This document discusses the importance of personal growth, support, and pastoral care. It examines examples from the Bible of God resting on the seventh day of creation, Moses listening to counsel from his father-in-law, and Jesus prioritizing time alone with God and with friends. The document suggests setting boundaries like protecting scheduled time off, finding an accountability partner, avoiding work late at night, and booking regular retreats. It emphasizes the importance of rest and spiritual growth for pastors and leaders.

1. Welcome to
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2. Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

3. ‘One of the dangers of
ministry is that we
endlessly meet the needs
of others without giving
time to some of the
important things that God
has called us to.’ (p21)
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

4. Biblical overview...
Genesis 1:5; 1:8; 1:13; 1:19; 1:23; 1:31
‘It was evening, it was morning – Day 1; ...it was
evening, it was morning – Day 2...’
God’s days started with rest.
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

5. Gen 2:2-4
By the seventh day
God had finished his work.
On the seventh day
he rested from all his work.
God blessed the seventh day.
He made it a Holy Day
Because on that day he rested from his work,
all the creating God had done.
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

6. Day 7 – what did God actually do?
How did God rest on day 7?
What sorts of things did He do?
Did He sit there all day doing nothing?
Did he sit there all day working?
If not...what did He do?
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

7. • cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength.
• synonyms: relax, take a rest, ease up/off, let up, slow down, pause,
have/take a break, unbend, repose, laze, idle, loaf, do nothing, take
time off, slack off, unwind, recharge one's batteries, be at leisure, take
it easy, sit back, sit down, stand down, lounge, luxuriate, loll, slump,
flop, put one's feet up, lie down, go to bed, have/take a nap, nap,
catnap, doze, have/take a siesta, drowse, sleep; de-stress, take five,
have/take a breather, veg out, snooze, snatch forty winks, get some
shut-eye;
Rest…
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

8. Exodus 18:13-27
• Moses and
the Father-
in-law
talk....
What lessons can we learn from this passage about Personal Growth, Support and
Pastoral Care?
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

9. Lessons from the Father-in-law...
• ‘Why do you sit alone?’ (v14)
• ‘From morning to evening...’ (v14) – compare Genesis
1: ‘It was evening, it was morning...’
• ‘Because the people come to me to inquire of God...’
(v15)
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

10. • ‘What you are doing is not good. You will surely
wear yourself out, both you and these people
with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you
cannot do it alone. Now listen to me. I will give
you counsel, and God be with you!’ (v17-19)
– Do those around us feel as if they can offer us advice?
Do we listen to it?
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

11. The wisdom of our parents...
• ‘So Moses listened to his
father-in-law and did all
that he had said.’
• ‘Then Moses let his father-
in-law depart, and he went
off to his own country.’
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

12. Jesus
• From your knowledge of
Jesus, how did he support
himself, develop his own
personal growth, and
what boundaries did he
put in place? Try and give
Biblical examples.
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

13. Jesus...fully God yet fully human...
• He could still only be in one place at one time.
• He still needed to spend time on his own with his
father (Matt 14:23, Mark 6:45, Luke 6:12)
• He still needed a core group of friends ‘to do life
with’ (John 6:3, Matthew 17:13)
• He enjoyed a good party (John 2)
• He wept and allowed himself to grieve when he
was upset (John 11:35)
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

14. What does it look like in reality?
What things have we already put in place for our
own personal growth, support and pastoral
care?
What has worked for us as individuals which we
could recommend to others?
What areas do we struggle with?
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

15. Patrick Raegan
• Plan your time off in advance and then protect it (write days / evenings off in your
diary and treat them like any other important appointment that can’t be broken).
• Be accountable. Have someone safe you can be vulnerable with, let off steam to
and who will check up on how you’re doing. Give them permission to challenge
you in this area.
• Be disciplined and choose not to check emails late at night/on your day off.
• It may be helpful to see a counsellor, especially if you already feel burnt out.
• Study what the Bible has to say about rest to remind yourself of its importance and
to keep guilt at resting away.
• Find times when it is just you and God, without any agenda or anyone else to
worry about.
• Book in a retreat once a term.
• Taken from http://youthwork-magazine.co.uk/main/article/burnout
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care

16. Thoughts to take home...
• What can we do this week to ensure we create
time to rest on a daily basis?
• Just because we can, should we?
• How can we ensure that we continue to grow
as disciples of Christ?
Personal growth, support &
pastoral care