New research confirms that the past year has been an especially tough one for pastors in the United States as they’ve faced partisan rancor and feelings of isolation and stress that led a growing number to consider leaving full-time ministry….
The moral dimension of the ministerial vocation
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. … Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls…
Half of U.S. congregations led by solo pastor but that’s not what most churchgoers experience
The iconic Americana image of a solo pastor faithfully tending the flock of a local congregation remains a reality for more than half of U.S. congregations, but that is not the reality most American churchgoers experience. Combined with the report…
In Black and Hispanic congregations, parishioners often turn to pastors for mental health issues, which in turn creates mental health stress for pastors
New research shows that pastors remain the go-to mental health providers for many members of Black and Hispanic churches in the United States. Congregants report this stems from belief that faith alone can heal emotional trauma, from stigma surrounding treatment…
In a world of haves and have-nots, America’s churches should capitalize on their strengths, religion researcher says
Small and medium-size churches can navigate the challenges of postmodern culture and the COVID-19 pandemic by capitalizing on inherent strengths, embracing the neighborhoods that surround them and by adopting scaled-down practices from megachurches, one of the nation’s leading religion researchers…
Do you play church in a pretend world or serve people in the real world?
There is the world the church acts like we all live in, and then there’s the world real people live in. These are not the same places. It has taken more than a year of deconstructing my own experiences as…
Amid the pandemic and racial reckoning, most Americans give clergy high marks
A majority of Americans, churchgoing or otherwise, believe pastors are trustworthy and aware of the challenges faced by their local communities, new research by Barna shows. Among U.S. adults, 59% either “disagreed strongly” or “somewhat disagreed” that local clergy are…
Clergy, social workers, counselors fear they could be targeted by new Texas abortion law, which Supreme Court lets stand for now
After initially remaining silent as a highly restrictive new abortion law went into effect in Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a late-night ruling, 5-4, Sept. 1 letting the controversial law stand — for now. Had Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg…
If you are a pastor in an abusive church, please know that you are not alone
It happens almost every week. Over the last year, with recurring and uncanny regularity, a pastor or Christian leader reaches out to me to share their journey of leaving abusive churches or organizations. In each case, they know I’m no…