Welcome to the Wellness Project blog! Here we will be sharing food for thought from our findings, links to relevant resources, and updates on any publications that come out of our research. Our desire is to provide information, connection, and reflective prompts that will enable people in ministry to continue fostering their well-being.
We will be starting off with a series highlighting some of the Core Satisfier and Stressors that we have identified. Each post below will give context to what the Core Satisfier/Stressor involves, some observations from our data, and some questions and/or resources for your own reflection.
Publications & Resources
(coming soon)
Caring For Your Own Soul
Today's blog is a guest post from former pastor Chrystal Westbrook. As ministers and soul caregivers, we instinctively place a priority on the needs of others. Our training and education reinforce that instinct. Placing a priority on our own soul-health needs can...
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Pastoral Care Challenges
A recent CBC opinion piece highlights the way in which providing pastoral care can be an emotional burden for congregational leaders. Pastoral Care Challenges is one of the potential Core Stressors that we explore in our research. With over 300...
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Leading Through Change and Controversy
As a new year gets underway, there is one thing that we can almost guarantee 2019 will bring your ministry context: Change. Ministry leadership inevitably involves guiding communities through change, navigating controversy, and addressing conflict. Nearly...
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Family vs Ministry Conflict
Whether you have a partner, children at home, parents to care for, or find family in non-biological connections, our intimate relationships are a vital part of our lives. Holidays/Holy Days are often a time of gathering together as family; for many people...
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Management Skills
In our research, Management Skills includes administrative tasks, solving administrative problems, and using organizational skills effectively. While Management Skills is reported by the majority of our participants as a core satisfier, 23% of participants...
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Fostering Faith Development
When we look at all 15 potential Satisfiers, the aspect of ministry life that is least likely to show up as a Satisfier is Fostering Faith Development. This includes having opportunities to share your faith, seeing people come to faith, and seeing someone...
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Work Relationships & Respect
Almost 95% of participants name Work Relationships and Respect as a current Satisfier in their ministry life; on the flip side, just over a quarter of participants identify Work Relationship Challenges as a Stressor. This suggests that the teams within...
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The Two Sides of Time
Many of us have a complicated relationship with time. When it comes to individuals who work in ministry, a strong majority of our participants identify Time & Diversity of Tasks as a Core Satisfier. On the other hand, nearly half identify...
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Vocation & Calling
Drawing on data from over 280 participants to date, Vocation & Calling is our most frequent Core Satisfier. Ninety-five percent of all participants in the Wellness Project have reported that their experience of Vocation & Calling is more than...
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