ABC VERMONT & NEW HAMPSHIRE
  • Home
  • ABOUT US
    • MISSION AND PURPOSE
    • REGION MINISTRIES
    • FIND A CHURCH
    • MINISTERIAL LEADERS
    • STAFF
    • CONTACT US
  • RESOURCES
    • PASTORAL RESOURCES
    • CHURCH RESOURCES
    • MISSION PROJECTS
  • NEWS AND EVENTS
    • EVENTS
    • NEWS
    • NEWSLETTER
    • ANNUAL GATHERING VIDEO >
      • 2021 ANNUAL GATHERING VIDEO
      • 2022 Annual Gathering Video
    • FROST HEAVE REVIVAL PODCAST
    • IMPORTANT DATES
  • SUPPORTING THE REGION

Why Stay?

4/7/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Recently I had the opportunity to sit with 13 American Baptist Executive Ministers and hear
something positive. The presenter, via our zoom meeting, was Bill Shiell, the president of Northern Seminary. In the age of the “great resignation” the topic was simply, “Why pastors are staying in ministry.” Yes, pastors have been worn down by adapting, mediating, and caring. But the Northern Seminary study revealed the timeless reasons pastors, men and women, new and veteran, across racial identifications, remain in local church ministry. (I personally speculate there are similar reasons why people stay part of churches.)

The number #1 reason pastors remain committed to ministry: 93% report a convinced knowledge of call. Pastors who do not intend to leave ministry, almost always state they will remain in their current ministries, unless God is definitely calling them away. Pastors who remain in ministry are committed to their local church and context. Most often call takes on a geographically place most often expressed in the conviction that “God has called me here.”

The #2 reason why pastors remain in ministry is having a supportive family, network, church, or community, or a combination thereof, but most importantly family. Although lower than 93%, a support network was cited by 43% as the reason they remain in ministry. Not surprisingly, compensation was a very distant third.

Northern Seminary’s study also revealed is that in a world of pandemic and division, what caused pastors who remain in ministry to embrace their first passions: preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. The past two years reminded pastors that these were the most important callings. Relationships became more important to pastors, as I believe was true of people in general. Pastors who remain in ministry worked to simplify their calls, by de-prioritizing church administrative tasks. I suspect there are things, often small things, that drain pastors of life. I also suspect church governance also drains pastors of passion and life. Church conflicts over COVID policies and political convictions were cited as being exhausting dynamics for pastors.

But then encouraging news: When pastors were asked what they need, the two top needs cited were the practices of spiritual formation and meaningful relationships. Possibly the data had a conclusive loop; the needs pastors cited were the same things that confirmed and deepened their call. Interestingly, in this survey pastors expressed little interest in learning new methods or strategies. The pastors surveyed were less interested in “how to”, than the deepening of their relationship with Christ and others.

My interpretation of the data, is the struggles of the last two years have acted as a Holy Spirit formed reminder of what is timeless and most important, our relationship with Christ and others, and unmovable confidence in the timeless Good News of Jesus. When I review 38 years of pastoral ministry, which is included my current gig, I remember times of discouragement and exhaustion, but when asking myself, “Why are you staying?”, I most often stumbled back to the answer that Jesus has asked me to stay. I think we are finding the blessing in the whirlwind, dependency upon Christ, and love of others.

In Jesus name, Dale
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    News

    Read what's happening all around the Region!

    Archives

    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • ABOUT US
    • MISSION AND PURPOSE
    • REGION MINISTRIES
    • FIND A CHURCH
    • MINISTERIAL LEADERS
    • STAFF
    • CONTACT US
  • RESOURCES
    • PASTORAL RESOURCES
    • CHURCH RESOURCES
    • MISSION PROJECTS
  • NEWS AND EVENTS
    • EVENTS
    • NEWS
    • NEWSLETTER
    • ANNUAL GATHERING VIDEO >
      • 2021 ANNUAL GATHERING VIDEO
      • 2022 Annual Gathering Video
    • FROST HEAVE REVIVAL PODCAST
    • IMPORTANT DATES
  • SUPPORTING THE REGION