Fit: Why Some Pastors Thrive While Others Burn Out

Fit: Why Some Pastors Thrive While Others Burn Out argues that pastoral burnout is not caused by workload alone, but by the fit between a pastor and his church. Drawing on interviews with ten Presbyterian Church in America pastors, Frank Tallerico shows that many pastors come close to burnout without naming it directly.The book identifies burnout as a slow erosion of body, soul, emotions, and calling, marked by exhaustion, isolation, cynicism, and loss of joy. Its hopeful finding is that pastors thrive when their gifts, values, expectations, and temperament align with the congregation they serve.Written for pastors, spouses, elder boards, search committees, and denominational leaders, Fit offers practical tools for preventing burnout through clear expectations, peer relationships, boundaries, sabbaticals, delegation, and leadership that truly cares for the shepherd.