“I’m working fifty- to sixty-hour weeks. I’ve got kids at home. How am I supposed to have friends?”
“Nobody told me how isolating and painful it would be when the elder I trusted most turned his back on me.”
“Sometimes it’s really hard for me to shift from “pastor” to “parent.” I often end up treating my kids like one of my congregants, and that doesn’t make for great relationship building.”
“If anybody knew what I’m going through, I might not be able to stay in ministry. I don’t feel like I can tell anyone…even my spouse.”
“The reality is, I chose isolation. It’s my biggest regret and my #1 mistake. I preached, “You can’t do life alone,” but ended up living the opposite. In my carefully guarded world, isolated from others, a toxic mixture of pride and self-pity dominated my thinking. Eventually, this became my justification to do do whatever I could to numb the pain.”
Standing Stone shepherds regularly hear confessions like these. Each of the people behind these statements are living, breathing Gospel workers. These men and women have chosen to commit their lives to God’s Kingdom work. Many experience high levels of perceived “success” in their calling. They are efficient and present and devoted. Meanwhile, their relationships are in shambles.
That’s why Standing Stone focuses on confidential, compassionate, and consistent relationships with ministry leaders. It’s our bread and butter. We listen. We love. We lean in, not away.
Having even one healthy relationship can transform a person’s life. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that an intimate relationship with God forms the foundation on which every other relationship is built. Pastors need help in their own walk with God, too. In fact, we’d say pastors frequently need help prioritizing their own closeness with God. The demands of ministry are such that intimacy with God can get pushed behind other–even excellent Kingdom–initiatives. In relationship with a Standing Stone shepherd, every ministry leader is encouraged to reverse this trend.
Our shepherds help ministry leaders cultivate healthy marriages, strong bonds with their kids, and flourishing friendships as well. We do all of this because God did not make any of us–pastors included–to do life alone.
Thank you for helping us as we cultivate confidential, compassionate, consistent, and cost-free relationships with ministry leaders. Every other relationship in their lives are impacted as a result, and we couldn’t do this work without you.
