bLeaders: Leading While Bleeding

by David Lamb

Being called into Christian ministry has been the greatest honor of my life. For the past twenty-five years, by the grace of God, I have preached the Gospel all over the world. I have taught in African villages where no other white man’s foot has stepped. My tears have stained the streets of Angeles City (Philippines) where the devastation of the sex trafficking industry is unfathomable. The prayers and divine worship of saints in a dozen Mexican villages has allowed me to peek through the gates of heaven. In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I beheld Christians that were socially paralyzed by debilitating poverty yet profoundly filled with joy unspeakable. I have witnessed thousands of lost men and women crying out to God on altars all across the United States of America. I have beheld countless drug addicts healed and delivered. I have seen thirty-year alcoholics set free from their deadly vice. I have witnessed homeless men come to Christ having their lives completely restored. I have seen tumors shrink, blinded eyes opened, demons cast out, and lame men walk. In short, God has blessed me, allowing me to see the light of Christ shine upon humanity. I cannot imagine being anything other than a preacher of Christ’s Gospel. But I have also witnessed the dark side of ministry–the side most don’t want to discuss lest they sound carnal or embryonic. You see, I know about the pain of rejection, deceit, and poverty that is too often attached to the ministry. I have seen the enervating effects depression and anxiety have on pastors and their families. Some of my dearest friends have walked away from the pulpit never to return. Hundreds of ministers are exiting the ministry every month. 60% of those that enter the ministry will quit in the first year. I am angry about it; I am hurting because of it. I can no longer sit silent; I must do something about it. This book is my attempt at throwing a lifeline out to some desperate man or woman of God. “Bleaders” is me attempting to save a life. “Bleaders” is a spiritual survival manual. It is an exposé revealing ministerial taboos that very few of us are willing to talk about in the public forum. It is me telling way too much about how I feel, the ways I have tried coping with the complexities of ministry and how Jesus has walked with me every step of the way. When you open the cover of this book you will be joining a (re)focus group. Some of you need to be reminded who you are and more importantly whose you are. We are going to talk about your perception, opinions, beliefs, and attitude toward people, and most importantly, toward God. If you are dealing with ministerial burnout, depression, anxiety, and/or compassion fatigue, "bLeaders" will be just what the doctor ordered.

Kindle Edition

Published May 28, 2020

About the author

David Lamb's work has appeared in numbers publications, from National Geographic to Sports Illustrated. He has been a Nieman Fellow at Harvard, an Alicia Patterson Fellow and a wrier-in-residence at the University of Southern California. Lamb is the author of six books on subjects as diverse as Africa and minor league baseball. His most recent book is "Vietnam, Now: A Reporter Returns". He is a member of the Maine Newspaper Hall of Fame.