CHURCHES:
**Over 15,000 churches will close in 2025; only about 4,000 new churches will be started
**46% of Americans believe church is important to them now, down from average of 70% for last 6 decades
**Over half of churches in America cannot pay their pastor a full-time salary (many part-time pastors have multiple jobs to survive)
**6 out of 10 churches are plateaued or declining in attendance. More than half saw fewer than 10 converts in the last 12 months.
**85% of pastors believe the mission of the church is to reach the lost; only 42% of practicing Christians feel the same
PASTORS:
**The profession of “Pastor” is near the bottom of a survey of the most-respected professions, just above “used car salesman”
**Only 1 out of every 10 pastors who started a career as pastor will retire as a pastor. (That is stunning. I know several men who left churches and sold insurance or Amway, etc. Money or lack of it was the driving force, along with the pressures of the ministry)
**38% of pastors are thinking of quitting the ministry. Almost half of these (46%) are under age 45.
**72% of pastors report working between 55 to 75 hours per week.
**84% of pastors feel they are on call 24/7.
**80% of pastors believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. 65% of pastors feel their family lives in a "glass house" and fear they are not good enough to meet expectations.
**78% of pastors report having their vacation and personal time interrupted with ministry duties or expectations.
**65% of pastors feel they have not taken enough vacation time with their family over the last 5 years.
**66% of church members expect a minister and family to live at a higher moral standard than they do themselves.
**90% of pastors report the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be like before they entered the
ministry.
**95% of pastors report not praying daily or regularly with their spouse.
**57% of pastors believe they do not receive a livable wage and are unable to pay their bills.
**80% of pastors expect conflict within their church.
**70% of pastors do not have someone they consider to be a close friend.
BUT
**90% of pastors feel they are called and serving in the place where God has called them.
**Over 15,000 churches will close in 2025; only about 4,000 new churches will be started
**46% of Americans believe church is important to them now, down from average of 70% for last 6 decades
**Over half of churches in America cannot pay their pastor a full-time salary (many part-time pastors have multiple jobs to survive)
**6 out of 10 churches are plateaued or declining in attendance. More than half saw fewer than 10 converts in the last 12 months.
**85% of pastors believe the mission of the church is to reach the lost; only 42% of practicing Christians feel the same
PASTORS:
**The profession of “Pastor” is near the bottom of a survey of the most-respected professions, just above “used car salesman”
**Only 1 out of every 10 pastors who started a career as pastor will retire as a pastor. (That is stunning. I know several men who left churches and sold insurance or Amway, etc. Money or lack of it was the driving force, along with the pressures of the ministry)
**38% of pastors are thinking of quitting the ministry. Almost half of these (46%) are under age 45.
**72% of pastors report working between 55 to 75 hours per week.
**84% of pastors feel they are on call 24/7.
**80% of pastors believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. 65% of pastors feel their family lives in a "glass house" and fear they are not good enough to meet expectations.
**78% of pastors report having their vacation and personal time interrupted with ministry duties or expectations.
**65% of pastors feel they have not taken enough vacation time with their family over the last 5 years.
**66% of church members expect a minister and family to live at a higher moral standard than they do themselves.
**90% of pastors report the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be like before they entered the
ministry.
**95% of pastors report not praying daily or regularly with their spouse.
**57% of pastors believe they do not receive a livable wage and are unable to pay their bills.
**80% of pastors expect conflict within their church.
**70% of pastors do not have someone they consider to be a close friend.
BUT
**90% of pastors feel they are called and serving in the place where God has called them.
