You are not alone

• 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

• 85% have never taken a Sabbatical 

• 70% say they’re grossly underpaid 

• 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.   

• 100% of pastors in one survey 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”

• 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 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 

• 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 

• 37% are either “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied”  with their prayer life
   
• 44% of pastors do not take a regular day off   

• 90% say they have not received adequate training to meet the demands of ministry   

(Source: www.soulshepherding.org/pastors-under-stress/ )