NORTH VERNON, Ind. — Jeff and Anna Walker, who live in Jennings County, are talking to people about their new project, Manna House.
Anna explained that pastors often feel overwhelmed and stressed because they take care of so many people. According to research by Barna in 2022, two out of five pastors have thought about quitting their jobs, which is a big jump from the 11% who felt this way in 2015.
“Many pastors and missionaries don’t have anyone to help them through tough times,” Anna said. “When pastors get too stressed and burn out, it affects their families and their churches in a bad way.”
More than 10 years ago, while doing mission work, Anna felt that God wanted her to help tired and struggling pastors. Last year, she and Jeff started hosting rest-and-renewal retreats for pastors and their families at a small house in Vernon. Now, they are teaming up with Oasis Rest International (ORI), which has many retreat centers around the world.
The work of Manna House will have two main parts: they will offer week-long, personalized retreats for free to pastors and their families, and they will provide spiritual guidance, coaching, and debriefing to help prevent burnout and deal with challenges in ministry or different cultures. Jeff and Anna plan to open Manna House in January 2025 and hope to help over 100 pastors in the next five years by giving them care, hospitality, and spiritual support.