Pastors Under Stress

By Bill Gaultiere © 2009

Pastors, missionaries, and other ministry leaders care for hurting people continually. At every meeting they have to be “on”, ready to give leadership, a message, prayer, or a word of encouragement.

But who ministers to pastors? Who is caring for their heart and investing in their relationship with God? Who is helping them to be more effective for Christ in their ministry?

Like anyone else, pastors and other Christian leaders may become overstressed, depressed or caught in a compulsive behavior. Or they may find themselves feeling spiritually dry, tired of ministry, angry at God, stuck in their spiritual life, or burned out.

Sometimes ministry leaders need specialized soul care. Other times they need spiritual renewal. Always they need a safe soul friend to listen and provide encouragement and prayer.

And when a pastor or other leader is helped to grow into greater intimacy with Christ tremendous blessings overflow to his or her family and the many people that he or she has influence over.

Statistics from surveys of pastors show that their need Soul Shepherding…

Ministry Stress

• 90% of the pastors report working between 55 to 75 hours per week
• 90% feel they are inadequately trained to cope with the ministry demands and 50% feel unable to meet the demands of the job
• 50% have considered leaving the ministry in the last months
• 50% of the ministers starting out will not last 5 years
• 40% report serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month
• The profession of “Pastor” is near the bottom of a survey of the most-respected professions, just above “car salesman”

Emotional Health

• 70% say they have a lower self-image now than when they first started
• 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend
• 33% confess having been involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with someone in the church

Family

• 80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Many pastor’s children do not attend church now because of what the church has done to their parents
• 33% state that being in the ministry is an outright hazard to their family
• 94% of clergy families feel the pressures of the pastor’s ministry

(Statistics are from surveys of pastors done by HB London, Jr., The Fuller Institute, George Barna, and Pastoral Care Inc.)

I compiled a number of key Scriptures to write “A Prayer of Affirmation for Pastors” to help pastors and leaders like myself cultivate the reliance on God that empowers ministry.

Thank you!

Bill & Kristi