From Burnout to Breakthrough: Why I Stopped Carrying Ministry Alone
Let me ask you a question I had to ask myself not long ago:
Are you tired? Discouraged? Feeling like you’re carrying too much alone?
If so, I get it—because I’ve lived it.
After nearly 20 years in vocational ministry, I know the weight of burnout. I’ve tried leading alone, shouldering the spiritual load of a growing church, and pushing through out of obedience. But somewhere along the way, the joy started to fade. The vision felt heavier than it used to. I was running on empty and it was costing more than just my energy. It was costing time with my family, my presence at home, and my spiritual vitality.
As I started a new role in 2021, I was committed to finding a strategic partner to help us cultivate a culture of discipleship that would promote a healthy culture through equipping the saints for the work of ministry; to mobilize the saints and share the load of ministry. That’s when God introduced me to Disciples Made.
I was desperate for more than inspiration… I needed implementation. We needed a process that would help us stop doing everything for others and start equipping others to do ministry with us. And honestly? That shift has been transformational.
Through Disciples Made’s Platinum Coaching Journey, our church, Gloria Dei in southeast Houston, now has a system in place of developing leaders who are becoming disciple-makers; not just consumers or volunteers, but people living out their masterpiece mission. It’s reproducible, measurable, and best of all… it’s shared.
This isn’t just about lightening our load. It’s about raising up everyday people to partner with Jesus, inside and outside the church. Our staff meetings, our worship planning, our student ministry; most things are being shaped by a renewed focus on intentional, relational discipleship. We haven’t thrown out connection or small groups. We’ve just moved the finish line. People are no longer just “connected” - they’re becoming contributors & partners in God’s mission.
In our recent webinar, I sat down with Brian Phipps, founder of Disciples Made, to talk about this coaching journey. Brian brings decades of experience as a pastor and coach, and he knows the emotional toll leadership can take, especially post-COVID, in our polarized culture.
That’s why this 12-month journey was designed to meet pastors and church leaders where they are… with plug-and-play resources, influence-level cohorts that develop spiritual leaders, and coaching that aligns your systems with Jesus’ mission. It’s custom-fit for your church’s needs and dreams.
We’ve already seen churches move from burnout to breakthrough.
I’m one of them.
If you’re ready to stop carrying ministry alone...
If you’re ready to see leaders rise up and multiply impact…
If you long to live and lead fully alive…
📺 Watch our conversation below.
🚀 Explore the Platinum Coaching Package.
We’ve already got several churches signed up. There’s still time to join us and we’d love to walk with you. Let’s move from burnout to breakthrough, together.
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Jason Phelps
Discipling Director, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Coach, Disciples Made