Lonely in the church

From Thom Rainer:

The three most common causes of loneliness shared with me by pastors are insightful:

1.     Church members do not want to get too close to a pastor.  

2.     The pastor is accustomed to giving instead of receiving.  

3.     The pastor is in a defensive mode.

Three Dangers . . .

Here are the three most common negative consequences of loneliness straight from the mouths of pastors:

4.     Burnout.  

5.     Moral failure.

6.     Depression.

Three Solutions . . .

I plead with pastors to who are experiencing loneliness to take one or all of the following steps:

7.     Find a confidant.

8.     Involve your spouse.

9.     Get professional help.