Date of Award

3-2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Department

Seminary

First Advisor

MaryKate Morse

Second Advisor

Jeff Seville

Third Advisor

Kimberly Shumate

Abstract

A growing number of emerging Millennial leaders between the ages of 22 and 35 are burning out, leaving ministry, and subsequently not returning. Emotional drain, physical fatigue, and an underdeveloped formation mark these individuals. My research studies the digital age and it's unique impact on Millennial burnout and the subsequent leaving of ministry. Spiritual formation is offered as a corrective and preventative lifestyle, while simultaneously being important to the restoring of young burnt out ministry leaders. Section 1 describes the landscape of burnout among Millennial leaders, highlighting the emerging generation and their unique relationship with burnout. Section 2 surveys burnout care solutions from five distinct domains of research and care, highlighting strengths and weaknesses from each domain. Section 3 defines spiritual formation and its unique contribution in creating a new formational vision for Millennial leaders. Sections 4 and 5 outline the specifications of a non-fiction book addressing the problem of burnout in Millennials, called On: The Paradox of Digital Presence and Burnout Among Millennials. Section 6 offers a postscript citing further areas of research which may be explored. The Artifact itself is a non-fiction book manuscript intended to create a new formational vision for Millennial leaders in the Digital Age.

Included in

Christianity Commons

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