NORTH VERNON, Ind. — Jennings County locals Jeff and Anna Walker are starting to meet with folks about the ministry of Manna House.
According to Anna, pastors are extremely vulnerable to burnout due to the weight of care and stress they provide to parishioners. A 2022 Barna research showed that two in five ministers have seriously considered quitting ministry, a huge increase from the 11% reported in 2015.
“Many pastors and missionaries do not have a support system to navigate these challenges,” she said. “When pastors burn out, their families and churches crumble under the negative effects.”
Over 10 years ago, while on the mission field, Anna said God gave her a heart for pastors who were exhausted, struggling, and in need of care. In the last year, the couple has hosted rest-and-renewal retreats for ministers and their families at a small home in Vernon. Now they are partnering with Oasis Rest International (ORI), which has a network of retreat centers worldwide.
They said the work of Manna House will be twofold: host week-long individualized, guided retreats at no cost to the minister and their family, and offer spiritual direction, coaching, and debriefing to help prevent burnout and address ministry or cross-cultural challenges. The Walkers will launch their retreat home, Manna House, in January 2025 and hope to provide care, hospitality, and spiritual guidance for over 100 ministers in the next five years.
If you are interested in partnering with Jeff and Anna, email anna.walker@oasisrest.org.
