Dear Ministry Leader: YOU Matter Too.
I was catching up on some recorded content I’d signed up for (I’m sure you’ve been there too) and discovered Barna Group’s The State of Pastors Summit as well as their The State of Pastors Vol. 2 Report.
One finding that fascinated me - and connects with how we may be feeling at the moment - was this:
…almost 100% of pastors acknowledge that it is somewhat true that their mental health is important while half use none of the identified services for personal, spiritual, or mental health support (like counsellors, spiritual directors, coaches, psychotherapists, etc).
I’d love to hear how you react to this.
Below is a link to the reports from Barna and a few more articles from Faith&Lead on the challenges not only pastors are facing but also ministry leaders in general and some thoughts on what could help.
The State of Pastors Summit 2024
In the latest from Barna's The State of Pastors Summit, we're given a lens into the hearts and minds of pastors navigating the complexities of ministry in today's world. With insights from leaders like David Kinnaman, Rich Villodas, and Christine Caine, the summit explored the multifaceted challenges pastors face, from maintaining their identity and confidence in their calling to building supportive relationships and addressing mental health concerns.
The findings reveal a pastoral community at a crossroads, grappling with feelings of isolation and exhaustion, yet also showing signs of resilience and hope. Amidst a backdrop of shifting trust in religious institutions, the call for authenticity, belonging, and hope rings louder than ever. The summit didn't just spotlight challenges; it underscored the urgent need for creating paths for future leaders, reflecting a collective yearning for a church that truly meets the spiritual openness burgeoning across the U.S.
As we look ahead, the summit's message is clear: In the face of adversity, there's a profound opportunity for renewal and innovation in ministry. Let's embrace this moment to lean into what God is doing, fostering a new and revitalized Church that's ready to face the challenges and opportunities of the future.
For those in our community feeling the weight of these issues or looking for a beacon of hope and direction, let's continue this conversation. Your thoughts, reactions, and insights are invaluable as we navigate these waters together, supported by the strength of our shared faith and commitment to serving others.
The State of Pastors Report, Vol. 2
Within each of the three larger sections, the report zooms in on specific components and responsibilities of a pastor’s life that impact how they’re doing.
This includes areas such as:
Relationships
Finances
Vocation
Faith
Well-Being
Yes, there will be stats and insights that feel negative or discouraging, but other findings will bring you validation, hope and even joy.
The goal is o equip church leaders (and those who support them) with the information they need to pursue greater flourishing in their personal lives and pastoral leadership.
Burnout Among Church Volunteers: Church membership should not be a source of weariness and burden
Faith+ Lead
Author: Michael Perera
Here’s a snippet from the article
…I think burnout among laypeople tends to get overlooked. If we’re not clergy or church staff, there’s a belief that the hard work of church doesn’t apply to us; we can stop anytime, so what’s there to complain about?
But in the conversations I’ve had, with ordained and lay people alike, burnout affects everyone. Some have told me about being frustrated that church becomes more about volunteer meetings than about worship; others mention that their volunteering was “hoped” to take some of the workload off their priests’ shoulders. One person told me about a lingering dread they had going to church on Sundays, because of all the people they had to talk with about ministries and groups and events.
A Life-Giving Meeting: Give yourself permission for play and delight
Faith+ Lead
Author: Andrea Fluegel
Here’s a snippet from the article
I used to think that connecting with God was about spending intentional time reading a devotional book or email first thing in the morning along with a chapter of scripture before heading out the door to drop the kids off at school and then going to the church office or a meeting. But with three kids, mornings were busy and chaotic, on the best of days. And so those feelings of shame and perfectionism creeped in.
Over the years, I have learned that connecting with the Triune God, or what some call “spiritual practices,” takes many different forms. It’s expansive and not limited to only reading scripture or a devotional in the morning. It’s about naming and noticing God’s presence in ourselves, in other people, in our community, and in creation. I have also realized that each day my connection with God is different. There are days I connect to God through journal writing or making prayer beads. Other times it is just stepping out of my office (even in the brutally cold temperatures) to breathe or to move my body for two or, better yet, five minutes. I also intentionally remind myself that playing with my dog, hiking in the woods with my husband, or listening to jazz or rap music with my teenage son are ways to connect with God too. In addition, splashing in rain puddles or making snow angels are ways that I can connect to God because in those moments, I am thankful for what God has created. I feel and see God when I am coaching clergy and congregational leaders as together we explore God’s presence through sacred listening.
A Life-Giving Meeting: Give yourself permission for play and delight
Faith+ Lead
Author: Andrea Fluegel
Here’s a snippet from the article
…Practicing a Sabbath rhythm means trusting God with our unfinished tasks as we temporarily halt them. So even if there is just one more email to send, one more phone call to make, or one more line of a sermon to write, we stop anyway. And sometimes the things that seemed insurmountable or overwhelming when we took our pause become far less crucial on the other side of our Sabbath practice.
New Data Shows Hopeful Increases in Pastors’ Confidence & Satisfaction
Barna
March 6, 2024
Here’s a snippet from the article
…In earlier reports on this data, we referred to this as a “burnout epidemic.” We saw a steep drop in the number of pastors who said they felt energized by their jobs and a large spike in the data indicating many pastors felt discouraged, depleted and defeated by their day-to-day work.
For a while, the day-to-day reality of U.S. pastors seemed quite grim. Recently, however, some signs of relief have begun to appear on the horizon.
Past Barna reporting showed that, as of 2022, just 35 percent of pastors said they were “more confident” in their calling than they had been when they started in ministry. In 2023, that number dramatically grew to 51 percent, with another 39 percent saying they are “just as confident.” While 14 percent said they were “less confident” in 2022, just 9 percent now say the same. Notably, these numbers are strong among both men (51%) and women (53%), as well as pastors over 45 (52%) and under 45 (50%).
A Life-Giving Meeting: Give yourself permission for play and delight
Faith+ Lead
Author: Marti Reed Hazelrigg
Here’s a snippet from the article
After twenty years of ordained ministry including ten years at my current church, I took my first sabbatical in the summer of 2022. I felt like an old bird, not just because my feathers were graying. If you have led or been a member of church you may know the stress of ministry these days—pandemics of health and racial reconciliation, political division, staff transitions, and budget realities. I assumed that time away to rest and recharge, to pray and connect with family and friends would have this old bird singing again.
As I prepared for time away coordinating with staff and congregational leaders to serve in my absence, I realized the work of a congregation doesn’t end when the pastor is on sabbatical. What the church needed was not more work. They needed a new way to do it. They needed connection and flexibility. They needed to hear God’s hopeful vision from their own voices and not just mine. God would continue to give them words to sing while I was away. Instead of leaving a long to-do list, I opted for the tagline, while the pastor is away, the church will play!
If any of these articles resonated with you in your context, let us know in the comments.
We’d like to offer you some searchable sites to find a practitioner that might be a helpful companion for you as you serve in ministry. I’ve always said that sometimes we need to pay someone to focus on listening to us when we spend so much of our time and energy listening to everyone else. It is an invaluable investment in ourselves. We’ve posted a companion article to day’s YOU Matter Too post to help connect you with a psychologist, psychotherapist or counsellor read that post here.