Our ministry leaders and teachers do so much to build up the body of Christ. Now, with a two-year FEC program called THRIVE, these leaders can receive encouragement and support designed just for them through “soul care.”
Why is “soul care” important? Pastor Wes Hoffmire, Care and Community Pastor at Crossroads Church in Napoleon, Ohio, says trials, isolation, stress, and burnout are common struggles for today’s pastors. “There’s a lot of ministry leaders burning it at both ends,” he says. “Pastors and leaders have a desire to lead their church well and to serve the Lord well.” In those conditions, it can be hard for ministry leaders to slow down and seek help.
This is where THRIVE steps in.
THRIVE is a two-year program that includes a retreat twice a year, connecting attendees with other leaders and unpacking the various forms of support for credentialed ministry leaders and their spouses. This holistic approach covers areas like mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical, but also technological and familial health. Each THRIVE cohort is regional so leaders can connect with other ministry partners who are geographically close enough to stay in touch between retreats.
Pastor Wes, who went through this restorative program after serving in ministry for 14 years found it profoundly supportive. It gave him a stronger connection with other pastors and helped him grow more compassionate for other leaders, particularly those in isolation. Now, he meets regularly with three others from his retreats via Zoom, text messages, and occasional lunches together. “There’s been a brotherhood in the group that’s been really helpful.”
“Life in general can wear you down in a way you don’t even realize,” says Pastor Wes. “It doesn’t really matter where you are in the continuum of health; THRIVE is there to be taken advantage of.”
If you are a pastor or leader in ministry interested in THRIVE or other support resources from FEC, you can find additional information here: https://fecministries.org/thrive
