The Unstuck Church Podcast with Amy Anderson Hot Topics: Burnout - Episode 427
Dec 17, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Jimmy McLeod, Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Canton, Ohio, shares his personal journey through burnout and how the pressures of ministry multiplied during COVID. He reveals essential self-assessment techniques, like evaluating joy and relationships, to detect burnout early. Jimmy explains the ripple effects of a leader's exhaustion on church culture and offers practical recovery steps, emphasizing the importance of boundaries and spiritual rhythms for lasting health in ministry.
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Burnout Creeped In During COVID
- Jimmy McLeod describes burnout as a slow leak that crept in during early COVID when he worked 16-hour days and did multiple jobs.
- His wife noticed first and warned him she thought he might die if he didn't get help, which prompted assessment and recovery.
Burnout Starts With A Lost Connection
- Burnout often begins not with tiredness but with a shift from being with Jesus to working for Jesus.
Use Heart Vital Signs To Self-Assess
- Assess what you lean into when stressed: prayer or productivity, grace or defensiveness, being with God or only working for Him.
- Use those heart vital signs to gauge risk and course-correct before exhaustion appears.