On Friday, Biblical Seminary hosted the first "Pastoring though Church Challenges” conference for pastors. Pastors gathered to hear plenaries and breakouts regarding specific church challenges and opportunities/challenges to their spiritual and emotional lives.At the end, an anonymous survey was taken. Here’s what we learned from the pastors present:
1. Over half of the respondents are facing high levels of chronic stress.
2. Most report they are “managing with struggles” (opposed to managing either “poorly” or “satisfactorily”, or “well”).
3. When asked to write in the top 2 sources of their stress, they gave answers that fit in several categories. The categories receiving the most “hits” were personal issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, sinful habits, no passion) and marital distress. Financial stress and church conflict got the next highest level of “hits.
4. 43% did not have regular contact with someone who really knew them and their personal issues.
5. Interestingly, respondents were rather wary of joining face-to-face or web-supported support groups of peers. Most rated their interest (theoretical) as maybe to unlikely. Web supported groups (video/discussion) received the least interest.
How would you respond? (Click Comments below.)
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