Bible podcasts, videos, blogs, printables, and more to help you know, trust, and apply the Bible.

from Yvon Prehn to help you know, trust, and apply the Bible

On this site you’ll find Bible podcasts, videos, blogs, printables, and more to help you know, trust, apply, and teach the Bible. For FREE downloadable, editable, no attribution required teaching resources based on the content of this site, go to www.Bible805Academy.com.

  • Home
  • About
  • Yvon Prehn’s Bible Blog
  • Videos
You are here: Home / Bible805 Academy / “Pastors are tired” – a help for that and yet, what do you expect?

“Pastors are tired” – a help for that and yet, what do you expect?

2024-07-12 by bible805

Dog-tired in ministry
Are you tired in ministry? Here is a resource that will help.

“Pastors are tired” has been a recent headline in several ministry communications. When I read it, I had two conflicting thoughts that I’ll share. Be warned, the first is a bit grumpy, but it is followed by what I hope is a compassionate and helpful resource (stick around for that, it’s worth it).

The grumpy part

First of all, to address the issue of being tired, my question to pastors and people involved in work for the Kingdom of God,  from a lifetime of ministry is, “What do you expect?”

You are involved in spiritual warfare for the eternal souls of those the Lord has put in your care and it is at times a challenging and brutal battle. Jesus promised that when he said, “In this world, you WILL have tribulation (Jn. 16:33).”

When the Apostle Paul recounted his ministry, his sleepless nights, the beatings and stonings he endured in 2 Cor 11, (which few contemporary pastors experience, though some do), in addition to his unceasing concerns for his people, it was an exhausting ministry. As far as we know, it never got better for him. When, in his last letter to Timothy, he talked about “fighting the good fight” (2 Tim.4:7) he didn’t mention any timeouts on the way.

In the Old Testament I’m currently reading the book of Jeremiah and as far as I can tell, that prophet who had a long ministry, never had a good day. He preached faithfully and was continually mocked, threatened with death, and at one time thrown into a muddy hole.

As I write this, I’m tired. No need for details, but once again I’m reminded of a devotion I heard by Ann Ortland decades ago at a writers’ conference when she said, “Much of the work of the Kingdom is done by very tired people.”

Somehow that statement has greatly encouraged me over the years. We will get tired. It’s part of the job description and prayerfully, like Jesus, in Heb. 12:2, for the joy (and rest) set before us, we endure.

And now the helpful response—the Bible805 Academy

When we are tired in ministry we do need to evaluate whether it is a necessary part of the job or if there are ways that some burdens can be lifted. Often they can be lifted by another member of the Body of Christ and that is what I want to do.

I have spent the last few years developing a large body of resources that I pray will help pastors, teachers, and group leaders who want to teach the Bible. I’ve done that in part because I know that many in these positions have many other responsibilities they need to fulfill in their churches and other ministries—administrative, financial, counseling, communications work—all sorts of jobs that small and under-resourced churches simply don’t have additional staff for or money to hire out. One person has to do it all or it doesn’t get done.

In the midst of that is often little time for study and I offer what I’ve done to do it for them. I’ve spent many, many hours in research and organizing lessons about the Bible, why we can trust it, how we got it, lessons on the entire Bible, Bible reading plans, infographics that explain difficult concepts (like a timeline of the prophets and about the Trinity). They are now ALL FREE (or PWYW—pay-what-you-want, but FREE is greatly encouraged) for anyone who needs them. You can check out many of them on this Bible805.com website and my Bible805 YouTube channel but the following resource has them in downloadable format.

On the Bible805 Academy, this material includes videos without ads, audio files, editable PowerPoint lessons, questions, notes, plus infographics if they go with the lesson, all to equip you to teach. You may edit them, take my name and any Bible805 information off them, and use them all without attribution. The only limitation is that you cannot use them to make materials that you resell. You can freely give away or pass them on, however.

For updates when new materials are posted on the Academy, teaching tips, and other helpful ministry resources sign up for the Bible805 Newsletter, the Lion’s Voice.

My prayer is that the resources on the Bible805 Academy will encourage and equip you. . . and maybe even give you time for a well-deserved nap.

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Related

Filed Under: Bible805 Academy, Yvon Prehn's Bible Blog Tagged With: Free Bible teaching lessons, free teaching resources for pastors, teaching resources for Bible study teachers, teaching resources for small group leaders

Free to make unlimited copies, click on the image to go to the download page.

Schduels to read through the Bible in Chronological Order

Bible805 Categories of Topics – click to go to the entries in that category, PLEASE NOTE, all the materials on the Bible805 Academy are now FREE or PWYW (pay-what-you-want).

  • Bible805 Academy
  • Christian Salvation & Evangelism
  • Christmas
  • New Testament
  • Prophets and Kings
  • The Bible, foundational document of the Christian faith, sub categories follow
    • **Bible Genres and Hermeneutics
    • **Bible Teaching Resources
    • **Bible-inspired Infographics
    • **How We Got Our Bible
    • **Online Bible Study Tools, overviews and how to use them
    • **Read Your Bible in Chronological Order, why and how to do it
    • **Through the Bible Chronologically in 2023
    • **Why We Can Trust the Bible
  • The Trinity
  • Yvon Prehn's Bible Blog

Top Posts & Pages

  • Chart of Old Testament Prophets and Kings—where they fit in history
  • Read Your Bible in Chronological Order, why do it, why you haven't, how tos, schedules, motivational materials
  • Through the Bible in Chronological Order, schedules and journal pages
  • A question about Purgatory and why it is not a true Biblical doctrine
  • How we got the New Testament, Part 2—why the Gnostic Gospels aren’t part of it & implications for today
Free Bible Teaching Materials

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS TIMELINE UPDATED in 2024–PLEASE DOWNLOAD this version!

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS Timeline, FREE DOWNLOAD
Bible Chronological Reading Schedule

eBook, Not Safe, But Good – Why it is important to read your Bible in Chronological Order and how to do it – a FREE Download

Ebook on why it is important to read your Bible in Chronological Order and How to do it

Where you can listen to Bible 805 PODCAST

Anchor
ApplePodcasts
Google Podcasts
Spotify
Breaker
Castbox
Pocket Casts
RadioPublic   
Stitcher  

Bible 805 Podcasts from Yvon Prehn
Bibleverse t-shirts and more

Recent Posts

  • Giving up your life for your family and friends—not for heroes only
  • “Pastors are tired” – a help for that and yet, what do you expect?
  • For missionaries, small church leaders, anyone else with limited time to study–please pass along these FREE resources for teaching the Bible
  • Teaching tip: Be careful of personal illustrations—keep the focus on Jesus and the Word
  • The antidote to becoming monstrous—God’s Word, plus challenges from the movie, Zone of Interest
Christian Salvation & Discipleship podcasts and articles
Bibleverse Printables Shop
Bible 805 Videos from Yvon Prehn

Copyright © 2025 · Enterprise Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in