It's something that we have all probably seen; maybe even experienced ourselves. After working long and hard at a job, all of a sudden a person gets very tired, both physically and mentally, and gets "fed up" with the job to the point of where they just "want out." We've come to call the condition "burn out."
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Burn out has claimed victims from just about every type of work - even church work. Within the church, both full time Christian workers (ministers, etc.) and volunteers have become its prey. Within the Sunday school, far too many teachers and other workers have quit, never to return again, because of burn out.
Undoubtedly, you have seen burn out in your Sunday school. A Sunday school teacher who was such a hard worker and so enthusiastic in the past just seems to throw up their arms and say "enough." The sad thing is that many of these "burn out victims" not only leave the teaching position, but may also leave the Sunday school and maybe even the church.
Is burn out inevitable? Is every Sunday school teacher going to get fed up sometime and quit? Well, it certainly doesn't have to happen. In fact, with a little planning by Sunday school leaders and a little attention to their own needs by the teachers themselves, it should never happen at all.
At this point, many will ask why anyone should ever feel this way about teaching Sunday school. After all, shouldn't a Christian want to share God's Word and His love with others? And, shouldn't we all feel the responsibility of serving our Lord? Yes, this is quite true! You must remember that each of us is also very human, with human feelings and needs. And, even a truly committed Christian may choose to serve the Lord in some other way if they become disillusioned with Sunday school work.
In particular, there are three distinctive causes for Sunday school teacher burn out. Let's take a look at these causes and, at the same time, see what we can do to head off the problems.
1. Lack of Visible Accomplishment. Have you ever wondered if you are making a difference by serving as a Sunday school teacher? It may take one of several forms - a feeling that no one cares, a feeling that you aren't getting the recognition you deserve, the feeling that others aren't pulling their own weight and doing their share or the feeling that all the hard work you do as a teacher could be better invested in some other way for the Lord. Whatever its form, we have all probably wondered, at one time or another, if teaching Sunday school is worth the effort. In a way, it takes a very special person to be a Sunday school teacher. We must always remember that we are working for our Lord, not earthly recognition or reward. Look at the examples of early church leaders and missionaries who have toiled for years before seeing their first convert. As the Lord promised in Isaiah 55:11, "...my word shall not return to me void." In other words, even though we might not see visible signs of accomplishment, we can be assured that we are making a difference. And, for those of us who are Sunday school leaders and members, a question: When was the last time you let the teachers of your Sunday school know that you appreciate the work that they are doing?
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