Pastor Burnout is increasing according to a very interesting article at Barna.com recently titled “Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year“. According to recent data that Barna collected there has been a significant increase in the number of pastors who have seriously considered quitting the ministry over the previous year. In January of 2021 29% of pastors had seriously considered quitting, but in March of 2022 that percentage has jumped to 42%.
That means that four out of every ten pastors are taking a hard look at what they do and why they do it and wondering if it is worth it. What are some of the factors that are behind the increase in pastoral burnout?
According to more polling by Barna, here are the main reasons:
All of the reasons listed are important, but look closely at the top two factors:
- The immense stress of the job 56%
- I feel lonely and isolated 43%
These two factors, stress and isolation are some of the main reasons that it is important for pastors to have a source of encouragement and support that is unfortunately not always found in the church they are serving. Here at Church Consultant, our hope and prayer is that before any pastor walks away from their calling that they would take time to examine all of the factors involved so that they make healthy decisions over time and don’t just react to the immediate pressures. If you are part of the 42% who are seriously considering quitting we invite you to set up a free thirty minute zoom call with us so we can pray and perhaps help encourage you through this season. Click here to schedule your Free 30 Minute Zoom Call.
