(Air1 Closer Look) -- For ministry leaders, reaching a point of mental exhaustion is not a matter of if, but when. "Missionaries often have stress levels of double to triple the average Americans,” says Aaron Taylor of ServantCARE, a non-profit hospitality ministry offering God’s laborers something simple but hard to find – rest. “Our goal is to help pastors, missionaries and ministry leaders find safe, affordable places to rest and reconnect with God.”
ServantCARE partners with Christian homeowners worldwide who open their guest rooms, cabins and rental properties to ministers and their families. Most stays cost just $15 a night, making rest accessible to those who often cannot afford it.
“We care for those who serve,” explains Taylor. “Tears start forming in their eyes when they hear, ‘this is actually available?’”
The ministry began 25 years ago, built by longtime directors Larry and Anita Smith. While working as Waffle House owners in Eufaula, Ala., the pair heard God’s call to “take care of My sheep.” Over coffee and waffles they offered listening ears, prayer and discipleship to anyone who stepped onto what became hallowed ground for the southeast Alabama community. That same heart became the foundation of ServantCARE: unwavering, holistic compassion.
The job of pastor or missionary very often comes with unrealistic expectations and all forms of pressure. Taylor points to a separation between the unique mental health challenges of ministry work and crucial access to places of solitude for rejuvenation.
To address the gap, ServantCARE also partners with professionals like Marty Thompson, a mental health coach and executive director of Missional Living. “Mental exhaustion can make it harder to get a sense of God’s presence,” he says, reminding us “they are constantly absorbing other people’s pain.”
The former pastor offers ministry workers tools like “active rest,” moments of stillness woven into everyday life. Thompson aims to reorient how those he works with think of rest. Instead of laziness, he wants them to see it as obedience.
“Mental health is about how we’re doing on the inside,” Thompson said. “It’s stewardship – caring for the mind and spirit God gave us.”
“Sabbath now is rest in Jesus – we abide in him,” Thompson explains. “So, rest is not something we do as a task -- and that we put on the list to do. It is something that we do out of obedience and it becomes a natural rhythm of our lives.” Being in a space that is not overcharged with our rational thinking, he adds, "That’s rest.”
Both Taylor and Thompson say rest, reflection and simply sitting at the gracious feet of the Father are essential to daily life and well-being.
“Jesus often was trying to get away, and He did get away to be with the Father because of the demands of what was upon him,” Taylor reminds us. “And so, if He made that a priority, how much more should we make it a priority?”
