THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM
with Douglas Jacoby

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19 November 2025

Good afternoon from New England! I’m attending several conferences this week, while Vicki is in Atlanta for a bit longer. She’ll be joining me here in Boston in a few days. We both actually just flew in from California, so it’s been quite a week of travel. I’ll share about what I’ve been learning in these conferences on the 26th. For now, a brief report on our visit to L.A.

Vicki and I had a great time in Los Angeles! The fellowship was heartening, teaching on the Trinity was fun, Vicki’s talk, “Seasons of Grace: Centered in Christ in Life's Later Years,” was extremely well received, and the Sunday sermon, “The Narrow Road,” seemed to have hit the mark. Special thanks to the Felicis and Garcias for making this weekend happen.

Photos:
With Robin and Mike Hammer, Addy and Will Garcia, and Michelle and Robert Carrillo, in the home of Cesar and Rachel Felici. Above, right: with Addy and Will Garcia and Robert & Michelle Carrillo, Santa Clarita Valley Church of Christ. Right: with Cesar Felici

Today’s offerings:

  • 3 Perspectives on El Camino de Santiago Compostela (Spain)
  • 4 Reasons Jesus Didn’t Burn Out
  • 3 Discussion-Derailing Dodges

DISCIPLES ON A SACRED PILGRIMAGE
by Robert Carrillo

For over a millennium, men and women have embarked on arduous pilgrimages across vast distances, enduring peril and exhaustion in pursuit of spiritual meaning or divine knowledge. A pilgrimage is imbued with profound lessons about life’s journey.

The most renowned pilgrimage in history was a trek to Jerusalem, which could span several years. Second in significance was a pilgrimage to Rome. The third great pilgrimage was to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. Legend holds that the apostle James journeyed to Spain to preach the gospel, and aspired one day to be interred there. The legend asserts that after his demise in Jerusalem, Christians transported his body to Galicia, where he was buried in a field that is now the city of Santiago de Compostela. Over the centuries, pilgrims have continued to undertake the pilgrimage to Galicia from all corners of the globe. The global spiritual hunger our world experiences today has sparked a resurgence. This year alone, over 500,000 men and women embarked on the sacred journey.

Photo: Vicki Jacoby and Jeanie Shaw (Camino partners), with Robert and Michelle Carrillo

In October a fantastic group of 90 disciples, families, and friends from all corners of the globe joined forces to walk the Camino de Santiago together! They came from Australia, Canada, the Philippines, Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. mainland, the UK, Africa, Germany, Puerto Rico, and Portugal. Starting in Sarria, Spain, we embarked on a six-day journey, covering 118 km up and down hills—braving cold, rainy, misty, and sunny weather through breathtaking storybook forests, charming villages, and picturesque farms.

Each day presented its own set of challenges, testing bodies, minds, and spirits. We walked 14-20 km each day, with some taking as little as three hours and others needing eight or nine hours to complete the distance. The group was diverse in age and fitness, with the youngest being just 17 months old, Aragon Carrillo (grandson of Robert & Michele Carrillo), and the oldest over 70 years old, Dr. John Oakes. We were also joined by two adorable dogs, Harper and Milo!

Everyone arrived at the destination physically exhausted but emotionally overjoyed to have completed. There were tears of joy, hugs, and pure excitement all around. The pilgrimage was a resounding success. We didn’t lose a single soul; everyone covered the full distance! The next morning, we officially concluded with a devotional on medieval steps across from the Cathedral of St James. Everyone shared how they were moved, blessed, and even transformed over the previous seven days—this was powerful!

Next year we are hosting a Celtic Spirituality retreat in Ireland, and considering another Camino in 2026 or 2027. If you’re interested, please let us know, or watch out for news at website of The Way. — Robert Carrillo

Camino Report: Jeanie Shaw
I didn’t begin with a clear intention; I simply knew I needed to walk. To move one step at a time, to listen, to notice, and to remember that God travels with us whether we feel strong, weary, joyful, or unsure. I have noticed that walking has a way of settling my spirit and opening my heart in its own time. It helps me listen.

