why young pastors are leaving the ministry
Stuck..
Originally uploaded by Peter de Krom.
young pastors (less than five years in the ministry) are leaving in droves. according to nakedreligion blog the lily foundation has poured millions of dollars into "sustaining pastoral ministry" initiatives and it's too soon to tell if whether or not their approach is working. other than the obvious reasons pastors leave, this article shares the top 10 reasons young pastors leave the ministry.
posted by J.R. Woodward @ 12:40 AM
3 Comments:
This phenomenon has interested me for quite some time. I've actually been studying and observing it on a little bit wider scope, looking at professional ministers/staffers (not necessarily ordained pastors) in general.
Number 1 is huge and several others after that point to what JR has called in the past "expectation management". This is why, when you read the Gospels, we see Jesus go to such pains to paint a very realistic picture for his followers of what ministry really looks like. We can't be naive about what it will take to bring the kingdom into the world.
I also resonate with young pastors going insane in old churches. Again, Jesus said that you can't pour new wine in old wineskins. That's why the Emergent Church Movement must be tied to an effective church planting strategy.
This is my first post but I've been a long time reader. Great blog JR!
Jason,
Thanks a lot for your thoughts. We will have to connect sometime. Send me an e-mail with your current phone number. Peace.
I cannot speak for everybody, but I can speak for myself. I am leaving the ministry, and theology, for a variety of reasons. However, I think one of the major componants is a lack of realism in both the church and theology. For instance, as many young pastors, like myself, leave the church, there is a tendency to moral rebuke on those people, as if they just really didn't have "the call"--or respond with spiritual discipline--not considering the fact that the theology of the "the call" and "spiritual discipline" may indeed be part of the problem. For one, on the side of lay persons, it requires that the pastor some how appear closer to God, beyond human, willing to do anything for God and for neighbor, without any self interest. In relation to the hierarchical structures in the church (such as the UMC) it allows clergy and other higher ups (DS, Bishops) to over theologize their pastors, expecting that they should give everything for the church of God and focus on growing that very church beyond all things. Thus the human side of pastors gets overlooked--and, as we should all know, they are nothing but human. Theology ends up trumping reality, and the real practical everyday life issues are seen as taboo for pastors to deal with.
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