Boundary Setting for Clergy and Ministry Workers

Want to increase your effectiveness and protect your ministry?

Book Reviews

The very public nature of ministry can lead to overload and burnout unless the minister finds practical ways to gain balance. The concept of boundary setting is an essential idea that must be put into practice if ministers are to remain balanced and effective. Jim Stout gives us a clear rationale and pathway for setting reasonable and necessary boundaries to empower and preserve the ministry in which we are involved.
—Rev. Dr. Raymond Pendleton
Senior Professor of Counseling
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

As Rev. Dr. Jim Stout writes, setting strong, clear boundaries is vital to balanced work and personal lives. He writes as a pastor who was applauded for working an average of more than seventy hours a week. He provides a practical guide to boundary setting to prevent burnout. The advice he gives is as an insider and is therefore invaluable. He is committed to making his advice accessible to busy pastors by focusing on the practical needs of pastors who may not have time to read lengthy books.
—Karen Mason, Ph.D., L.P.C.
Professor of Counseling and Psychology
Director of the Hamilton Counseling Program
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

The information in the book can be used now and in the future. I especially like the examples he uses to let you know that you can't please everyone all the time. This book is written with a down-to-earth style and is very quick to read and understand.
—Cathy Dowell