BMA Pastors: Free Confidential Help is Available

A typical day in the life of a pastor may consist of listening to a hurting widow, counseling a marriage in crisis, comforting children in the aftermath of divorce, and arbitrating a dispute between family members.

After a long day of shepherding, who will pastor the pastor? To whom can he bring his problems? Confidentiality prohibits him from discussing matters with other church members and most pastors often want to protect their wives from the drama.

For this reason, pastors are often the loneliest people in the church. They find themselves without anyone with whom they can share their pain and struggles. Many pastors long to have someone who will listen and understand where they are coming from.

If they don’t find someone to speak with, they will likely face burnout. Many will leave the pastorate all together or grow calloused toward the ministry.

Sadly, these pastors don’t suffer alone. The isolation felt by pastors can spread to the home. Wives begin to feel that their husbands are married to the church instead of to them. Children feel neglected as their fathers spend more time with other families and less time at home.

DiscipleGuide wants to help pastors and their families receive the help they need. Pastors may call 844-877-4BMA between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CST Monday through Friday for free, confidential help. This new partnership with Focus on the Family will provide a trained specialist for every caller. All specialists have vocational ministry experience so they understand where pastors are coming from.

The help line is available for all BMA pastors and their wives to discuss any issue ranging from dealing with a difficult church member, pornography, addictions, anxiety/depression, personal marriage issues, parenting, etc.

“Our goal,” according to DiscipleGuide Executive Director Scott Attebery, “is to give pastors resources to help them prevent pastoral burnout, family struggles, and destructive behavior. That benefits everyone –the pastor, his family, and the church.”