Earlier this year, Barna published the second volume of “The State of Pastors,” a comprehensive analysis of the health and vitality of pastoral ministry in the United States. It offers insight into how pastors—who so often are advising their congregants on how to think about work—currently perceive their own work in ministry, their vision of leadership, and their understanding of the church’s role in cultural engagement. 

There have been some interesting developments since the first volume came out in 2017. I want to highlight three features of the study that signal larger trends impacting those in the pastoral vocation. 

The Impact of Anxiety

We live in an anxious generation, and pastors are feeling it too. I wrote about these trends in an earlier post, but the study offers concrete data that pastors are becoming more dissatisfied in their work, and I suspect anxiety is a factor.

In the past decade, significantly fewer pastors are feeling confident in their ministry positions. For example, in 2015, 72% of pastors surveyed were very satisfied in their ministry positions, but that number plummeted to 52% in 2022. While it is true that the numbers in 2024 are looking slightly better compared to the grim post-pandemic numbers, they remain well below the earlier numbers.

It is important to watch this trend. Caring for a flock is hard work in a season of rapid cultural transition. My hunch is that there are a variety of factors contributing to this development, including lingering post-pandemic issues, growing apathy or busyness among congregations, and the effects of technology on church attendance.

I hope that the slight uptick in the percentage signifies that pastors are developing habits and practices to deal with the changing demands of ministry in this changing culture. 

The Loss of Younger Pastors

The study also has several interesting observations about the age and experience of pastors. The study noted “much higher satisfaction with spiritual well-being” among pastors over the age of 45 and others who have been in ministry at least 20 years. In other words, those who have weathered the storms of ministry are able to see the fruit of their work and find greater satisfaction in their positions. 

But the report also signals a looming generational transition on the horizon—one that should concern any who are pursuing the pastoral vocation or who want to see those in that profession flourish. The study reports that currently “only 17% of Protestant senior pastors are 40 years old or younger, and the average age of pastors is 52.” Moreover, the study also shows that 68% of pastors over 45 know another minister who has quit full-time ministry, compared with 79% of pastors under 45.

The younger generations know more pastors who have left the ministry vocation altogether, signaling that “pastoral leadership is taking a heavier toll on younger pastors than on older pastors.” It appears an unusual combination when the average age of senior pastors is increasing, while younger pastors appear to be growing more dissatisfied and leaving the ministry. 

The study calls this phenomenon the “greying of the clergy.” Pastors are getting older, and there are fewer leaders to take their place. This also raises concerns about pipelines for younger pastors. Denominations are changing as non-denominational churches are on the rise. This trend affects the seminaries linked with the shrinking denominations, which, in turn, restructures the training and the pipelines that channel seminarians toward ministry positions. 

It seems clear that we need younger clergy, who feel a true sense of calling and are willing to play the long game to gain the wisdom needed to serve churches today, and we need to create new pipelines for ministry that prepare young pastors and funnel them into ministry positions. 

This is one area where we in the pews might be able to help the pastors who normally help us in our own lives and vocations. Not only can we be more mindful in showing our support and care for our current pastors, but we can encourage those of the younger generations in our churches who have the makings of being great pastoral leaders.

Just as we might identify and mentor younger workers in our own career fields who we think have potential for future leadership, we can help our pastors do the same for the future leaders of our churches.

Shifting Notions of the Church’s Community Role

Finally, the study shows some interesting differences between the way that pastors and congregations perceive the church’s role in the culture. 

When pastors were asked, “In your opinion what is the church’s role in the community?” 84% of pastors said, “tell others about Jesus” and 75% said “help Christians grow,” certainly essential roles for the church. Just over half said “teach/serve children,” and only 38% of pastors said the church’s role was to “form a close-knit community.”

Compare that with responses from Christians generally. In general, they agree with pastors on the points above, though all at lower percentages. They also value the church’s role in “offering counseling and care” at a much higher percentage (52%) than pastors (31%).

These numbers suggest that there is limited interest among clergy to form strong communities, and limited interest in helping congregants navigate personal challenges through counseling and pastoral care. These are numbers to watch as the culture continues to change, particularly considering the trends mentioned earlier.

I suspect that churches will need to give greater attention to forming close-knit communities, training the next generation, and providing services for people to navigate the challenging moral dilemmas many are facing.

The study is dense. Anyone interested in the state of pastoral ministry will benefit from reading its findings. This kind of self-analysis can help Christian leaders understand the challenges facing the church and consider how to wisely “shepherd the flock of God that is among you” (1 Pet. 5:2 ESV).