When the Mission Weighs Heavy: Why Leader Care Can’t Wait

The Weight of the Mission

As a Marine, I know what it means to serve in a mission critical environment where everything is on the line.  Sacrifice and service are not only expected—it’s embedded into the culture. I learned how to persevere under pressure and stay the course when others are depending on you. There are times when pushing through is necessary.

But serving in ministry - whether at a church or a nonprofit - is a different kind of challenge. The calling entails long days and you’re always on call. The pressure is often quieter, but just as heavy. The mission is not measured in days or weeks. It unfolds over decades, shaping lives and communities across generations. And that kind of mission cannot be sustained without intentional care for those carrying it.

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The Shift We’ve Been Waiting For

That’s why a recent moment stood out to me.

I had the privilege of attending an Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)-sponsored dinner and Leader Care event during the Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes Conference in Dallas. It was more than a conversation. It was a clear signal that something is shifting.

At the event, the ECFA expanded on its newly adopted Leader Care Standard, set to take effect in 2027. This is not a minor adjustment. It is a bold and needed recognition that the well-being of leaders is vital to the integrity and longevity of the mission-driven Christian organizations.

At Forte, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when care is treated as optional. We have also seen the transformation that becomes possible when care is prioritized and proactive rather than reactive. This moment is not about burnout prevention alone. It is about re-centering the mission on what has always mattered most: people.

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The Symptoms of Neglected Care Are Already Here

The research is not ambiguous. Barna reports a rise in pastoral burnout at every level: emotional, spiritual, physical. The Best Christian Workplaces Institute highlights that the strongest driver of staff engagement isn’t vision or strategy, but the internal character and well-being of those who lead.

We see the warning signs everywhere: exhaustion passed off as dedication, spiritual dryness disguised as sacrifice, isolation mistaken for humility. These aren’t individual moral failures. These are systemic breakdowns that happen when we ask leaders to keep pouring out without being poured into. People are fatigued - not failing - in the pursuit of the mission.

And in ministry, this isn’t just unsustainable, it’s dangerous. Because when shepherds run on empty, the whole flock suffers.

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What’s Truly at Stake Here?

Everything.

When we neglect caring for people, we’re not just risking personal well-being—we’re gambling with:

• The sustainability of your mission
• The witness of your organization
• The families and communities depending on healthy leadership
• The next generation watching how we steward calling

This is not a conversation about comfort. It’s a conversation about credibility, longevity, and integrity.

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Whole-Person Stewardship Matters

The ECFA's call for boards and senior leaders to co-create care plans marks a return to biblical leadership: where calling is sustained by community, authority exercised with integrity, and a leader's soul is not sacrificed in pursuit of results.

Scripture doesn't glamorize hustle and burnout. Elijah received rest and nourishment. Paul relied on support networks. Jesus withdrew regularly for solitude and prayer. Your calling is sacred and so is caring for the vessel of that calling.

We need proactive, not reactive approaches. Care isn't a crisis response but a spiritual discipline. It recognizes that our spiritual, emotional, physical, and relational selves aren't compartments to manage, but a whole person to honor.

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Forte Is Ready to Help You Meet This Moment

At Forte, we were created for this very moment. We understand that care must be both deeply personal and scalable. We've built proactive, relational mental fitness pathways that allow not only leaders but also their entire team to persevere, grow, and flourish.

Church leaders are often most at risk, not from weakness, but because their roles isolate them from the very support they create for others. They're expected to rise above, when in truth, they're just as human, just as in need, and just as worthy of care.

The reality is that caring for our people must also be affordable and members of ECFA are mandated to do that well. That’s why ECFA members who provide unlimited and confidential care for their entire staff - not just the senior leaders - are spending less than .25% of their budget to do so and in return get tremendous ROI. The data speaks for itself:

• 50%+ of the team engages with Forte on a regular basis;
• 95% are better off mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually;
• 96% report being more present and effective in their calling because of Forte.

This isn't just about feeling better—it's about the mission.

The ECFA's standard offers a critical inflection point: will you treat leader care as a compliance issue to checkbox or seize it as a transformational opportunity?

People are the mission. And those people include your leaders and the staff they lead. Join the over 500 Christian, mission-driven organizations building a stronger culture and a stronger team through a partnership with Forte.

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Ready to strengthen your team's mental fitness? Schedule a conversation with our team today to discover how Forte can support your mission and care for those who care for others.