Part IV: Steward Yourself — The Leader’s Most Overlooked Responsibility
In the past three posts, we’ve talked about Stewarding the Vision, Stewarding the People, and Stewarding the Systems. Each one plays a vital role in leading a healthy, mission-focused church.
But there’s one more stewardship investment we can’t afford to overlook — and it’s the one leaders tend to neglect most: Steward Yourself.
Why Self-Stewardship Matters
Your church can’t run on an empty tank — and neither can you. Healthy leadership flows from a healthy leader. If you burn out physically, emotionally, or spiritually, it will ripple through your team and congregation.
Unfortunately, many leaders treat rest and personal growth as optional extras — something they’ll “get to” when the work slows down. But the work never slows down on its own. And when we lead from depletion, we end up:
Making poorer decisions.
Losing patience with our people.
Operating from fear or survival instead of faith and vision.
Common Pitfalls
Treating Sabbath as Optional – Forgetting that rest isn’t a suggestion; it’s a command.
Equating Busyness with Faithfulness – Believing that more activity automatically means more impact.
Neglecting Holistic Health – Ignoring physical, emotional, and relational needs in the name of ministry.
How to Steward Yourself Well
Protect a Weekly Sabbath - Make it a non-negotiable. This isn’t about checking out — it’s about intentionally stopping to rest, worship, and refresh.
Pursue Personal Discipleship - You need to be fed spiritually outside of your leadership role. That means you have people pouring into you, not just the other way around.
Build Rhythms for Physical and Emotional Health - Exercise, eat well, sleep enough, and take breaks. These aren’t selfish — they’re part of keeping yourself ready for the long haul.
Surround Yourself with Trusted Voices - Find peers, mentors, and friends who can speak truth into your life, challenge you when needed, and encourage you when you’re weary.
A Stewardship Perspective
God has entrusted you with the care of a church, but He’s also entrusted you with the care of your own soul, body, and mind. Stewarding yourself is not self-indulgence — it’s an act of obedience.
When you stay healthy, you’re able to:
Lead with clarity instead of confusion.
Love your people from abundance instead of exhaustion.
Make wise decisions for the long-term instead of quick fixes for the short-term.
Reflection Question
What’s one practical step I can take this week to replenish my own health as a leader?
Conclusion
When you steward yourself well, you give your church one of the greatest gifts you can offer — a healthy, grounded, and Spirit-led leader.
That’s the heartbeat behind this series. Steward your vision so the mission stays clear. Steward your people so the mission multiplies. Steward your systems so the mission is sustainable. And steward yourself so the mission lasts.
The health of your church tomorrow depends, in large part, on how you steward these four investments today.