SPIRITUAL RENEWAL

Pastors undoubtedly go through difficult times, but a local ministry is determined to help them grow through those struggles.

WRITER: JAMES COMBS PHOTO: FRED LOPEZ

It did not take Pastor Ron Cook very long to experience firsthand the conflict, stress, and struggle church leaders often face. As a 25-year-old pastor in West Virginia, he left a church business meeting feeling angry and sad.

“Church members told me that I don’t have enough stripes on my back. They said they were going to put some stripes on me,” he says. “That comment really hurt. It would’ve been nice to have someone to talk to, but pastors often have nowhere to turn for help.”

At that very moment, a ministry was birthed in his heart. Realizing that burnout is a threat to pastors, their families, and their church, he wanted to offer a way to help pastors who were struggling to deal with the daily demands of ministry.

That dream came to fruition 15 years ago when he and his wife, Rodetta, formed Care for Pastors. Their Leesburgbased ministry helps faith leaders from all denominations seek healing, restoration, and renewal.

“There are three challenges pastors face in churches,” says Pastor Cook, who has spent 40 years as a minister. “First, there’s empathy fatigue due to the fact that we give until we have nothing left to give. Second, there are marital challenges because a pastor and his wife live in a fishbowl where everyone is looking at them. They give everything to the church and have nothing left once they arrive home. The third one is church conflict. Sometimes church members have a contradictory vision to what the pastor has.”

A former pastor of First Baptist Church of Leesburg and founding pastor of Southpointe Baptist Fellowship in Leesburg, Rev. Cook left the church seven years ago so he could concentrate full-time on his ministry.

Last year, the ministry provided confidential counseling to 800 pastors and/or spouses through Skype, email, and face- to-face interaction. Care for Pastors offers use of the Serenity House, a fully furnished three-bedroom home in Leesburg for pastors who are burned out and need a respite. Pastors from as far away as Canada and the Philippines have stayed in the home for a week.

“Throughout the week, I give them homework assignments based on what they’ve learned in counseling,” he says. “After they visit, we provide six months of follow-up care. The change we see in them is tremendous. They go back to their churches feeling rejuvenated and encouraged and better prepared to serve because they found a safe place—a place of encouragement.”

Another aspect of the ministry is the Confidante, a program that helps pastors’ wives develop supportive relationships through a secured Facebook group, blog postings, and special events. In addition, Pastor Cook makes on-site visits to minister to pastors and their church staff.

“God has blessed us with this phenomenal ministry,” he says. “We don’t just focus on the spiritual aspect, but also the emotional and physical aspect. It’s important to address the whole person.”

For more information, visit careforpastors.org or call 352.728.8179.

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