Take Care of Yourself: Survive and Thrive in Christian Ministry - Pablo Martinez

Pablo Martinez was a European Leadership Forum Steering Committee member for more than 10 years. He currently works as a psychiatrist at a private practice in Barcelona. He has also developed an extensive itinerant ministry as a counsellor, speaker, and Bible teacher. He served as one of the vice-presidents of the International Christian Medical and Dental Association (ICMDA). He filled the role of President of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance (1999-2009) and Professor of Pastoral Theology at several theological institutions. His books have been published in 17 languages. His most recent works are Mad or God?: Jesus, the Healthiest Mind of All (Inter-Varsity Press, England, co-authored) and Take Care of Yourself: Survive and Thrive in Ministry (Hendrickson Publishers and DictumPress). For more information see www.christian-thought.org.

“They made me take care of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I neglected” (Song of Songs 1:6b). Caring for your own vineyard is not a minor issue. The wisdom of the Bible warns us that in the same way that a bottle of perfume can be spoiled by a dead fly (Eccles. 10:1), neglecting the care of yourself can bring forth major consequences. Your own life, the wellbeing of your family, and the quality of your ministry are at stake. A full life is not the same as a fruitful life, and God created us as human beings, not human doings. Therefore, the purpose of this talk is not making you work less, but helping you rest and renew yourself better.

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