Flourishing in Ministry: How to Cultivate Clergy Wellbeing

Pastoral work has been described as stressful, tough, demanding, sometimes misunderstood, and often underappreciated and underpaid. Ministers devote themselves to caring for their congregations, often at the expense of caring for themselves. Studies consistently show that physical health among clergy is significantly worse than similar adults who are not in ministry. Flourishing in Ministry offers clergy and those who support them practical advice for not just surviving this grueling profession, but thriving. Matt Bloom, the director of the Flourishing in Ministry project, shares the groundbreaking research from more than a decade of study. The Flourishing in Ministry project draws on more than 5000 surveys and 300 in-depth interviews with clergy across denominations, ages, races, genders, and years of practice in ministry. The book distills this deep research into easily understandable stages of flourishing that can be practiced at any stage in ministry or ministry formation.