I began my pastoral ministry with great enthusiasm and hope. I had been sure of my call for pastoral ministry for many years and was excited to get started. My first ministry position was as a youth pastor. I served in that role for two years and the ministry went well. I took on the Senior Pastor role in our church with the expectation of similar success. I was full of enthusiasm and creative ideas. I was convinced I would be a great pastor. From time to time I would hear of pastors who had burned out or left the ministry. My response was skeptical and critical, “How could someone called to ministry leave the ministry?”

My attitude changed, however, as through the years the realities of ministry began to wear me down. Instead of being optimistic about myself and others, I became inwardly pessimistic. When I first began as a senior pastor I couldn’t wait for my holidays to be over so I could get back to work. After a time the opposite was true. I couldn’t wait for my holidays to begin and dreaded when they ended. Over time and through a series of difficult events I came to the place of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion. I knew I could not go on in ministry. Fortunately, I had an understanding church board who granted me a sabbatical.

As I began my sabbatical I was determined to find out why I ended up in exhaustion. I spent much time before the Lord, seeking Him and searching my heart. I also did a lot of reading on the issue of stress and burnout. My recovery was slow and at times I thought I’d never be back in ministry doing what I loved. Yet God has been faithful to heal me and continues to do so. I have learned that stress and burnout have many causes; however, for me, one cause played a greater role than all the others–the fear of man. Proverbs 29:25 tells us that the “fear of man will prove to be a snare”(NIV), I had been caught in this snare and suffered the consequences.

The Lord showed me how I had been overly concerned with what others thought. I had been hoping to gain people’s approval by being “successful” in ministry. Attempting to be acceptable in the eyes of people had become a driving force in my life. I ended up overworking, unable to rest at night, putting ministry before my family and relationship with God. The results of my sinful choices were obvious. God’s joy and refreshment were absent from my life and I was a broken-down man.

The wonderful thing about God is that He draws near to broken people. He drew near me and taught me that He loved me in spite of my sin and failure. He taught me that success is not measured in church attendance but in knowing Him more personally and intimately in a passionate spirituality. He taught me that He is the healer of broken hearts.

Since that sabbatical in 2001 I have continued on in pastoral ministry, have served as a pastor to missionaries in Nigeria, West Africa, and am now leading “Refresh Ministries.” Some days I fall back into my old patterns of thought, yet as I reapply the lessons God taught me on my sabbatical He renews and refreshes my inner person. As I make knowing Him my standard of success, I find that the anxieties start to fall away, and His peace returns.

I now am seeking to help others find the help God has given me, so they can say “It is well with my soul” and find “Soul Care for Ministry Leaders.”

Lyndon earned his Bachelor of Religious Education degree from Peace River Bible Institute, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Prairie Graduate School at Three Hills, Alberta, and then his Doctor of Ministry Degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.

The Refresh Family

Lyndon & Marlene Wall 

Lyndon and Marlene have been married since 1987.

Service: They have served in the pastorate at Grace Bible Fellowship Church (Evangelical Free Church) for 14 years and have also served as Pastors to Missionaries in Jos, Nigeria from 2007-2008.

Lyndon is the CEO and Founder of Refresh Ministries

Wanda Screpnek — Office Administrator

Wanda joined Refresh Ministries in the winter of 2021. She is married to Dan Screpnek and they have 3 grown children and 4 grandchildren.

Wanda and Dan had been missionaries for the past 25 years and served with SIM in Nigeria. 

On returning to Canada, Wanda and Dan served as SIM Regional Directors in the Prairie Provinces and then moved to the Toronto head office to cover Canada for a year.

They felt God moving them to a new ministry with One Hope Canada. They traveled across Canada with the Encounter Program and then settled in Saskatchewan to work at Manitou Lake Bible Camp for 6 years.

They recently moved to Sexsmith, Alberta, where Dan is now the Alberta Field Director for One Hope Canada. Wanda works alongside Dan with member care and is also part-time with Refresh Ministries. 

What We Believe

The Scriptures: Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original documents.

One God: Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ: Is true God and true man, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is the head of the church, our High Priest and Advocate.

Holy Spirit: Glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ, convicts of sin, regenerates believing sinners, indwells, guides, instructs, and empowers believers for godly living and service.

Man: Created in the image of God but has fallen into sin and is therefore lost. Only through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit can spiritual life and salvation be obtained.

Salvation: The shed blood of Jesus Christ provides the only ground for salvation and justification for all who believe. Those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and become children of God.

The Church: Is composed of all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

Our Hope: The personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The bodily resurrection of the dead; believers to everlasting joy in the presence of the Lord; the unbeliever to never-ending punishment.

Testimonials