The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout - by Sean Nemecek (Paperback)

About the Book

In The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout, Sean Nemecek takes Christian leaders on a journey from burnout through recovery and on to spiritual transformation. In the end, these leaders will emerge from burnout more confident in Christ, more connected with others, and with greater purpose, courage, and grace in their leadership.

Book Synopsis

In The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout, Sean Nemecek takes Christian leaders on a journey from burnout through recovery and on to spiritual transformation. By understanding the causes and symptoms of their burnout, these leaders will be ready to take practical, actionable steps toward wholeness. Then, if they choose, they will be poised to do the inner work of spiritual transformation by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. In the end, these leaders will emerge from burnout more confident in Christ, more connected with others, and with greater purpose, courage, and grace in their leadership.

This book integrates biblical interpretation, theology, psychology, and contemplative spirituality into a holistic approach to recovery. It is filled with relatable stories of church leaders who have walked this path and includes discussion questions for personal contemplation or group discussion. The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout will help pastors and Christian leaders develop an integrated approach to life, work, and ministry through healing and spiritual transformation.

Review Quotes

'I know scores of pastors and leaders who are overworked and overlooked. For those who are ministering within the institutional church, The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout might be the practical permission slip you need to shift into a rhythm of life and work that doesn't crush your soul.'-- K.J. Ramsey, therapist and author of The Book of Common Courage and The Lord Is My Courage

'Pastors are facing an epidemic of burnout. If, like me, you've experienced it, you know how debilitating it can be. In The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout, Sean Nemecek offers practical, clinical, and biblical solutions to what we're facing. I highly recommend this book if you're experiencing the symptoms of burnout--or, better yet, before you get there.'-- Karl Vaters, pastor and author of The Grasshopper Myth and Small Church Essentials

'Reading Sean's book is like visiting with a friend who knows what your soul really needs. He offers practical and experienced help that is vital for recovering from burnout as he shares from his own story and the stories of others. If you are experiencing burnout, think you might be heading in that direction, or know someone who is, this book is a gift--a wise guide that many will be using for a long time.'-- Kaylene Derksen, president of the Soul Care Institute

'Sean has known the impact of burnout firsthand, and The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout is a robust exploration of the nature and causes of burnout--told with both technical precision and personal transparency. Taking cues from his own journey, Sean has captured the heart of the gospel and brought it to bear in practical ways on both recovering from burnout and creating a ministry lifestyle that is resilient. Each chapter refuses to let the needy reader escape with just more information. Through insightful questions we are invited to think clearly about our current path toward health or burnout. These pages reveal a path for every weary leader to find new hope and a new way to live and serve. I am both grateful and proud that Sean is part of the PIR Ministries team. This book will become central in our toolkit of helping ministry leaders deal with burnout, and I would strongly recommend it as required reading for every ministry leader.'-- Roy A. Yanke, executive director of PIR Ministries

'The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout is a hopeful and necessary gift to the legion of pastors who wonder how much longer they can continue. Author, pastor coach, and researcher Sean Nemecek guides us through his own journey while offering a path through the storm of burnout and ministry fatigue. The good news: burnout is not inevitable. The better news: there is great life after burnout. Sean's life is dedicated to serving pastors, and in this book you'll find an empathic and skilled guide for your own pastoral journey.'-- Steve Cuss, speaker and author of Managing Leadership Anxiety

'The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout is absolutely packed with great material. I found myself saying 'yes' so many times. This book will be a great help to pastors.'-- Charles Stone, author of People-Pleasing Pastors

'The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout is an exceptional book filled with helpful and thoughtful content. I'm so grateful for Sean Nemecek and the courage he shows in writing this book. I gladly commend it to folks.'-- Chuck DeGroat, licensed therapist, spiritual director, and author of When Narcissism Comes to Church

'The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout is essential reading not only for those who are experiencing exhaustion but for all who have been called to ministry leadership. Sean Nemecek writes with the practical and compassionate wisdom of lived experience, offering theological and psychological insights, compelling stories, and spiritual practices that help us cooperate with the Holy Spirit for transformation and freedom. Through probing diagnostic questions that encourage deep reflection, Sean holds up mirrors so we can see our compulsions and captivities, and with that healed vision, see more clearly the invitations from Jesus to rest in his love and yield to his grace. I hope this outstanding soul care book will not only be on leaders' desks but on seminary syllabi everywhere.'-- Sharon Garlough Brown, spiritual director and author of the Sensible Shoes series and Shades of Light series

'Writing from the wisdom of painful experience and with broad expertise and deep compassion, Sean Nemecek has compiled a superior, comprehensive, and practical resource to help leaders recognize, treat, and even prevent the burnout that has become an epidemic in our time. Read and work through this book for the long term health of your soul, your relationships, and your ministry. Your journey to full recovery begins with The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout.'-- Angie Ward, author of Uncharted Leadership and assistant director of the doctor of ministry program at Denver Seminary