12min 41 s
As pastor, does it sometimes feel like everyone in the congregation is your boss? Are you struggling to get back more time for yourself and feeling pretty exhausted? If so, you are not alone. Listen here as Rev. Anna Tew tells how she recovered from such a place by using the flexibility of pastoral ministry to her advantage.
Listen or Read Now!
11min 29 s
As a pastor, having a part-time secular job on the side can bring added joy and satisfaction to your life. It can also provide an economic buffer in a changing church world. But where to start looking? What skills does a pastor have that would be valued in a secular job? In this episode, ELCA pastor Rev. Anna Tew tells how she came into a part-time coaching job at her CrossFit gym that is blessing her, and them, on multiple fronts!
Listen or Read Now!
10min 12 s
Have you found your church caught in a pattern where worship is seen as a show performed by the pastor with the congregation being the audience? If so, you have a lot of company. The good news, however, is that worship services can be created that have that added spiritual crackle and energy that often results when more people are involved in leading worship. In this episode, Rev. Anna Tew shares some specifics of how her congregation has intentionally evolved in this direction.
Listen or Read Now!
17min 15 s
Somewhere along the way, the church (church culture) began telling pastors that if they’re not tired, overcommitted, and running late, they must not be doing ministry correctly. Rev. Anna Tew would like to file a gentle objection. Burnout isn’t a spiritual gift, and exhaustion isn’t listed among the fruits of the Spirit. In this candid and practical conversation, Anna shares what she learned after nearly burning out herself: sometimes the holiest thing you can put on your calendar is a blank space. From learning to say “no” (without writing a three-page apology) to recognizing resentment as an early warning light, she offers wise—and refreshingly freeing—advice for building a ministry that’s sustainable for the long haul.
Listen or Read Now!