Hey Pastor, Don’t Be a Statistic

July 12, 2010 4 Comments
The failure of the rockstar
Image by matley0 via Flickr

Pastor, has the thought ever occurred to you that you could be that story? Your name could appear in that news story of a shepherd who has strayed into an affair, embezzlement, or just leaving in a state of burnout. If you don’t believe me, first heed this Scripture:

If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin.

~1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT

And if that’s not enough (and of course it should be), then heed these statistics about Pastors:

  1. 25% have been forced out of or fired from their ministry.
  2. 90% feel inadequately trained to cope with ministry demands.
  3. 80% believe that pastoral ministry affects their families negatively.
  4. 45% say they’ve experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence.
  5. 40% have serious conflict with a church member at least once per month.
  6. 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend.
  7. 66% and their families feel pressure to model the ideal family to their congregations and communities.
  8. 20% admit to having an affair while in the ministry.
  9. 37% admit that Internet pornography is a current struggle.
  10. 72% stated they only studied the Bible when preparing a sermon.
  11. 26% stated they felt they were adequately fed spiritually.
  12. 14% of pastors spend an hour or less in personal devotions each week.
  13. 77% said they felt that did not have a good marriage.

Source: Acts 29 Network: Why Every Leader Needs a Shepherd

Are these statistics shocking? Sadly, not as much as they used to be because we’re all too familiar with them already. But they are definitely sobering. How can you avoid being a statistic?

  1. Stay close to Jesus in prayer.
  2. Stay deep in the Word daily.
  3. Stay close to your spouse, the other half of your flesh.
  4. Reach out to and connect with other Pastors.
  5. Love the people you serve.
  6. Forgive the people who hurt you.
  7. If you’re in deep, get help.
  8. Flee temptation. That means RUN!
  9. Be accountable.
  10. Hang with family, often.
  11. Did I mention prayer and the Word?

Pastor, hang in there! And if you need help, drop me a line.

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  • http://kevinmartineau.blogspot.com Kevin M.

    A great reminder Brandon! I was almost one of those statistics 3 years ago and I have to remind myself daily that I don't want to be one of those statistics!

    • http://www.brandonacox.com Brandon

      Kevin, glad you were spared that! God bless.

  • http://www.wordofhisgrace.net Chadrack

    Bleak statistics indeed. And it definitely calls for some more concerted effort by the body of Christ to be more serious in praying for the shepherds of the flock. These statistics tells much about what is happening in the church today. As the scripture says, "I'll strike the shepherd and the flock shall be scattered!"

    Your tips are indeed a helpful list. Having been serving the Lord close to 19 yrs at various levels as a lay pastoral assistance, I can rightly say getting close to the Lord and taking your relationship with Him more seriously than the bells and frills of ministry will be of great help. Let's depend on the Word of His Grace just as Paul encouraged the Ephesian elders!

  • http://thepracticaldisciple John

    I was nearly a statistic about 6 years ago. I read your post and I thought of a saying I once heard. " If you find a sick tree in a forest there is something wrong with the tree, if you find half the trees in a forest are sick there is something wrong with the forest." These statistics seem to indicate that there is something systemically wrong with how we are doing church in many places. I find many colleagues who are doing many of the things that you are suggesting, but are burning out regardless because frankly they are in churches that are abusive sick churches. I keep hearing the same old sick story of churches were a handful of typically older core members make the pastor's life miserable and the rest of the membership is either clueless or enables it. Often times this happens when people have positional authority, but aren't actually spiritually mature. That said, unless the church is doing the things you suggest for pastors to do, then I am still not sure many of our pastors are going to escape being a statistic. Not trying to be a voice of doom and gloom here, but I have been there and done that on the statistics and I see the drama being epidemically played out. Pray for the forest.