Baptist women in ministry gather to refill

With “You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup” as their theme, Texas Baptist Women in Ministry gathered at The Crossing Baptist Church in Mesquite to discuss stress and burnout.

Organizers planned the event to help ministry leaders and guests grasp the importance of self-care through quiet time with God, art, community service and appointments with licensed professional counselors.

Speaker Judy Jarratt, executive director and dean at the Wayland Baptist University Lubbock campus, said rest, communication and relationships with others within and outside of the church is key to overcoming stress and burnout.

Jarratt acknowledged a feeling of loneliness as a woman who preaches, teaches and serves within the local church.

“When we talk about loneliness, women in ministry—just that leadership role is lonely. Being a woman in a leadership role has its own loneliness. But I assert that men in ministry are also lonely and face many of the same problems. So, connections are vital,” Jarratt said.

Connection and support are vital for leaders and the men and woman who serve within various ministries within the church, she said.

“There needs to be connection with the leader and the members of the congregation. The congregation should support, encourage and be there for the minister,” Jarratt said.

“But the minister or leader also needs people outside of the church for connection. They need to be involved in the community. It is important to be recognized in the community as a leader so that maybe they are involved with a school or chamber of commerce.”

Loneliness comes due to high expectations from others within the church and in the community, Jarrett said.

She described the differences between stress and burnout, describing burnout as “a defense characterized by discouragement” and stress as “over-engagement” and that burnout is “demoralization” and stress as “a loss of fuel and energy.”

“Do what you can do,” Jarratt said. “Talk to your leaders. Ask them: ‘How can I serve?’ and ‘How can I help take the load off what you’re doing?’ If you have a talent, a skill, let the leaders know. They can’t just know that.”

Attendee Pat Jackson, member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Athens said she planned to share what she learned with her congregation.

“It gave me some thoughts that I don’t have to do everything on my own, so I will take a lot of this to heart and put it to work and make things work better for us,” Jackson said.