MondayMorningInsight - Leadership & Encouragement for Church Leaders

Mad Church Disease: Free Chapter Download available now!

Posted by: Todd
Posted on: Mon, October 20, 2008
Viewed 50
(8) comments so far

Anne Jackson's new book "Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic" isn't out until February, but you can read a free chapter of the book online right now. I think Anne's book is one that every pastor should read, and I'd encourage you to read the free chapter today! You can get it here...

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Anne Jackson on Mon, October 20, 2008

Thanks for the link, Todd, and the kind words! I appreciate it.
Camey on Mon, October 20, 2008

Have already read it! Definitely remember when this puppy was just started being discussed throughout blogland. Great job Anne!

Met another burned-out pastor on Saturday. I am thankful to Anne and all the others who contributed to the research/shoes behind this book. Prayers continue..
Kimberly Zweygardt on Mon, October 20, 2008

I can’t wait to read the rest of the book! There was a time when I knew people who had given up on church because of the pain and my husband and I would think, “How could they?” We were raised in church and loved church.

Fast forward to a very painful church split over pastoral issues (my husband was the head of the search committee) not to mention going thru the worship wars (WWI, WWII, and WWIII) and being involved from the ground up in founding a new church, and we were ripe for burnout. And yet, God calls us to the “one anotherness” of life in the Body. It would be easy to get bitter, but we have chosen the higher road, and I am so grateful He has met us where we are at each turn, hill and valley.

Thank you for your candidness, Anne (hoping you’ll be checking back on the comments :0). You are right—we can much more withstand the assault from outside the ranks than from inside, but a wise senior saint once told me that Satan has done some of his “finest” work within the walls of the church and I think that is what happens many times in these hurtful situations….our enemy is not flesh and blood, but powers and principalities working thru the weakness of the flesh to dishearten the church, hurt our brothers and sisters and steal our joy. Glad you haven’t let it steal yours!

Looking forward to reading the rest!
David on Mon, October 20, 2008

Thanks for making the chapter available and thanks Anne for writing what I have experienced over 33 years of ministry!!
ld on Mon, October 20, 2008

I believe this book will be a lifeline to many who naively enter into churches with a burning desire to live out the “one another” verses only to find that sometimes within the church, this somehow escapes those in charge! This will be a healing and helpful book to many. I have pre-ordered it from cbd. These situations are not exactly taught from the pulpit and therefore it is very hard to know how to handle them when they arise. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this book. Thank you Anne, ld
Evelyn on Mon, October 27, 2008

Fantastic chapter! It’s full of truth that was clearly learned from the molding and heat of experience. I too will have a hard time waiting until the book goes on sale. And I likewise learned the truth of what you share through painful experiences. Once you work your way through them in a manner that ‘s pleasing to God… you are truly blessed by the experience. So if you are a person who’s in the midst of a painful hurt… be encouraged! One thing that has helped me walk the painful path is when I can focus on God… not the injury… and continue to ask Him, “Lord, what do YOU want me to see and learn through all this?” Please know that if you keep your focus on Him, you’re guaranteed to make it through with a “well done faithful servant!” Thank you Anne, for writing something every Christian should hear. I pray it proves to be a tremendous blessing to others.
Glenn on Mon, October 27, 2008

Todd - thanks for posting the link to this chapter on your blog.

Anne - thanks for the courage to write this book. I look forward to reading it.

Having just been through another difficult and painful chapter of “Church Life on the Inside” I can better appreciate the journey that Anne has been through. Volumes of books could be written on: “Churches - Breeding Grounds of Dysfunction.” There would be no end to the stories that pastors, staff members, and spouses could tell just by completing this one sentence: “My church was so dysfunctional that…”

In spite of its dysfunction, God wants to use His church, not only as the vehicle for communicating His love and grace to a broken world, but as a vehicle for pouring His love and grace into those broken by the church. We who have been hurt by the church will either grow bitter (while we wait for an apology that will likely never come) or grow better - better forgivers, better lovers of those who have hurt us (even if we’ve needed to distance ourselves from them), and better followers of Christ.
Evelyn on Mon, October 27, 2008

Well said, Glenn. Right on!