Explore the challenging landscape of church leadership and the often devastating impact of toxicity and burnout. Delving into the experiences of pastors and congregations, this episode uncovers the telltale **signs of bad church leadership**, including excessive or insufficient expectations on members, decision-making driven by politics or a single leader, pervasive gossip, lack of clear strategy, and ignored congregational needs. We also discuss traits like superiority, domineering behavior, insecurity, and resistance to feedback in leaders.

Learn how these dynamics contribute to **pastoral burnout, loneliness, and isolation**, issues increasingly reported by church leaders. Discover the heavy toll on pastors' personal well-being, families, and ultimately, their desire to remain in ministry.

Beyond the pulpit, **toxic leadership hurts congregations**, leading to member burnout, declining morale, lack of trust, and people leaving the church altogether. Hear personal stories of navigating and healing from these difficult church environments.

Crucially, this episode highlights the vital need for **healthy accountability and support systems** for pastors and leaders. We explore practical steps individuals and churches can take, from seeking personal counseling and building trusted relationships to implementing structured oversight and promoting transparency. Solutions require addressing both internal struggles within leaders and external factors within the church structure. Join us as we discuss how churches can move towards greater health, resilience, and faithfulness, centered on the core values of service, love, and unity.

**Works Cited**

Anglican Futures. "Clergy Mental Health Is at Breaking Point." *Anglican Futures*, 19 Apr. 2024.

Barna Group. "7-Year Trends: Pastors Feel More Loneliness & Less Support." *Barna Group*, 12 July 2023.

---. "Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year." *Barna Group*, 27 Apr. 2022.

Dance, Mark. "Does Your Pastor Need A Support Team?" Mark Dance.

Edmiston, Jan. "Is Poor Leadership a Form of Clergy Misconduct?" *A Church for Starving Artists*, WordPress.com, 18 July 2024.

Gordon, Joshua. "Church Systems Failed Me (Jesus Did Not)." *The Lead Pastor*, BWZ, 23 Apr. 2025.

Iorg, Jeff. "Pastoral Accountability." *The Gateway*, 12 Dec. 2022.

MacKenzie, Michael, and Kari MacKenzie. "Pastoral Burnout: Who’s at Fault… the Pastor or the Church?" *AACC*, June 2016.

Mathieu, A.J. "Toxic Leadership: Controlling and Manipulative Pastors Wreaking Havoc in the Church." *The Malphurs Group*.

O'Neill, Lucas. "Some Counsel for Christians Leaving Toxic Church Environments." *ChurchLeaders.com*, 5 Apr. 2022.

Simmons, Luke. "Signs of Bad Church Leadership." *Faithful & Fruitful Ministry*.

Tsuma, Dorothy Medza. "Governance, Leadership and Ethics in the Church: Literature Based Review." *Journal of Sociology, Psychology & Religious Studies*, vol. 3, no. 1, May 2021, pp. 45-58. Stratford Peer Reviewed Journal & book Publishing.

u/[deleted]. "Leaving ANOTHER Toxic Church." *Reddit*, r/Exvangelical, n.d.

u/MrKilledRanger. "Recommendations to Avoid Pastoral Burnout." *Reddit*, r/pastors, n.d.

Vanco. "12 Signs of Bad Church Leadership and How to Fix Them." *Vanco Payments*, 20 Apr. 2022.

Vanderbloemen. "8 Tips for Pastors Struggling With Burnout." *Vanderbloemen*.

Watts, Nick. "Keep Your Pastors Accountable (Here's Why & How)." *Soul Food*, 10 Feb. 2021.

Yancey, Philip. "What Makes a Church Toxic?" *Philip Yancey*, Oct. 2021.