Customer Reviews

Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wayne's book is both practical and encouraging. Here is a Pastor on the cutting edge who has encountered the reality of his own human limits and has proven that you CAN do what it takes to get life back in as "balanced" a position as is possible for healthy life and ministry. For far too long, faithful Pastors have gotten tired, burned out, and been tossed to the side of the road. Wayne writes with transparency and an openness that will have you feeling what he felt and sensing that he has also been where you have been, or maybe even that he has been where you are right now! This book should be a pre-req for all Pastoral Ministry candidates!

In his book "Leading on Empty," Wayne Cordeiro shares the story of his own personal burn-out, which resulted from years of very successful pastoral ministry that he pursued without adequate attention to sustainability and personal well-being. He wrote this book as a means to share what he learned over the years, especially during and after his crisis of burn-out, to help other leaders, especially pastors, to avoid the trauma that he endured. The account is very personal and very specific, written in Cordeiro's typically accessible style. Though I read it in small bits over the course of several months, it could also probably be read in one or two sittings.

The strengths of the book are its practicality and specificity. Cordeiro offers a host of practices that pastors would be well-served to embrace or at least consider to avoid the sort of crisis that knocks so many hundreds of pastors out of ministry each year. He suggests that taking care of his body through diet, exercise, and sleep was essential. He suggests that maintaining spiritual disciplines like Bible study and prayer and developing other leaders around him were essential. He suggests that being committed to rest, by establishing a daily routine including moments of respite, committing to a weekly Sabbath rest, carving out time for periodic days of renewal, and understanding the value of sabbaticals every 5-7 years, was absolutely essential to him. He speaks about the value of giving necessary time and energy to his family and of scheduling his day to give his most productive time to his most important commitments. This is all great stuff, which we would all do well to consider.

As much as I agreed with almost everything that Cordeiro said in the book, I have several critiques to offer. First and foremost, I found the sheer volume of his suggested preventative measures to burn-out to be overwhelming. I almost felt like he was saying that if we all did these 57 suggested things, then all would be well, but the complexity of what he offered was simply too much. Unless my primary focus in life was to model my life after Wayne Cordeiro, I would quickly be overwhelmed and distracted by trying to implement all that he offered. On a related note, I thought that the general tone of some of his points were far too prescriptive, rather than merely being descriptive. It's one thing to say, "Here are some things that have been helpful to me, so I'd encourage you to consider them." It's an entirely different tone (and decidedly less helpful, I think) to say, "These are the 57 very specific things that you must do if you want to avoid burn-out." Do I really need to study the Bible using Cordeiro's SOAP method to be able to meaningfully engage with the Scriptures? Do I really need to go to bed at 9:00pm and wake up at 5:00am to get a good night of sleep? Cordeiro may think so, but I'm unconvinced that these approaches are universal. My final critique is that the main points of the book seemed to be rather unoriginal, stuff that I've read from the likes of Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley, Sam Rima, and many others over the years. I'm glad that the book has proven to be so helpful to most of the other reviewers, but it seemed to me that I had pretty much read or heard all of it before.

Ultimately, I want to reiterate that Cordeiro's book is a quick and helpful read. If you're completely unfamiliar with the areas of self-leadership and personal sustainability in ministry, this is a decent summary of worthwhile ideas. I wish the tone had been a bit less dogmatic at points, but Cordeiro has offered a helpful addition to the pastor's library.

I read "Leading on Empty" in less than two days! Wayne Cordeiro's narrative is engaging, his descriptions of burn-out are realistic, and his motivations to get help are inspiring. He uses more analogies than I prefer, and his solutions seem to target one type of leader, but overall it's a very readable book that should help people.

The early chapters were most helpful. Through realistic examples and teaching from Scripture, Cordeiro covers the warning signs for depression and burnout, then addresses how he recognized those in himself and sought help. I've worked in ministry leadership for about 7 years, but I'm not a senior pastor. I could see myself and others in his examples. These chapters could be read by Christians who are leaders in business/etc. though they'll have to re-frame ideas to fit their situations.

I was mostly craving practical suggestions. I found a few in the later chapters, but these chapters (even more than the earlier ones) seem to be written from the perspective of a Senior Pastor. Since that's not my role, these chapters were a little unsatisfying. I had to constantly filter his writing thru my situation, which was a little frustrating.

I'd love to see a revised edition that offers general principles (alone, without drawing applications for pastors just yet). Then, add chapters for overcoming burnout from three different perspectives: senior church leaders, other church staff, and also lay-leaders (or Christians leading in business settings). These groups all experience burnout that impacts our churches/families, but solutions are different (i.e. we can't all take an extended sabbatical).

