Your Pastor Is Not Superhuman”: A Conversation About Burnout, Healing, and Whole-Body Renewal

If there’s one thing we often forget in the church, it’s this: your pastor is not superhuman.

They have stresses.
They carry grief.
They absorb the struggles of the people they serve.
And many of them do all of this silently.

But who cares for them when they hit burnout?
Who walks alongside the shepherds when their strength runs dry?

In this week’s episode of Honest Christian Conversations, I sit down with Dr. Ioana Popa, a compassionate woman with a deeply impactful ministry birthed out of her own experience with burnout. Her story is powerful—and needed—especially for those serving in ministry who feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or discouraged.

Whether you are a pastor, a leader, a ministry volunteer, or someone who loves a church leader who is struggling, this conversation will lift your heart and remind you that God cares deeply about your whole person—body, mind, heart, and soul.

When the Healers Need Healing Too

One of the things Ioana and I discussed is how quickly we put pastors and Christian leaders on a pedestal—one they never asked to stand on. We forget they are human. We forget they have limits. And we forget they, too, are battling spiritual warfare, family responsibilities, emotional weight, and constant expectations.

Burnout isn’t just exhaustion.
It is whole-body depletion—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

And as Ioana shared, burnout often sneaks in quietly. It doesn't show up with alarms. It builds slowly until one day the person who has always been strong suddenly can’t keep going.

How Ioana’s Story Shaped Her Ministry

Ioana began her professional life as a psychiatrist, working with patients in some of the most mentally and emotionally demanding environments. But even with all her medical and psychological training, she eventually burned out—twice.

What struck me deeply was her honesty:
She wasn’t burned out because she lacked knowledge or experience.
She burned out because she was human.

And she burned out because, like many Christians, she was taught to push through, give more, serve harder, and sacrifice endlessly—without tending to the health of her own soul.

In her healing journey, Ioana realized something profound:
God cares about all of us—our bodies, our thoughts, our emotions, and our spirits.
These areas are not separate. They are connected.

Her ministry today, Team for the Soul, helps Christian leaders find renewal through this integrated, holistic approach.

What Team for the Soul Offers

If you’ve ever wished your church had a place for pastors and ministry leaders to heal, this is the kind of work you dream of.

Through her ministry, Ioana:

• Helps Christian professionals and servants recognize the early signs of burnout

• Teaches how to heal the roots of emotional and spiritual fatigue

• Offers practical methods for daily renewal

• Leads retreats, seminars, and coaching sessions

• Supports leaders as they learn to align their body, mind, heart, and soul

• Uses both faith and science to address the whole person

• Provides programs like Renewal in Action and Wake Up to Your Soul, designed to keep leaders spiritually grounded and emotionally healthy

What I love about her approach is that it is not “just pray harder.”
It is wisdom-filled, grounded in Scripture, supported by science, and centered on Christ.

And it recognizes something that many Christians forget:
Rest is a spiritual discipline. Jesus Himself stepped away to renew.

“Silence Is Hard” — But It’s Necessary

One of my favorite parts of our conversation was when we talked about silence.
Silence is something so many of us say we want… but when we finally sit in it, our minds suddenly run a marathon.

As a mom of five, I shared how hard silence can be. There’s always another task, another worry, another mental list being written in the background.

But Ioana gently reminded us that silence is the place where God meets us.
It is where our minds stop racing and our souls can breathe again.

Even a few minutes a day can begin to retrain our minds to rest in God’s presence.

Why Pastors Need More Support Than They’re Getting

Pastors carry more than most people realize. They counsel, teach, preach, pray, lead, mediate conflict, manage crises, raise families, and endure spiritual attack—often without ever telling anyone what they personally struggle with.

They are often the first to show up in an emergency…
and the last to receive spiritual care themselves.

It is heartbreaking that many churches are not equipped to support their leaders in this area.
Some don’t have resources.
Some don’t have awareness.
Some don’t realize their pastor is struggling.

This is why ministries like Ioana’s matter.

They provide safe, Christ-centered support for the ones we expect to be strong for everyone else.

If You’re Burned Out, You Are Not Alone

Burnout is not shameful.
Burnout is not failure.
Burnout is not a lack of faith.

Burnout is a sign that you have been pouring out more than you have received.

Whether you are a pastor, a volunteer, a ministry leader, or simply someone managing the pressures of life—please hear this:

You are not superhuman.
You were never meant to be.
And you do not have to carry everything alone.

There is help.
There is healing.
There is hope.
And God has not forgotten you.

Where to Find Ioana’s Ministry

If you want to learn more about Ioana’s programs or connect with her for support, visit:

👉 teamforthesoul.com

There you’ll find:

• The Wake Up to Your Soul daily renewal program

• Information about the Renewal in Action course

• Opportunities for one-on-one coaching

• Retreats, workshops, and teaching

• Links to her podcast and social media

If someone you know is struggling—share this with them.
You could be the reason someone finds healing.

Final Thoughts

This conversation blessed me, and I pray it blesses you too.

No one is meant to walk through burnout alone.
No pastor.
No leader.
No parent.
No servant of God.

If you feel depleted today, reach out.
Let someone walk with you.
God desires your wholeness—body, mind, heart, and soul.

And as always, thank you for spending time with me and for supporting Honest Christian Conversations. Don’t forget to follow the podcast and leave a review to help others discover these conversations.

May God bless you and keep you renewed in His strength.

— Ana Murby