Episode 641: Church planters tend to be more like jet fuel drinkers than candle burners. Host Ed Stetzer discusses necessary components of self-care with Michael Crawford, Send Network leader in Maryland/Delaware.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
- Some components of self-care for leaders, church planters and others
- How church leaders can know if they’re properly caring for themselves
- How the apostle Paul encouraged self-care
- Michael Crawford’s advice about finishing the course in tumultuous times
- Two things that keep planters from properly caring for their own souls
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):
When I hear “self-care,” it sounds kind of weird, like it’s not even Christian. I’ll say “soul care” because that’s holistically addressing every part of me. I want every single thing God has created in me and given to me serving Jesus. – Michael Crawford
You’ve got the jet fuel drinkers and the candle burners. Church planters tend to be more the jet fuel drinkers and, to be perfectly honest, they get themselves in trouble. How do we be the kind of people who can last? @EdStetzer
In culture, we worship speed. We like fast things. But in nature a lot of things we really love grow slow, like trees, like people, like relationships. – Michael Crawford
I don’t want to tell someone to slow down who God’s called to run. But I sure would like them to back down from a six-minute miles to do an eight-minute mile. I’d rather they walk the marathon and finish, than to run and get to Mile 19 and fail. – Michael Crawford
We have to recognize that church planting, if it is just about the flash, is ultimately not going to be about the substance. We’re going to create mushrooms that spring up and are gone, and not oaks. @EdStetzer
Church planting is a sprint for seasons – but it it has to be a sustainable sprint. @EdStetzer
Oftentimes it’s the man who’s got the jet pack, and and it’s his wife who’s burning a candle. What I like to do is say, “Hey, have you talked about sustainability?” – Michael Crawford
You have to be self aware of who you are you have to know. I tend to run really fast until I throw up or I tend to move super slow? That discernment should then help you to go, “OK, where do I need people around me to help me so I can run my race well?” – Michael Crawford
Before we pour gas on a church planter’s fire, we want to sit the family down and ask, “Do you have capacity for more gas?” – Michael Crawford
The place where it shows up first is in relationships with others. Our dysfunction always shows up in other relationships. We need a real friend who will absorb my stuff to a point and then say, “Hey what’s happening?” – Michael Crawford
If you look to performance, you can literally be the worst person in the world and do a job really well. – Michael Crawford
In Acts 20:28, Paul says, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock.” If we’re really going to be biblical, what comes first matters. Paul said, what I want you to do with the flock, I want you to do with yourself. – Michael Crawford
I’ve got to be intentional about this process, which means time and space. When you give the soul space, stuff comes out, so I’m a big proponent of silence and solitude in such a noisy world. – Michael Crawford
Find patterns of self-care. Build reservoirs of resilience. @EdStetzer
We got into this because we love people. Our hearts were like, “I’ll sacrifice for people.” But you also have to find space and time to make sure that you’re OK too. – Michael Crawford
The most powerful voice, the most powerful influence in our life is the one no one hears but ourselves. – Michael Crawford
God loves you, and He’s in the middle of the mess. That’s where He thrives. – Michael Crawford
This doesn’t need to be something we undertake alone. @EdStetzer
Helpful Resources:
- Michael Crawford’s book: Don’t plant, Be Planted
- Trevin Wax interviews with Mike Kosper: Part 1 and Part 2
- Christianity Today – The Pastors Aren’t All Right: 38% Consider Leaving Ministry
- Washington Post – The pandemic and politics drove many clergy to quit
- Ed Stetzer: Leading Toward the Mission in Tumultuous Times
- Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
- Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? (two new sessions: Engaging the lost in your community and Vision)
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Published February 15, 2022