About one-third of you readers are laypersons. This article is for you. Of course, I know pastors and other vocational ministry leaders will be reading as well. Perhaps, more than my article, they will be reading your comments. They will be searching eagerly to see if anyone has a word of encouragement. They may be anticipating the responses will be a barrage of negativity they have become accustomed to receiving.
Please hear me clearly. The vast majority of pastors with whom our team communicates are saying they are considering quitting their churches. It’s a trend I have not seen in my lifetime. Some are just weeks away from making an announcement. They are looking for work in the secular world. Some will move to bivocational ministry. Some will move to marketplace ministry.
But many will move.
Why has this period of great discouragement ensued? Of course, it is connected to COVID-19, but the pandemic really just exacerbated trends already in place. We would have likely gotten to this point in the next three to five years regardless.
I also want you to know that these pastors do not think they will be leaving ministry. They just believe the current state of negativity and apathy in many local churches is not the most effective way they can be doing ministry.
So, they are leaving or getting ready to leave. There are many reasons why, but allow me to share the top six reasons, understanding that they are not mutually exclusive.
- Pastors are weary from the pandemic, just like everyone else. Pastors are not super humans. They miss their routines. They miss seeing people as they used to do so. They would like the world to return to normal, but they realize the old normal will not return.
- Pastors are greatly discouraged about the fighting taking place among church members about the post-quarantine church. Gather in person or wait? Masks or no masks? Social distancing or not? Too many church members have adopted the mindset of culture and made these issues political fights. Pastors deal daily with complaints about the decisions the church makes.
- Pastors are discouraged about losing members and attendance. For sure, it’s not all about the numbers. But imagine your own mindset if one-half or more of your friends stopped engaging with you. And pastors have already heard directly or indirectly from around one-fourth of the members that they do not plan to return at all.
- Pastors don’t know if their churches will be able to support ministries financially in the future. In the early stages of the pandemic, giving was largely healthy. Church members stepped up. Government infusion of funds for businesses and consumers helped as well. Now, the financial future is cloudy. Can the church continue to support the ministries they need to do? Will the church need to eliminate positions? These issues weigh heavily on pastors.
- Criticisms against pastors have increased significantly. One pastor recently shared with me the number of criticisms he receives are five times greater than the pre-pandemic era. Church members are worried. Church members are weary. And the most convenient target for their angst is their pastor.
- The workload for pastors has increased greatly. Almost every pastor with whom we communicate expresses surprise at their level of work since the pandemic began. It really makes sense. They are trying to serve the congregation the way they have in the past, but now they have the added responsibilities that have come with the digital world. And as expected, pastoral care needs among members have increased during the pandemic as well.
Pastors are burned out, beaten up, and downtrodden.
Many are about to quit.
You may be surprised to discover your pastor is among them.
Posted on August 31, 2020
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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428 Comments
Well…as a full time pastor, it looks like Thom was right in how people would react to this information.
Methodist ministers are now tasked with filling councils and admin boards with members who agree with their agenda for the church with the upcoming split. This seems to be the highest priority right now. Ministers are not visiting members, but, are reaching out to them via text and phone. The church I attend does not plan to meet in person for several months due to lack of interest.
Layperson here. Members are indeed divided post pandemic. open or not, masks etc
Unfortunately many are making threats about their attendance or membership or money if they don’t like the changes. Please commit to Christ and his church. This is more important than getting your way. Support your pastor in these difficult times.
REPLY
I have been surprised how little contact my parents have received from the large pastorial staff at the large church they attend. My father however was not. He stated it is not different than before the virus.
Modern pastors are not like the pastor I had growing up. They were in the homes visiting then.
It is a lot harder to critize a person when you personally know their heart.
There are a large number of lonely elderly people quarantined at home. They would love to even have a 5 minute visit from a pastor even thru a window even once a month
It would probably encourage the pastor more than themnin the long run due to the person’s gratitude.
Just wear a mask and encourage them to do the same as appropriate.
I am thankful for all pastors and all they do but know those elderly at home are discouraged and depressed and probably more than the pastor.
Heloing others is best way to cheer yourself up.
So to an article about how difficult it is to pastor right now your solution is to offer more criticism. Kind of proves the point of the article.
