Pastors Face Perils in American Churches

I have been increasingly challenged by the condition of the church in America and American Christianity in general.  Recently I have been exposed to some statistics that either are the result of that condition or the cause of it . . . or maybe a combination of both cause and effect.  (There may be some physicist out there challenging that possibility, but bear with me.)   What I want to do in this blog is expose you to what I am discovering about the condition of pastors, both through statistical data and through personal experience.

Here is some statistical stuff  (gathered from such organizations as Barna , Maranatha Life  and Focus on the Family )

·      1500 pastors leave their ministries each month due to burnout, conflict, or moral failure.

·      33% felt burned out within their first five years of ministry.

·      23% have been fired or pressured to resign at least once in their careers.

·      57% would leave the pastorate if they had somewhere else to go or some other vocation they could do.

·      45% of pastors say that they've experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence from ministry. 

·      90% feel unqualified or poorly prepared for ministry.

·      90% work more than 50 hours a week.

·      94% feel under pressure to have a perfect family.

·      50% feel unable to meet the needs of the job.

·      40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month.

·      40% of pastors say they have considered leaving their pastorates in the last three months.

·      70% do not have someone they consider a close friend.

·      90% feel they're inadequately trained to cope with ministry demands. 

Here is what is being reported:

According to the New York Times (August 1, 2010), "Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life expectancy has fallen." 

Here is what a friend recently wrote to me:
"After the pulpit committee told us they felt there needed to be a new face in the pulpit, we realized we were done ministering. We decided the best we could do is leave blameless before God, that is what we did. Many were upset that we left and nearly all the church does not speak to us."

No one ever said the ministry would be easy, but the cause for these statistics is not cultural persecution or the rejection of the Gospel, it is a result of the institutionalization of the church, the franchising of Christianity (churchianity) and the professionalization of ministry (seeking a career rather than answering a call).
It's great that we send our pastors cards in October to show our appreciation, but how about praying for your pastor on a daily basis . . . or something even more radical . . . consider coming alongside him and ask him how you can help reach your community for Christ.  It may be as simple as cleaning the building, serving in the nursery, inviting your neighbor or letting him know you have his back.