As we enter the holiday season, christian leaders and their teams often face a unique kind of pressure that builds up with each passing week. The rhythm of ministry life—end-of-year services, holiday events, volunteer recruitment, and family responsibilities—can be incredibly draining, creating a period we not-so-affectionately call, "Death by Church".
For many, these final weeks of the year demand an endless to-do list and very little time for reflection or restoration. Amidst the hustle, it's easy to overlook a vital element: soul health—not just of the congregation, but of the very team making it all happen.
For leaders, leading for/from soul health is crucial. Unlike physical or mental health, soul health speaks to the deeper parts of ourselves that connect to purpose, peace, and resilience. When soul health is depleted, it shows up as burnout, cynicism, and disconnection. And because "as the leader goes, so goes the team," it’s essential that leaders prioritize both their own soul health and that of their staff. Soul health can’t be improved by more catered lunches, inspirational speeches about sacrificial service and impact, or any “quick fixes” to keep performing. Soul health is deep, it’s real, and it's what’s most at stake when our giving continues but our capacity to receive anything is gone.
Here’s how you, as a leader, can bring some intentionality to this unseen-yet-essential area of soul health, both for you and those you care for.
- Start with Honest Reflection
Before leading your team, take time to evaluate your own soul health. Ask yourself: Am I leading from a place of peace and purpose, or simply pushing through the demands of the season? Your team takes its cues from you, so modeling soul care is not just helpful—it’s essential.
Begin by reflecting on your own rhythms. How are your meetings, communication style, and expectations affecting not just your soul but also the well-being of your team? Are you unintentionally creating more pressure, or are you fostering an environment of clarity and calm?
Taking a moment to reset your own focus will allow you to lead with greater intention. When you model healthy practices, it empowers your team to do the same, creating a foundation for everyone to navigate this busy season with resilience and purpose.
- Open Up the Conversation
Create space for your team to pause and reflect regularly. Start meetings with a short moment of silence or prayer to center the group, and encourage team members to share one word that captures how they’re feeling. These small pauses can help everyone reconnect with themselves and each other, making the team more resilient amidst the busyness.
During these times be aware of telltale signs of exhaustion or withdrawal among your team members. Increased irritability, a lack of enthusiasm, or signs of physical fatigue may be indicators that someone is struggling. Instead of assuming they’ll bounce back, reach out and offer support, perhaps by redistributing some tasks or encouraging them to take a break. Although it’s a common assumption that everyone has their support and practices in place to stay soul-healthy, it's typically unfounded.
That’s where leaders can actually make a difference in their team’s soul health: dropping the assumption and asking, “how is my team, and what kind of support do they need to flourish personally and professionally?
- Reevaluate Priorities
The holiday season often brings endless to-do lists, but not everything needs to be done right now. Work with your team to identify what’s truly essential for your mission and what can wait until the new year. Focus on the tasks that align with your core goals and values, and let go of those that aren’t critical.
This isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing the right things well. When your team is clear on priorities, they’ll feel more focused, less overwhelmed, and better equipped to engage meaningfully. Giving your team margin also sets a powerful example of healthy boundaries in a busy season.
Ask yourself:
- What’s essential to our mission right now?
- What can be postponed or delegated?
By reevaluating together, you’ll help your team work with clarity and intention, ensuring the most important work gets done well.
- Promote Sustainability
Rather than driving your team to constant output, encourage sustainable rhythms of work and rest to support long-term well-being. Everyone should be able to step into January refreshed, not burdened by burnout or a sense of dread. To achieve this, consider setting firm boundaries around after-hours communication and ensuring that every team member can take a full day off each week.
Leaders who adopt a “churn and burn” mindset, pushing staff for one intense but unsustainable year, may see quick gains but lose valuable people to exhaustion and burnout. In contrast, leaders who prioritize sustainable rhythms equip their teams to flourish over the long haul, fostering deeper engagement, loyalty, and resilience. Ultimately, you’ll achieve a more enduring impact when your people are grounded, energized, and equipped with rhythms that sustain their best work and soul health over time.
- Assess Your Team Before Things Ramp Up
As a leader, you can’t address what you don’t see. In the rush of the holiday season, it’s easy to miss the subtle signs of burnout, disconnection, or depletion within your team. That’s why starting with our Soul Health Assessment is so crucial. This tool gives your team the opportunity to pause, reflect, and name where they are—spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.
By taking the assessment together, you’ll gain valuable insights into what’s working well, what’s causing strain, and where intentional care is most needed.
Lead Your Team into the Season with Clarity
This holiday season doesn’t have to be marked by exhaustion. Start with the Soul Health Assessment to get a clear picture of your team’s current state and use those insights to lead with purpose and care. When you begin by prioritizing soul health, you’ll give your team the foundation they need to thrive in this busy season.
Get Started with the Soul Health Assessment
“One of our strategic initiatives is the spiritual health of our staff. As leaders who are followers of Christ, we understand that we teach what we know, but reproduce who we are.
We had all our director-level leaders take the Soul Health Assessment and reviewed the results collectively. After sharing the results, we had powerful conversations on where we are, where we want to go, and most importantly…who we want to be. Based on that discussion, we have designed a 12-month plan to equip and support the soul health of those leaders.”
Ted Ancelet, Senior Chaplain, Bethany International
Get Started with the Soul Health Assessment