Mad Church Disease

The book isn't being released until Feb 1, 2009.  But it really looks like a good resource for recognizing, preventing, and avoiding the burnout that is so prevalent in church ministry.

The following is from Amazon:

Product Description

Mad Church Disease is a lively, informative, and potentially life-saving resource for anyone in ministry—vocational or volunteer—who would like to understand, prevent, or treat the epidemic of burnout in churches. The book draws on research and interviews with leaders from across the United States, providing statistics, stories, and hope for healing.

      

From the Back Cover

Growing up the daughter of a pastor, Anne Jackson experienced firsthand the conflict, stress, and struggle church leaders often face. She vowed her life in ministry would be different.

Yet, years later, as a church leader, she was hospitalized because stress began wreaking havoc on her body. After being released from the hospital, an associate pastor asked her, "Does working at this church interfere with your communion with Christ?" The question was paramount in turning her life around.

Thinking she wasn’t alone, Anne developed a website that allowed church leaders to share their struggles. Within a few days, she was flooded with over a thousand responses from people pouring out their stories of burnout.

Using anecdotal parallels between Mad Cow Disease and leadership trends in the church, she writes not only to help us realize what church leaders are facing, but also to provide practical and positive treatment plans.

Mad Church Disease is a lively, informative, and potentially life-saving resource for anyone in ministry—vocational or volunteer—who would like to understand, prevent, or treat the epidemic of burnout in church culture.

Like any resource, it is only as good as it impacts your daily walk.  So, don't just read the book and put it on your bookshelf with all the other books that are collecting dust.  Read it with a friend (or a life coach) slowly and methodically so you can weave the concepts into your life and profession.  That way, you'll be Serving Strong!