed pastors.
Tables
Table 1.1 Skill Sets for Clergy 10
Table 2.1 United States Job Satisfaction Ratings 18
Table 6.1 Components of Good Psychological and Social Functioning 112
Table 6.2 Mental Health Continuum, Short Form 114
Table 7.1 Planning Daily Life in Ministry 135
Table 7.2 Mutual Submission: Answering to Your Personnel Committee 136
Table 7.3 God Asks Us for One Day Per Week 138
Table 7.4 A Fully Alive You 141
Preface
The Birth of the Duke Clergy Health Initiative
Ten years: that’s how long I (Rae Jean) have been studying the health of clergy. Prior to this project, I had not once considered how clergy care for themselves. I had been studying health issues, like HIV, that are held up by society as public health concerns, and my work was funded by the federal government. Although the National Institutes of Health funds research on some occupations, clergy isn’t one of them. But in 2007, a friend of mine was hired to work on a new grant awarded by The Duke Endowment to Duke Divinity School. The project goals were to understand and improve the holistic health of United Methodist clergy in North Carolina. My friend asked if I would work as a part-time researcher for the project.
My first instinct was to say no. I knew nothing about clergy. More importantly, my work was devoted to health inequalities, and I doubted that clergy could be that unhealthy because, after all, they generally are educated and have health insurance. But as a researcher, I’ve learned it’s best to get all the information and then decide, rather than to rely on assumptions.
I soon learned that clergy were crying out for help. Clergy would attend conferences together and be astounded by how much stress they dealt with, how many funerals they officiated for, and how many of them were overweight. Talk about stress and burnout was common. Their health insurance costs were astronomical, making it impossible for some churches to pay for a full-time pas