Another Good Book

Clergy Burnout: Recovering from the 70-Hour Work Week...And Other Self-Defeating Practices

Fred Lehr


Lehr is a Lutheren Pastor, formerly involved with congregations and now with a Renewal Ministries LLC - another church conflict management consulting firm. Which begs the question: Why is Church Conflict Intervention such a growth industry?

Lehr offers up a clear definition of what it means to be co-dependent; how co-dependent hurts the clergy, their family and their congregation; and what are good and healthy boundaries for ministry. Lehr does a good job defining the issues but the recommended solutions are weaker. None-the-less, this is a good book for all in ministry, especially those who are starting out when all of it is overwhelming. A tad under 145 pages, it is an easy and quickly absorbed read.

Don't wait till you are burned out - consider reading this book sooner rather than later.