Welcome to the Influence Podcast!

I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. In this episode, I talk to Mark Hausfeld about how ministers can move toward physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health — and why they should.

Hausfeld is executive director of the Institute for Ministerial Wholeness and an ordained Assemblies of God minister,

Ministry is demanding, even for Jesus. Matthew 8 tells us “large crowds followed him.” Jesus goes on to heal a leper, resurrect a servant, cure Peter’s mother-in-law, exorcize demonized persons, and calm a storm on the Sea of Galilee.

The detail that strikes me is Jesus falling asleep during a storm (8:24). No wonder! He was tired.

If ministry wore out Jesus, it will wear out us too. We need to be rested and ready to do God’s work.

SHOW NOTES

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 01:40 — Why is wholeness of body, mind, soul, and spirit necessary?
• 04:25 — How does physical health or illness impact our ministries, and how do we get healthier?
• 14:38 — Why should ministers commit to lifelong learning, and what are ways to do that?
• 23:39 — How does emotional messed-up-ness derail ministry, and how can ministers get back on track?
• 28:55 — What is spiritual formation?
• 34:34 — What is spiritual direction, and why is it necessary for pastors?
• 40:36 — Tell us a little about the certificate in spiritual direction offered by the Institute for Ministerial Wholeness through the auspices of Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.
• 44:54 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 49:15 — Conclusion