Where are the Pastors?
My recent article on the shifts in ministerial education within the Church of God has prompted me to reflect further on the larger issue surrounding the availability of pastors for our congregations. In short, we are facing an impending crisis that seems only to be accelerating, and is likely to have a major impact on the future viability and sustainability of congregational life as we know it in North America.
As I previously pointed out, our universities are feeling the disruption caused by declining enrollment of young college students pursuing vocational ministry. For a large portion of the twentieth century, this leadership development pipeline was essential across our movement (and in most denominations in the United States and Canada). Now, without the significant production of new graduates, our congregations are feeling the resulting effects, felt most acutely when they are needing to search for a new pastor.
As a retired Regional Pastor, I saw this trend take shape firsthand. I continue to observe it, as even now I am working with a congregation as an advisor in their search process. It is evident that it is becoming increasingly difficult for congregations to find a new pastor, with it not uncommon now to see churches experiencing transitions between pastors lasting more than one year, and in some cases several years. There are fewer available prospective pastors to choose from, and those that are available often fall outside of congregational expectations.
Let’s examine some of the factors behind this development:
Fewer churches are offering full-time pastoral positions. We should not underestimate this economic driver. There was a time when even most small congregations were able to secure a full-time (or close to full-time) pastor. This was accomplished because they provided housing in a church owned home, and were often able to secure a pastor with a salary barely above subsistence. These arrangements are less prevalent today due to a number of reasons, including shifts in giving patterns, churches selling their parsonages, and pressure from ministers needing more reasonable wages to address educational debt and to provide for their families. As a result, it has become more difficult for churches to compensate their pastors adequately, and so a growing number (possibly majority now) have no choice but to seek some who will serve as a bi-vocational pastor.
Few pastors are prepared to serve bi-vocationally. A large proportion of ministers considering a change of assignment, feel it necessary to apply only for fully paid positions, which are now more difficult to find. Consequently, those looking for a new pastorate have fewer choices available to them. This has contributed to a growing number of ministers leaving vocational ministry altogether and entering the secular workforce, believing that it is nearly impossible for them to find a position that provides a salary and benefits suitable for their family. This has shrunk the pool further.
Social upheaval has prompted many pastors to leave. Beyond economic influences, we must consider the effect of societal pressures on the church and pastors. The 2016 election and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated a trend already in motion. Both of these events contributed significantly to the problem that persists to the present time. In the United States, in particular, we have seen a toxic polarization develop driven by politics. The 2016 election saw churches bitterly divided over politics as Evangelicals assumed new levels of political influence and manipulation. Many pastors were caught in the congregational crossfires. Less than four years later, the pandemic created a whole new level of stress, with pastors not only having to learn new ministry skills, but how to bring peace in congregations divided over mask mandates and restrictions on public gatherings, all of this fueled by political posturing. At times, the focus on ministry has been overshadowed by attitudes and conflicts causing great emotional upheaval in churches and in the lives of pastors. There is both research and anecdotal evidence of a considerable number of pastors resigning or retiring early, having been overburdened by all this which sapped the joy of their calling.
Fewer young people see pastoral ministry as a viable or desirable vocational choice. This goes back to what I stated earlier and in my previous post: Fewer young adults (i.e. mainly high school graduates) are deliberately entering our universities and seminary with the career goal of pastoral ministry. To be sure, there still are devoted, young Christ-followers attending our colleges, and some are compelled to serve God through their lives and careers, even vocationally. But, becoming a pastor of a local congregation seems to be low on their list of options. The prospect of serving in a dysfunctional congregation, or with the pressures of the celebrity-driven mega-church culture, is not captivating Gen-Zs. They are also aware directly, or through the counsel of parents and others, that this may not be a financially viable option for them. Education is expensive, and the prospect of debt, associated with a shrinking number of full-time openings casts further doubt into the system.
The Aging Out of pastors. The stark reality that churches of all stripes in North America face is that the average age of pastors is growing. I recall Jim Lyon sharing a few years ago that over a ten-year period the average age of pastors in the Church of God increased by ten years. That is alarming, and reveals a non-sustainable pattern. While there are a growing number of pastors who are staying in the pulpit at much older ages, and even taking on bi-vocational positions to supplement their otherwise paltry pensions, the fact is that declining health, and death are inevitable. Of course, there are some who will have the resources to retire fully at a more conventional age. Regardless of how or when, as these Baby Boomers eventually exit, we will be in full leadership crisis mode across the church.
Despite all the above-mentioned trends and shifts, the future does not have to be bleak. This should be a tremendous opportunity to make some needed adjustments that will better enable our congregations to thrive with pastoral leadership into the future. Of course, change will not be easy, and it will, in fact, involve some pain. I will explore some of these possibilities in my next post.
