Take Care of Yourself: Survive and Thrive in Christian Ministry

by Pablo Martinez, Lindsay Brown (Foreword)

“They made me take care of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I neglected.” (Song of Songs 1:6b) Paul urged Timothy to learn this vital principle when he was still young. It contains one of the keys in Christian If someone in ministry is not all right, the quality of their ministry will be affected. In Christian ministries, it is easy to find workers who never think of themselves. While selflessness is a Christlike trait, at times we can push ourselves too far, leading to the paradigm of stressed and burned-out people. In order to love God and serve others, we often need to be still, take a rest, and be refreshed. This book will help Christians find the balance between ministry and “monastery,” between the urgent work of service and the place of rest and restoration. Caring for our own “vineyard”―the talents, gifts, and emotional resources of our personality―is not only a privilege but a duty. It is part of good stewardship, an act of obedience as disciples of Christ. Far from being a sign of a more spiritual attitude, neglecting our own needs can be a serious mistake and even a sin.

Genres: Christian Living

112 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[Aurimas Gudas · Rating 5 out of 5]

"problem is not working too much, but resting (renewing) too little."
"Our identity and value before God come primarily from who we are, not from what we do."
"Jesus lived a very intensive life; he worked hard and he never wasted a minute. Yet we never see him in a hurry except when he had to flee from temptation."
"Friends are one of the main tools God uses to keep his servants steadfast before the attacks of the enemy."
"God—and his servants—the supreme source of strength lies in quietness before him."
"Joy is an excellent test to measure the freshness of our ministry. Remaining joyful is an accurate indicator of healthy inner renewal. The joy of Christ is the best ‘vaccination’ against pessimism and disappointments."
"One of the most fascinating discoveries I have made in my practice as a Christian medical doctor over the years is the close relationship between God’s commandments and abundant life."

[Marko Ivanovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone who has dedicated their life to honest and selfless work for others, where laziness fades away, and obsessive proactivity becomes a problem.

Quote 1: "Let your ambition be to lead a peaceful life. It's surprising how the Bible speaks more about rest than work."

Quote 2: "The issue isn't that we work too much, but that we rest too little."

P.S. Hopefully, I won't forget what I've read tomorrow.

[Gary Ellison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book brought a helpful new perspective for me, looking at rest and self-care in ministry from both a theological and medical perspective. Pablo’s teaching was both insightful and practical and I know will be particularly helpful if I implement it’s teaching. I was particularly challenged by the final chapter on being still and knowing God, the ultimate renewal that we can find. My one criticism is that he has tried to fit too much into this little book, some areas would be helped by including more detail or being left out as in some ways they distract from the flow of the book. This problem is perhaps symptomatic of the books size. It is definitely a great help and an introductory read for anyone wishing to ensure they avoid burnout in ministry.

[Camelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that structure & highlight so well the needs of a person in leadership. I admit that I was in great need of this book not because it brought new elements but it finally showed me where I was mistaking in my ministry.
Coming out from a very difficult season it was eye opening to have some guidelines on how to re-think the ministry & re-arrange some priorities.
I would say that of you are involved in any type of ministry you should read this booklet. You will thank me later.

[Rona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book full of wisdom for people involved in busy parish ministry. There were so many insights, biblical truths, common sense reminders and there was so much theology in this very small book that I highly recommend it to others in ministry, just as it was highly recommended to me.

[Mathias Holk Stoltenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fin lille bog, som formaner, særligt den aktivistiske kristen, til et “stilfærdigt” liv, hvor hvilen er hovedhjørnestenen. Den kommer ikke så meget i dybden, men åbner for mange fine refleksioner. “Det sker når du hviler” er langt at foretrække om kristen hvile.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! Short, but very helpful.
I wish I read it years ago.
All Christian leaders should read it.

[Amílcar Rodríguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recomendado para todo líder de la iglesia.

[Julie Bertram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for every Christian; if we are walking in obedience to Christ, we are serving. Take Care of Yourself challenged me to reevaluate the way I walk (and rest) in and with Christ.

[James Bunyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good premise, odd Bible handling.

[Alan Kongari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short 100 page book that’s easy to read and understand. Would recommend to anyone in leadership, but actually there's a lot there that most laymen would do well to apply to their lives. We live in a society where most people are stressed out. We need to learn to rest properly so we can function properly.

It's not mainly about the amount of work but the quality of our rest.

I had the privilege to get lectures from the author about the subject.

[Jon Håversen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muligens den beste boken om kristen lederskap jeg noensinne har lest.

[Mike Betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really practical and helpful. Some great insights. Big recommend from me for anyone in any form of ministry / service for God