Wayne Cordeiro

Leading on Empty

Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordeiro is a courageous and searingly honest book written by one of America's most effective church-planting pastors — a man who ran himself into the ground and nearly lost everything in the process. Cordeiro describes his descent into burnout and clinical depression, and then, drawing on Scripture, the wisdom of counselors and doctors, and hard-won personal experience, he maps a way back to sustainable ministry and life. The book's central thesis is both simple and countercultural: the tank you lead from must be regularly refilled, or you will one day find yourself leading on empty — and the consequences reach far beyond yourself to your family, your church, and your calling. Cordeiro does not treat burnout as a character flaw or a faith failure; he treats it as a physiological, emotional, and spiritual reality that demands honest diagnosis and intentional renewal.</p><p>This study guide is designed to be used week by week, one chapter at a time. Before each group meeting (or your own personal study session), read the assigned chapter slowly — perhaps with a journal open beside you. Let the questions marinate for a day or two before you discuss or write your answers. Some questions ask you to recall what Cordeiro said; others ask you to examine your own patterns honestly; still others invite you to think theologically about what the chapter implies for your understanding of God, the gospel, and the nature of ministry. Together they form a full-orbed engagement with the text. If you are using this guide in a small group, covenant with one another at the outset to be honest — burnout and depression thrive in silence, and this book is an invitation out of silence.</p><p>By the end of this guide you should have done more than finish a book. You should have a clearer picture of your own energy reserves and what depletes or replenishes them, a realistic plan for sustainable rhythms of rest and renewal, and a deeper theological conviction that God is not honored by your exhaustion. Whether you are a pastor, a ministry leader, a volunteer, or someone who simply gives more than they receive, Leading on Empty offers you both a diagnosis and a remedy — and this guide is designed to help you receive both as personally and as practically as possible.