Recent reporting from a reputable and respected survey firm (The Barna Group) in the religious field indicates more than half of all the Protestant Pastors in America are seriously considering leaving the ministry. Fifty-four percent of pastors are under such serious strain and struggle in their ministries that they are seriously thinking about throwing in the towel. Grasp that for a minute. It’s a sobering statistic.
Reasons given as to why pastors are feeling such strain in their calling include issues and concerns arising out of the Covid Pandemic. The Pandemic has wreaked havoc upon churches. Attendance has been cut in half. Finances have been severely reduced. Even previously full time Pastors are having to go part time because congregations simply don’t have enough money to pay all the bills. It’s been noted that the Pandemic accelerated changes and dynamics in the church that were already taking place. It’s true. Church attendance is down, finances are down, people willing to do all the wonderful work that enables congregations to provide ministry are fewer and fewer. The list goes on and on.
According to the survey from Barna, whether it’s the pandemic, burnout or a feeling of loneliness and isolation pastors are under pressure. Too many people expect the same level of ministry services and programs that megachurches have or they had before the Pandemic changed everything. It’s impossible to provide the same kind of services a megachurch provides when attendance is fifty instead of a thousand. Conflicting opinions about covid mandates and what the church should be or should not be doing put additional pressure on pastors. Other reasons given for seriously pondering leaving the church by pastors include the way “consumer mentality” has infiltrated into the local congregation. This means people aren’t asking “what can I do” as much as they are asking “what can you do for me.” True Discipleship is based not what others can do for me but what I can do for others.. Additionally, pastors have had to ramp up big time their knowledge and ability to provide on-line services and audio-visual programming skills. Pastors are most often people persons and having to isolate and become technical experts diminishes what they enjoy in the ministry in the first place.
I have experienced most of these concerns myself. During the first year of the Pandemic, I had to learn how to provide our Worship Services online, get new equipment (with limited money available), record, upload and show our Services on You Tube. It has been rewarding on the other hand to see a small number of people step up and help during the last two years and as we are slowly rebuilding attendance I maintain great hope and positive feelings for the future.
What can you do to help our church rekindle the great ministries and programs we have become used to? Can you step it up with time and financial commitment? Are you getting back into the habit of being in church on Sunday mornings? The future is in our hands, all of our hands. What’s your response? Together, along with relying on guidance and help from the Lord we can and I believe will face a new future with bright promise and on-going commitment.