Overall, while the final chapters left me a little unsatisfied, I'd still recommend the book highly. If you're a church staff member, even if you aren't the "senior" leader, this book is worth reading to be more familiar with the problem of burnout.

I highly recommend Wayne Cordeiro's book - his narrative on `Leading On Empty" is funny, intimate, personal and very confronting. This book is an excellent read - full of practicalities for anyone who leads in any capacity. Cordeiro's writing style ensures that you are on his very personal journey with him - my friends who have read it feel the same way I do.

While reading "Leading on Empty" it was like someone describing MY own feelings. Not that I'm falling out of ministry, but at times I couldn't describe my feeling of tiredness. Here Wayne Cordeiro is sharing his emotions, his life in ministry and God's calling and how we as can refuel our commitments and love back to God. Refocusing our lives to make it better, yes I recommend this to everyone!

God bless Wayne for writing this book! I picked up Leading On Empty and couldn't put it down. This is one of those books that you will read more than once. Prepare to burn through a highlighter on this one.
Wayne always writes in a way that is transparent and practical, giving us nuggets that all of us can learn from and put into practice. As I progressed through the chapters I watched the journey of a man who came to the end of himself, but with God's help was able to find his way back to a healthy place again. On page after page it seemed like Wayne was talking directly to me, as so much of what was being shared hit home in my heart. Leading On Empty is a book that will bring hope to many burdened souls and I am certainly one of them. I recommend this book to every pastor and leader. I only wish I had read this book 5 years ago!

As a pastor of 30 years I can highly recommend this book to you. It hits me at a critical time or recalibration in my own life. My only regret is that I did not have this about 20 years ago. "Leading On Empty". Wayne Cordeiro is the type of leader many of us aspire to be. He has the goods! In this book he writes out of his personal experience with burnout a few years ago.
It is not often that those who go through such seasons end up with the privilege of continuing to lead and serve well. I am on my second read and using many of the lessons here as the basis for the recalibrating I am doing - it is a goldmine. I am also buying copies to give to younger secular and religious leaders I know. If you are looking for a clinical thesis on burnout, this may not be it, but if you have looking for practical guidance now and preventive measures for down the road, this is it.

I have known Wayne as Pastor, Boss, and now Friend for almost 20 years and this is his finest work! This is more than a book but a combination of an intimate journal and process guide for those who are going through a MAJOR LIFE TRANSITION. You will enjoy Wayne's transparency and helpful tips in this book.

As a Executive & Life Coach I have already given it to one of my clients processing this season of life and she has had to "stop reading it because of the TRUTH that it has revealed is so real."

Craig Chong
Trusted Strategic Advisor & Executive Coach
www.freshleadership.com

After 14 years of running my own ministry and increasing health issues from a chronic illness, I was burnt out. This book was like a cup of water (more like a barrel!) to a thirsty soul. I highlighted until my Kindle version stopped allowing me to highlight.

Then I took the author's advice to heart.

I cleaned my home office from top to bottom so my brain could think, I prayed daily about where God would take my ministry, I cut back on busy work, and started spending more quiet time with the Lord simply trying to listen.

I took a second look at my passions and the purpose for going into ministry in the first place. And in just four months I have gotten back to what my passions truly are -- -- speaking and writing. In fact, I have just completed my first book in a couple of years.

The author felt like a who understood without condemnation. His willingness to show his own weaknesses and vulnerabilities made me feel like what I was going through was normal.

Not only has his advice helped me personally, but it has made my ministry for those with chronic illness more focused so that many have benefited in the end.

This will become one of those top 10 books in my life but literally changed my life.

Some reviewers have labeled this book "unremarkable" or "not satisfying." I would have to say that if this book is considered unremarkable to you, then perhaps you are just not in that place yet where you are fully burnt out.

I have found this book very helpful, and appreciate Wayne's honesty about what he went through. Few leaders would like to come upfront and talk about their weakness, but Wayne is not any ordinary leader... he is an authentic leader.

Wayne also shares steps that he took, and things to watch out for. I find them practical and would begin to apply some of these boundaries in my own life. It is so true that if we as leaders do not take time to take care of ourselves, no one will. This is one of the sad things about being a leader, but it is a call with a cost.

My prayer to God when I stepped into full-time ministry is that my last days would be far better than my beginning days, and I know that as I apply these pointers in my life, I can have longevity in ministry.

You can also read Chapter 12 of Bill Hybel's "Courageous Leadership" on Developing an Enduring Spirit, which addresses the same issue Wayne does.