These reflections are not a travel itinerary. They come from the learnings, the tears, the laughter, and the small epiphanies that met me along the way. I share them here in the hope that wherever you find yourself on your own path, these reflections might encourage you. KEEP READING

Camino Report: Vicki Jacoby
These days we often hear today the phrase “finish strong.” I received a couple of texts from well-wishers to that effect as I walked the Camino. But as pilgrims we just wanted to finish. As the apostle Paul urged us, it’s about finishing the race, getting over the line (1 Cor 9:24; 2 Tim 4:7; Heb 12:1). It dawned on me how in our modern era the saying “finish strong” may be a sort of judgment that adds extra pressure—pressure I believe God never intended.  KEEP READING

WHY JESUS DIDN’T SUFFER BURNOUT
by Bill Gaultiere

Let's be honest — ministry is both purposeful and stressful.

I'm encouraged to meet pastors and ministry leaders who love Jesus and carry his heart for people. But it's sad to hear that so many of them are on the edge of burnout. Why is burnout such a harsh reality in the church today? There are many reasons. But certainly one challenge leaders face is pressure to respond to people's expectations (or ones they put on themselves!).

They're expected to be "on" everywhere they go — ready to offer compassionate support, powerful prayer, inspiring words, and wise guidance. But nobody can function like this all the time. Even the most anointed pastors are human It's encouraging to recognize that Jesus, the Son of God and most anointed ministry leader of all time, was also a real person with limitations. Paying attention to the Good Shepherd's rhythm of life helps us acknowledge our own humanity and need for soul care. 

Studying the Gospels prayerfully and carefully helped me make some changes before I totally burned out in ministry. I was surprised to learn something I hadn't been taught in church — Jesus repeatedly set boundaries. If you feel run down or exhausted, I'd encourage you to reflect on the complete study of Jesus' boundaries in my book Your Best Life in Jesus' Easy Yoke. Here are some takeaways:

#1 Jesus had limitations that he accepted in a relaxed way.
The King of the Universe lived inside a human body that needed nourishment and rest. He only had 24 hours each day and spent many of them eating, sleeping, or traveling from place to place (Mark 4:38; 6:31; 11:12).

#2 Jesus had personal needs that he prioritized
Often, Jesus separated himself from people to be alone with God, whom he called his "Papa" (Luke 5:16). He did so without feeling guilty. Why? He knew the importance of caring for his own needs in order to care for the needs of others.

Jesus' rhythm of life protected him from burnout and refreshed him in God's love. This allowed him to be compassionate and generous in response to people's needs, interruptions, and crisis situations. He filled up on grace so he could flow out to others.

#3 Jesus played offense instead of defense
Many of us fall into the cycle of "working for God" until we overextend ourselves, get more and more tired, and finally take a break. But not Jesus. He models for us how to play offense when it comes to soul care. He was proactive about creating space for God first and dealing with temptation (Matthew 4:1; Luke 10:41-42).

#4 Jesus wasn't too nice to say "no"
The Prince of Peace wasn't a people-pleaser. He didn't always do what other people asked or expected. There were many people he helped but also some that he didn't. And when he did minister to others, he expected them to do their part—like taking a step of faith to be healed (John 5:6-8; 9:6-7).

Becoming more like Christ includes doing what he did and practicing the way he lived. Jesus gives us confidence that soul care is the holy path to loving God and others with a healthy heart. 

Are you living on the edge of burnout? Soul Shepherding would love to support you. I want to invite you to talk to a spiritual director who can help you get to the root of your struggle and establish healthy soul care practices. You might also come on retreat to go deeper in emotional health and loving leadership with other pastors and leaders who are learning to flourish with Jesus.

With care,
Bill

THREE DISCUSSION-DERAILING DODGES
by Greg Koukl (Stand to Reason)

It's been said that when an escaped convict wanted to divert hound dogs that were hot on his scent, he would drag a fish across his trail to distract them, leading them in a fruitless direction so he could evade capture. Distractions like this happen repeatedly in conversations on weighty matters like public policy debates, but they're especially evident in the kind of spiritual and ethical discussions you engage in as an ambassador for Christ. Be on the lookout for them. The rhetorical ploy is generally referred to as a "red herring"—a fallacious maneuver intended to throw you "off the scent" in a discussion, leaving you bewildered and at a dead end in the debate. I encounter versions of this nuisance all the time—and so do you, though you might not recognize how you've been tricked by the ruse… KEEP READING

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