Ministers Council logo. Hub for Clergy Well-Being.

small hub for Clergy Well-being

Vocational / Occupational Well‑Being


…pays attention to calling, vocational identity and gifting, work/life balance, adaptive leadership, and professional needs of ministry preparation, vocational competency, and ‘ending well’ in retirement.

“He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” (Ephesians 4.11-13)

One thing that I can do right now:

Woman praying at the computer

Find someone willing to listen (even if it is the family pet!) and share your call story with them. How would you describe your call to vocational ministry? Who was involved, and were there people you remember who affirmed that calling? Was there anyone who challenged or doubted that calling? Did you doubt it? How did you understand it at the time, and how has that understanding changed?

Spiritual practices for vocational / occupational wellness:

Spiritual Practices for Effective Leadership: 7 Rs of Sanctuary for Pastors.

A few books about vocational / occupational wellness:

Wespath (through the UMC) has some good research on vocational/occupational well-being: Thirteen Factors That Influence Clergy Health and the Five Dimensions of Well-Being

A person I could talk to:

Man working at the computer

Many pastors have found value in contracting with a vocational coach. There are coaches who specialize in ministering to ministers, and other who are more general. A coach can help a minister set and achieve vocational goals, and/or work through pastoral transitions.

ABCUSA has had a long-term relationship with The Center for Career Development and Ministry (CCDM), who specialize in career development for clergy and lay-leaders, from pre-college to retirement. They offer career coaching, including sessions for free for those enrolled with MMBB. Learn more at MMBB-Cares: Coaching

A Ministers Council resource available to me:

The Ministers Council has created and maintains a Covenant and Code of Ethics, guiding clergy in a host of vocational issues. For the most recent (February 2023) iteration, please visit: Covenant and Code of Ethics

As well, one tool in the clergy toolbox is a ministry sabbatical. Regular, intentional time away from our ministry can be incredibly helpful to clergy, their families, and their ministry contexts. Find out more about sabbatical resources here:

Resources | Sabbaticals Planning

MCLive Webinar: Planning Sabbaticals, June 2024

Finally, over the years the Ministers Council has gathered resources for vocational health. Visit Best Practices for information on position descriptions, compensation, pastoral evaluations, retirement, conflict, misconduct process, pastoral relations committees, and much more.

Other denominational resources to explore:

An older, but still helpful, resource from ABHMS is "Calling an American Baptist Minister." Some of the information is outdated (i.e. the ABPS system for position/pastor calls), but there is still a lot of helpful information about the process of finding a congregation, advocating for remuneration, and practical examples throughout the process.

Another resource is found at the Center for Continuous Learning through ABHMS: Listen to Your Life

Go to top