Yes, you are right. We need a connection with pastors and many of us are so lonely.
I would hate to have our pastor leave the church or any other pastors leave their church. You are needed and necessary to each church you pastor. People should go to church to listen to God’s work and not critique the pastor. You are very much needed.
If you have a Minister who is in the Ministry for their love of God, and the work of Jesus Christ, they will stay true to the Church they serve.
If they are in the Ministry to serve themselves quit….as they should.
They know who they are and will sort themselves out…both Pastors and Parishners.
Being true to the church doesn’t protect pastors from feeling the stress and sometimes the depression that comes with this season. Just like David, Moses and Elijah. The underlying tone of your post ie if your struggling you aren’t being faithful only adds to the problem.
I served as a pastor of a local church for 30 years. The longer I served the harder things got. You have no idea the level of abuse a pastor and their family can receive. I have had people lie to me, lie about me and have secret meetings about me primarily because I was doing things the church told me to do. My children have been mistreated. Being a pastor can be one of the most rewarding things ever. I have led people to accept Christ. I have had the privilege to be with people at the most significant times: birth, death, baptism, wedding, funeral, etc. Being a pastor can also be extremely difficult and painful.
I appreciate your post but none of the reasons listed above are a reason for a preacher to quit. Pastors must remember that they work for Jesus, not the church. We are assigned the duty to be faithful unto death and then we will receive a crown of life. Also I believe these are momentous times when men and women of God are given an opportunity to demonstrate the faith that we proclaim. I hope all who see this will consider the following statement from Apostle Paul. Ephesians 6:10–13 (ESV) — 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
This is one of the key things that must be practice. We must remember that the unseen is the key to everthing. What we see us the earthly realm, what we should bevdoing is to step into the spiritual realm abd fight our battle there.
Part of my comment has been removed. The church need to put the Holy Spirit back into the churches. How can we operate as Christians, preaching the gospel and not include the Holy Spirit? This is one of the key problems in the churches today. It is written in the Bible that many will leave the churches and this is happening. You may erase this again but it is the truth. Pastors need to preach the Word and not made preach what the congregation wants to hear. Everyone needs to be on their knees in prayer and focus on Jesus and not on us. It’s not about usbut it is about Jesus .
Our pastor has always done above and beyond. Now, with things like they are, he seems to go non-stop. I’m concerned about him and his wife. Some people are trying to take some of the burden off, but he is still trudging along. We love and appreciate him very much
May God continue to bless and protect you
As a lay staff member, I see so many believers have turned from faith in Jesus to following the current cultural trends, and they brag about it on social media. We are called to first follow Christ and live by His example. He would love others unconditionally, believer and unbeliever alike. He would not take sides or worry about political agendas. Pastors have such a difficult responsibility of making decisions, which are much more difficult now. I pray for him and follow his direction. Few understand how broken his heart is for his flock as they disagree and bicker over things of this world. May we all return our focus on Jesus and living intentionally for His Glory!
Unexpectedly in December my staff pastor quit. We launched a much needed building pledge campaign in February and we were working towards bribing on a new staff member…. now it’s all out the window and I am doing almost everything by myself…. we are tired and spent.
Thanks for sharing your weary heart in ministry. Don’t give up and keep trusting God to bring you through these difficult days. I also want to say thanks for the hearty laugh I had with your typo above… “bribing on a new staff”. Laughter is great for our souls and my husband and I try to make sure we enjoy the bright moments even in the chaos of ministry. Blessings to you fellow minister! I pray you find a few bright moments of relief and rest in the midst of being short staffed. A few of the first posts I read were discouraging towards what pastors weren’t doing quite right. Watching trends is always helpful and it informs our response and support to each other. So we are in it with you and I hope you are soon on the other side of the struggle.
Amen! We as christians are examples for the lost and to give them hope. If we give up then where does that leave them?
I’m a music minister who is looking forward to the day where I can get back to having opportunities to minister to various people (such as in prison, nursing homes, hospitals), as well as get back to regularly teaching from God’s word. Right now I feel like a glorified media person, and I’m constantly getting passed over for teaching opportunities because my pastor and other leaders in the church feel like I’m too busy with the media stuff to have time to teach. I’m busy, but I’d be happy to make time for that.