Why should I help a missionary?
The statistics within this area are frightening. Although missionaries are shown to work extreme hours, in extreme environments, and are around constant trauma, they are not seen in others’ eyes as necessary to gain the same relief and self-care as those with jobs in the United States and other first-world countries.
- 80% of missionaries burn out and don’t finish their term
- 46% of missionaries have been diagnosed with a psychological issue
- 87% of those with a psychological issue are diagnosed with depression
“In Holmes and Rahe’s original study on stress, they found that when people scored 200 points or more during a given year, the cumulative stress had an impact well beyond that year. They found that 50% of those scoring 200 points were hospitalized within the subsequent two years for heart attacks, diabetes, cancer, or other severe illness. The average cross-cultural worker scores around 600 points on average. With around 800-900 points the first year in ministry.” (Heartstream Ministries)
What about our friends in pastoral ministry?
Why aren’t these pastors overflowing with the love, joy, and peace of the Lord in their lives, families, and ministries? What is the cause of their emotional problems and moral failures?
A major factor is overwhelming ministry stress:
- 75% of pastors report being “extremely stressed” or “highly stressed”
- 90% work between 55 to 75 hours per week
- 90% feel fatigued and worn out every week
- 70% say they’re grossly underpaid
- 40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month
- 78% were forced to resign from their church (63% at least twice), most commonly because of church conflict
- 80% will not be in ministry ten years later and only a fraction make it a lifelong career
- On average, seminary-trained pastors last only five years in church ministry
- 100% of 1,050 Reformed and Evangelical pastors had a colleague who had left the ministry because of burnout, church conflict, or moral failure
- 91% have experienced some form of burnout in ministry and 18% say they are “fried to a crisp right now”
Statistics on Pastors’ emotional, familial, and moral health are even more disturbing.
- 70% of pastors say they have a lower self-esteem now than when they entered ministry
- 70% constantly fight depression
- 50% feel so discouraged that they would leave their ministry if they could, but can’t find another job
- 80% believe their pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families and 33% said it was an outright hazard
- 80% of ministry spouses feel left out and unappreciated in their church
- 77% feel they do not have a good marriage
- 41% display anger problems in marriage (reported by the spouse)
- 38% are divorced or divorcing
- 50% admit to using pornography and 37% report inappropriate sexual behavior with someone in the church
- 65% feel their family is in a glass house
But aren’t pastors trained in all this? Why can’t we get it right? Aren’t they “professional ministers”? Why can’t they take care of their own souls?
- 53% of pastors do not feel that seminary or Bible college prepared them adequately
- 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend
- 50% do not meet regularly with an accountability person or group
- 72% only study the Bible when preparing for sermons or lessons
- 21% spend less than 15 minutes a day in prayer — the average is 39 minutes per day
- 16% are “very satisfied” with their prayer life, 47% are “somewhat satisfied”, and 37% are either “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied”
- 44% of pastors do not take a regular day off
- 31% do not exercise at all, while 37% exercise at least three or four days a week as recommended
- 90% say they have not received adequate training to meet the demands of ministry
- 85% have never taken a Sabbatical
Is there any hope?
Of course, by inviting a Pastor, Missionary, or Christian Leader into a space of R.E.S.T, we can begin turning the tides, reversing these alarming numbers, and ensuring our spiritual leaders are healthy, mature, and in constant communion with the Father. Become a part of this REST movement by partnering with Oasis Rest International today.
Sources of Research Studies and Statistics on Pastors
All these surveys are of Protestant pastors from a variety of denominations in America: (1) David Ross and Rick Blackmon’s “Soul Care for Servants” workshop reported the results of their Fuller Institute of Church Growth research study in 1991 and other surveys in 2005 and 2006. (2) Francis A Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development research studies in 1998 and 2006. (3) Leadership Magazine’s research for their article on “Marriage Problems Pastors Face,” Fall 1992 issue. (4) Grey Matter Research, 2005 scientific study of pastors from every city in America. (5) Pastors at Greater Risk by H.B. London and Neil B. Wiseman, Regal Books, 2003. (6) Focus on the Family 2009 survey of 2,000 pastors. (7) Leadership Journal poll of readers, 2013.