Marty Sawyers

Marty Sawyers is president and CEO of Full Strength Network, a nonprofit dedicated to the well-being and mental health of pastors and ministry leaders.

Full Strength Network was founded in 2015 to provide pastors and ministry leaders with access to well-being specialists and resources, guided by the belief that healthy pastors lead healthy churches.

Sawyers built a successful career in finance, sales and marketing before moving 10 years ago to an executive pastor position at one of the largest churches in the U.S.

He took a risk by “leaving a secure position where I had influence and success to go to an unknown and potentially risky position but knowing the impact could be potentially much greater than if I stayed,” he said.

Sawyers took the leadership role at Full Strength Network in 2021 with plans to address alarming statistics that show high levels of burnout and pastors considering leaving the ministry.

“Leading is hard, and Marty believes that leading in a church can be even harder in today's culture,” Sawyers’ team said. “Marty knows what it's like to be a leader, a pastor, and also knows and understands the challenges and stresses on the person and the family that go into being a leader and pastor. With mental health and well-being topics and resources being more readily available and more acceptable, Marty and Full Strength know that pastors are no exception when it comes to the benefits of this.”

Full Strength Network’s membership-based model provides pastors and ministry leaders with comprehensive services and resources to enhance their well-being. In just 24 months, the organization has seen a 515% increase in the number of pastors it serves. The demand has grown significantly, with requests increasing by over 1,400%. The organization's budget and donor contributions have also grown by 484% in the past two years.

Sawyers likes to involve his team in addressing complex problems. “I like to think first and then talk through items with several of my key leaders and get their feedback, thoughts and input.”

Sawyers envisions continued growth and expansion for Full Strength Network. The organization projects to double in size by the end of 2023.

“Marty understands the impact on what a healthy leader can have on an organization and how much of a positive impact on families, communities and the world when a church is thriving in the community that they serve,” Sawyers’ team said. “Communities thrive and benefit from healthy and thriving churches and so the leaders and pastors that are called to lead these churches need to be healthy and thriving in their own personal well-being.”