We Want you to Survive and Thrive
As a ministry leader, you fall into a high-risk category.
When law enforcement, military personnel, first responders, firefighters, and healthcare workers were assessed for PTSD, 10-30% were diagnosed with PTSD. But, according to a 2021 Boston University study of clergy, 35% of pastors met the criteria of a PTSD diagnosis, and 55% had “scores that indicated PTSD may be a concern.”Ministry leaders work in a profession with as great of a risk for developing PTSD as frontline workers and first responders who put their lives at risk every day.
Have you considered leaving your current ministry role in the past year?
In a 2021 Barna Group study of pastors, 40%-50% indicated they had considered quitting full-time ministry within the past year. According to the same study, only one in three pastors consider themselves healthy. Author and counselor Denny Howard, who has worked with thousands of ministry leaders worldwide, says, “Every week, I hear, ‘This is not what I signed up for when I took this ministry position!’”
Pastoral Care, Inc. compiled research reflecting the current state of ministry leaders:
- 80% of pastors expect conflict within their church.
- 70% of pastors say they have a lower self-image now than when they started in the ministry.
- 51% of women in ministry are at high risk of burnout.
- 80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families and 24% of families resent the church and its effect on them.
- 77% feel they do not have a good marriage and 80% of ministry spouses feel left out and unappreciated in their church.
- Only 1 out of every 10 pastors will actually retire as a pastor.
We want to be the Coach in your Corner.
During our next season of ministry, we have committed to being the coach in your corner. We provide coaching, consulting, and soul care through PastorServe, a ministry organization that has been serving pastors and ministry leaders for nearly 25 years.
Coaching:
We partner with you in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires and enables you to maximize your personal and professional potential. Our coaching sessions are 45-60 minutes and are typically virtual.
Consulting:
We come alongside you with professional advice based on 30+ years of ministry experience and results. Our consulting is typically in person and is based on your ministry needs.
Soul Care:
We support you and your family by shepherding your soul and heart. We get the hurts and wounds that often accompany ministry settings. Our soul care looks as unique as the situation. It can be an in-person 2-3 day intensive in a retreat setting to frequent virtual conversations.
Start the Conversation Today
We have experienced many of the statistics described above. We do not want you to be a statistic. God never intended for you to do ministry alone. Hebrews 12 provides a great picture of us running a race in front of “a great cloud of witnesses” cheering us on to the finish line!! We want to be your greatest cheerleader and your coach to ensure you finish well.
Let’s start a conversation about what you need in this season of ministry and if we are the right coach to help you accomplish it well.
We Want You to Survive and Thrive
Your pastor probably feels alone, isolated.
As a ministry leader, you fall into a high-risk category.
When law enforcement, military personnel, first responders, firefighters, and healthcare workers were assessed for PTSD, 10-30% were diagnosed with PTSD. But, according to a 2021 Boston University study of clergy, 35% of pastors met the criteria of a PTSD diagnosis, and 55% had “scores that indicated PTSD may be a concern.”
Ministry leaders work in a profession with as great of a risk for developing PTSD as frontline workers and first responders who put their lives at risk every day.
In a 2021 Barna Group study of pastors, 40%-50% indicated they had considered quitting full-time ministry within the past year. According to the same study, only one in three pastors consider themselves healthy. Author and counselor Denny Howard, who has worked with thousands of ministry leaders worldwide, says, “Every week, I hear, ‘this is not what I signed up for when I took this ministry position!’”
Pastoral Care, Inc. compiled research reflecting the current state of ministry leaders:
- 80% of pastors expect conflict within their church.
- 70% of pastors say they have a lower self-image now than when they started in the ministry.
- 51% of women in ministry are at high risk of burnout.
- 80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families and 24% of families resent the church and its effect on them.
- 77% feel they do not have a good marriage and 80% of ministry spouses feel left out and unappreciated in their church.
- Only 1 out of every 10 pastors will actually retire as a pastor.
Your pastor may have considered leaving your church this past year.
Each day, your pastor makes hundreds of decisions that affect their staff and congregation, from operational to relational in nature. Over the past five years, his decisions have navigated your church through pandemic restrictions, political extremes, and racial divides. Leading with confidence in these environments is difficult, if not impossible. There’s a 42% chance your pastor considered leaving his church in the past year (Barna 2021).
We want to change those statistics.
During our next season of ministry, we have committed to being the coach in their corner. By partnering with PastorServe, a ministry organization serving pastors and ministry leaders for nearly 25 years, we will provide coaching, consulting, and soul care.
Most ministry leaders lack the financial resources to cover the cost of coaching. Through PastorServe, we will raise our startup and operational costs to provide scholarships to offset the cost of supporting ministry leaders. The cost to support and coach a ministry leader for one year is roughly $1,800.
Join our team of advocates.
Become an advocate for your pastor and other ministry leaders by sponsoring one, two, or more leaders for the year through monthly or one-time gifts.
To join this team of advocates, click the Invest button and it will take you to PastorServe’s giving page. You will find both Dave and Jayne near the bottom of the page. Click either of our names to join the team.