At the crossroads of crisis and opportunity

This morning as you attend worship in your respective congregations there is a very strong likelihood that your minister is at, in or facing a crisis.  This crisis could prevent your congregation from fulfilling its God given opportunity and calling  

The church in America is at a crossroads with remarkable opportunity but also with a gigantic problem.

Opportunity: There appears to be a sort of revival occurring, especially among young adults and uniquely among young men. For this revival to take root, we need seasoned and experienced Christian leaders who will help nurture and disciple this next generation of believers.

Hence the gigantic problem:  Those seasoned and experienced Christian leaders are in big trouble.

Consider these chilling numbers.

• 47% of pastors report feeling lonely or isolated.

• 65% say they are not talking to a therapist, counselor, spiritual advisor, or mentor.

• 18% of Protestant pastors have considered quitting due to the stress of ministry.

• 40% of certain denominations reported mild or worse depression.

• Declining Well-being: the percentage of pastors reporting "excellent" mental/emotional health plummeted from 39% to 11%.

• High Stress & Burnout: Roughly 63% of U.S. Protestant pastors report stress as a major challenge; this disproportionately affects younger pastors.

• 70% of pastors lack a close friend, and 50% do not meet with an accountability group.

• Mental Health Stigma: Despite the crisis, nearly 50% of pastors rarely or never discuss mental health concerns, feeling they cannot discuss their own struggles.

• 20% of Protestant senior pastors report contemplating self-harm or suicide in the last year. 

Ministers who are living in a constant level of crisis will not be able to effectively lead their congregations, train new leaders and disciple new believers. Something needs, indeed must, be done.

Tomorrow being part of the solution.