Holding Up the Prophet's Hand: Supporting Church Workers

Author Bruce Hartung presents the challenges church workers face daily, along with positive and encouraging strategies for congregations to support their workers. This book deals with job stress, finances, marriage, housing, and other important issues in the lives of professional church workers, pastors, teachers, and DCE's.

Workers of the church are at increased risk of sadness, despair, stress, frustration, anger, and disappointment. There are inherent vocational risks involved when your job is to serve others and these risks are increased when one's vocation is to connect human experience and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These risks are increased even more as workers of the church walk closely with the life experience of the people that they serve.

When a worker of the church walks closely with his or her people, sees the Gospel-to-human experience connection in the lives of people and acts on that connection, often meets more-than-the-average stressors, and is in a people-oriented service vocation, the odds rise dramatically in terms of the risks to body, spirit, and self.

Author Dr. Rev. Bruce Hartung holds a doctorate (PhD) in Pastoral Psychology and Counseling and is currently Dean of Ministerial Formation at Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis.