Welcome to Part 1 of a wonderful, can’t-miss two-part interview with Josh Spurlock, founder of My Counselor Online, a clinically-informed faith-based counseling ministry. Josh’s organization comes alongside pastors, missionaries, and their families to hold up their arms as they face challenges of being on the front lines for the Kingdom. Over the next two pods, we’ll explore the subject, The Pastor as a First Responder.

Here are today’s notes:

• What’s been happening with leaders over the past twelve months?
  • God is at work in the midst of suffering to bring His purpose into our lives.
  • The stress of the last twelve months has brought things to a head internally for leaders and their families.
  • Things that have been undermining our effectiveness as leaders and connectedness as families that Pre-COVID weren’t bad enough to get our attention now have come to a breaking point and have forced us to address those undermining factors. It’s helping to remove some of the stigma of mental and emotional difficulty.

• How can a pastor function as a first responder?
  • We often neglect to talk about the toll of being on the front lines
  • We often spiritualize the role of pastor and deny the realities of our limitations – that somehow dealing with trauma doesn’t affect pastors the same way it impacts other first responders.
  • Jesus lived within human limitations while on earth, and He’s given permission to us to follow in His footsteps.
  • Jesus isn’t asking leaders to deny the limits that He created us with.

Final Thought: Jesus more than once disappointed people’s expectations.