Ministry work involves many different transitions. These include leaving a role, starting a new one, transitioning to a new church, or even moving overseas. For many people, these ministry transitions may be exciting and planned but for others they may be unexpected and painful. Sometimes these ministry transitions may have only a short period of time between them which can lead to limited space to reflect and process experiences. These times of change and adjustment can have many different emotional and spiritual realities.
As psychologists who work with many people going through ministry transitions, we often see that many people find it helpful to debrief or reflect on these transitions with a trusted professional. This can help ministry workers and their families to identify and process conflicting emotions or identify unhealthy coping patterns that may be easy to overlook.
1. Transitions Often Involve Real Loss
Leaving a church family after many years of service is different to simply leaving a workplace. For ministry workers and their families, it not only involves leaving a job and colleagues, but also their church community, support network, familiar weekly rhythms, and often their home.
The loss of a child’s friendships in a kids’ ministry, the connections formed in serving together, or the relationships formed in playgroups or bible studies are all examples of real losses. These losses are genuine experiences of grief and are often experienced all at once. This grief is the right response to years invested in relationships and community – even if the decision to leave is for positive reasons. For people ministry transitions are not always a result of their own choice and the grief and loss are often even more painful and hard to process.
2. Transitions Signify a Change to Identity
It is normal for many ministry workers to have some sense of their identity tied to a specific role or location, sometimes for decades at a time. When a ministry transition arrives, inherent to that change, is a loss of identity. This can often produce feelings of confusion, resentment, sadness, irritation, shame, apathy, vulnerability, and isolation. Many ministry workers may wrestle with personal, psychological, and spiritual questions such as:
- Who am I if I am not in this role?
- What does a healthy transition look like?
- What habits and patterns am I bringing into this new season?
- How can I be obedient to God when I’m leaving behind strained relationships?
- How do I understand who I am in light of the hurt I have experienced in this role?
- How do I move forward with fear about starting the next chapter?
- Is my relationship with God reliant on being involved in a particular ministry?
These questions are all understandable and valid given seasons of change; however, it is helpful to make time to process and reflect on them to gain acceptance and closure
3. Transitions and the “In-Between” Can Create Anxiety
The period between leaving one role and starting another can create stress and anxiety for ministry workers and their families. There may be uncertainties regarding education, employment, finances, housing, schooling, children, and support structures. It is important to remember that fear in these situations is not from a lack of faith but an appropriate response to ambiguity and uncertainty. Providing space and room to feel all emotions with curiosity and without judgment can help during this period.
4. Transitions Require Intentional Care
Intentional space and support can often help ministry transitions. Making space can sometimes feel difficult with all the complexity of securing housing and employment, starting new roles, adjusting to a new city and building another support network from scratch. However, without meaningfully processing and reflecting on the previous experience, there will often be ways that it shows up unhelpfully in the new setting. Reflective journalling, giving significant time to rest, debriefing with mentors, and seeking out support from a psychologist are all healthy ways to seek a dedicated space to grow and heal during ministry transitions. This can proactively help to prevent further mental health deteriorating at a later time.
Conclusion
Ministry transitions involve real loss, can change our sense of identity, may create anxiety and require intentional care. These realities reflect just how significant and life-changing ministry work can be, but also the unique risks to psychological wellbeing.
If you’re wondering whether therapy might be helpful during a period of transition as a ministry worker or a family member of a ministry worker, we’d love to connect and see whether one of our psychologists may be able to assist at the Centre for Effective Living. We would love to support you whether you are looking to reflect or debrief your experience in a ministry role or are currently facing significant stressful events. There is also a free emotional wellbeing check for ministry workers and other wellbeing resources including our clergy wellbeing podcast available here.
