The latest stats are out….Pastor Health Stats that will Scare You!

 

It’s no news to us that today’s Pastor Health Stats are not pretty. Heck, that’s why we’re here doing what we’re doing. However, at a recent leadership seminar Pastor Todd Smith shared the latest, and they’re scary. Scary to see so many struggling when our world needs these guys more than any other career.

 

We live in a sinful world full of brokenness. Pastors are called to be shepherds to their flocks, but if the shepherd isn’t healthy what will happen to his flock?

 

Pastor Health Stats that will Scare you, a shepherd looking sick leaning on his staff with sheep behind him

 

What if every shepherd was healthy, vibrant, and thriving in life? What if every Pastor was serving to their full potential and capacity? Maybe there wouldn’t be as many stray sheep…. maybe our herds would be bigger and stronger warriors for the Lord. 

 Pastor Health Stats that will Scare you, a strong shepherd carrying a sheep on his back

 

This is why the burden lays heavy on our hearts, the burden of strengthening leaders so they can lead to their fullest potential. Reviving the awareness of their health and then restoring it.

 

“We build fierce leaders for the lost world.”

 Fierce: adjective (of a feeling, emotion, or action) showing a heartfelt and powerful intensity 

 

Here’s the latest stats:

  • 50% of ministers who become pastors quit before 5 years
  • 1 in 10 make it to retirement

Pastor Health Stats that will Scare you, stressed pastor holding his glasses and rubbing his eyes 

Deep inside each of us:

  • Our hearts long for friends
  • We long for closeness
  • We desire authenticity
  • We want to be liked.

 

The biggest stressors Pastors face:

  1. Declining numbers (attendance or financial)
  2. Criticism
  3. Balancing Family and Ministry Responsibilities
  4. Being alone – no friends
  5. Dealing with death recurrently
  6. Sensing not connecting
  7. Losing support of friends
  8. Remembering failures – people can’t defeat but the mind can.
  9. Managing money – personal/church
  10. Dealing with unsupportive staff/leaders 

“The devil is not motivating us to quit but he is intent on stealing our dreams. If he can steal your dreams, he will steal your future.”

 

Pastor Health Stats that will Scare you, yellow danger sign

Danger signs:

  1. You’ve lost your vision and your focus.
  2. You become easily angered
  3. Lost or losing hope
  4. Avoiding people
  5. Deflects responsibility/ownership
  6. Minimize our passion for the community
  7. Don’t look forward to Sunday
  8. Spiritual disciplines are declining

 

How to overcome:

  1. Quitting is not an option!!! Take it off the table! You can quit without quitting – don’t do it!
  2. When you feel like quitting think about why you started.
  3. Guard your mind. Their thoughts won’t make you quit, but your thoughts will.
  4. Surround yourself with supporters (listen closely to their stories). Save some “praise” for the times when you need it!
  5. Find a voice(s) that will speak and breathe life into you and your spouse!
  6. Find someone who will keep an eye on you.

 

Pastor Health Stats that will Scare you, a circle chart of spiritual, emotional, physical with a black silouette of a person in between

3 gauges to watch closely:

  1. Physical gauge – monitor it closely
  2. Spiritual gauge – do the daily disciplines daily
  3. Emotional gauge – one of the most dangerous areas – opens you up to temptation.

 

Here are some other stats have prompted our movement that you may have seen us state from time to time from Pastoral Care Inc.:

  • 72% of the pastors report working between 55 to75 hours per week.
  • 84% of pastors feel they are on call 24/7.
  • 80% believe pastoral ministry has negativelyaffected their families. Many pastor’s children do not attend church now because of what the church has done to their parents.
  • 65% of pastors feel their family lives in a “glass house” and fear they are not good enough to meet expectations.
  • 23% of pastors report being distant to their family.
  • 78% of pastors report having their vacation and personal time interrupted with ministry duties or expectations.
  • 65% of pastors feel they have not taken enough vacation time with their family over the last 5 years.
  • 28% of pastors report having feelings of guilt for taking personal time off and not telling the church.
  • 35% of pastors report the demands of the church denies them from spending time with their family.
  • 24% of pastor’s families resent the church and its effect on their family.
  • 22% of pastor’s spouses reports the ministry places undue expectations on their family.
  • 66% of church members expect a minister and family to live at a higher moral standard than themselves.
  • Moral values of a Christian is no different than those who consider themselves as non-Christians.
  • The average American will tell 23 lies a day.
  • 53% of pastors report that the seminary did not prepare them for the ministry.
  • 90% of pastors report the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be like before they entered the ministry.
  • 45% of pastors spend 10-15 hours a week on sermon preparation.
  • 85% of pastors report the use of the internet and other resources have improved their study time compared to when they first started their ministry.
  • 50% of pastors state they spend 1 hour in prayer each day.
  • 95% of pastors report not praying daily or regularly with their spouse.
  • 57% of pastors believe they do not receive a livable wage.
  • 57% of pastors being unable to pay their bills.
  • 53% of pastors are concerned about their future family financial security.
  • 75% of pastors report significant stress-related crisis at least once in their ministry.
  • 80% of pastors and 84% of their spouses have felt unqualified and discouraged as role of pastors at least one or more times in their ministry.
  • 52% of pastors feel overworked and cannot meet their church’s unrealistic expectations.
  • 54% of pastors find the role of a pastor overwhelming.
  • 40% report serious conflict with a parishioner at least once in the last year.
  • 80% of pastors expect conlfict within their church.
  • 75% of pastors report spending 4-5 hours a week in needless meetings.
  • 35% of pastors battle depression or fear of inadequacy.
  • 26% of pastors report being over fatigued.
  • 28% of pastors report they are spiritually undernurished.
  • Over 50% of pastors state the biggest challenge is to recruit volunteers and encourage their members to change (living closer to God’s Word).
  • 70% of pastors report they have a lower self-image now than when they first started.
  • 70% of pastors do not have someone they consider to be a close friend.
  • 27% of pastors report not having anyone to turn to for help in a crisis situation.
  • 81% of pastors have been tempted to have inappropriate sexual thoughts or behavior with someone in the church but have resisted.
  • 17% of pastors report inappropriately texting with a church member at sometime in their ministry.
  • 34% of pastors wrestle with the temptation of pornography or visits pornographic sites.
  • 57% of pastors feel fulfilled but yet discouraged, stressed, and fatigued.
  • 84% of pastors desire to have close fellowhip with someone they can trust and confide with.
  • Over 50% of pastors are unhealthy, overweight, and do not exercise.
  • The profession of “Pastor” is near the bottom of a survey of the most-respected professions, just above “car salesman”.
  • Many denominations are reporting an “Empty Pulpit Crisis”.  They do nto have a shortage of ministers but have a shortage of ministers desiring to fill the role of a pastor.
  • 71% of churches have no plan for a pastor to receive a periodic sabbatical.
  • 66% of churches have no lay counseling support.
  • 30% of churches have no documentation clearly outlining what the church expects of their pastor.
  • 1 out of every 10 pastors will actually retire as a pastor.

 

 Older Statistics Still Being Researched for Current Numbers:

  • **4,000 new churches begin each year and 7,000 churches close.
  • **Over 1,500 pastors left the ministry every month last year.
  • **Over 1,300 pastors were terminated by the local church each month ,
    many without cause.
  • **Over 3,500 people a day left the church last year.

 

If YOUR Pastor is in health danger, please contact us today. We want to help!

Pastor Health Stats that will Scare you, MIssionFiT Logo