Jeremy Writebol Offers Hope for the Weary, the Burned Out and the Broken
BELLINGHAM, Wash., February 27, 2023 — To bring biblical clarity to the job description of today’s pastors and challenge them to fulfill it through Jesus’ sufficiency, author and pastor Jeremy Writebol has written “Pastor, Jesus is Enough,” releasing March 15 from Lexham Press.
Today, many pastors and ministry leaders are deeply impacted by the weight of their job responsibilities. A 2022 Barna study revealed that 42% of pastors considered resigning within the past year due to stress and burnout, increasing 29% from the previous year in 2021.
Speaking deeply to the hearts of pastors who are trying to shepherd in a pandemic-shaped world, Writebol invites readers to hear the words of the risen Jesus in the seven letters within Revelation 2–3. Typically studied as exhortations directed to churches, Writebol explores how they also speak to pastors by addressing seven key truths:
Pastors love Jesus most;
Pastors suffer;
Pastors teach and tell the truth;
Pastors become like Jesus;
Pastors abide in Jesus;
Pastors find their value in Jesus; and
Pastors repent.
“These seven letters are love letters from Jesus to pastors, and the more I think about it, the more that seems right,” shares Writebol. “Certainly, they aren’t syrupy and sappy letters, but they are nonetheless evidence of Jesus’ care and concern for the pastors who lead His Church.”
Whether pastors are hurting or straying, “Pastor, Jesus is Enough” shares how Jesus draws near to them and reminds them of his sufficiency. In these warnings and promises, Jesus has hard words for pastors, but they’re words of life. Most of all, Jesus urges pastors to keep their focus on Him.
“These letters are the very Word of God for pastors today, like me and you, striving to be enough and yet forgetting to remember that we have a Savior who is absolutely enough,” says Writebol. “But pastor, the good news is that you cannot be enough. Because only Jesus is enough.”
Full of biblical, practical wisdom for faithful ministry, “Pastor, Jesus is Enough” releases March 15 from Lexham Press. For more information, visit https://lexhampress.com/product/229473/pastor-jesus-is-enough-hope-for-the-weary-the-burned-out-and-the-broken.
About Lexham Press
Lexham Press seeks to increase biblical literacy, thoughtful Christian reflection, and faithful action around the world by publishing a range of Bible study materials, scholarly works, and pastoral resources. For information, visit lexhampress.com.
About Jeremy Writebol
Jeremy Writebol is the lead campus pastor of Woodside Bible Church in Plymouth, Michigan, and executive director of Gospel-Centered Discipleship. He is the author of “everPresent: How the Gospel Relocates Us in the Present.”