Toxic Churches That Fire Pastors: Notable Patterns

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“1. There is a power and control issue behind the dismissal. Typically, the pastor has not bowed to the demands and preferences of a power group in the church…. 2. Reasons for the firing are often not given to the congregation.” - Church Answers

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Why Pastors Aren’t Quitting

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“…despite rumors of a mass migration, most pastors stayed. In the fall of 2021, the rate of evangelical pastors quitting before retirement was 1.5 percent, up only a little from the 1.3 percent resignation rate in 2015.” - TGC

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One in Four Pastors Plan to Retire Before 2030

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“The graying of America’s pastors isn’t a new phenomenon, but it has become more pronounced. In 2022, just 16 percent of Protestant senior pastors were 40 years old or younger.” - C.Today

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Barna research: A Rapid Decline in Pastoral Security

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“New Barna data shows that pastors’ confidence and satisfaction in their vocation has decreased significantly in the past few years, and two in five (41%) say they’ve considered quitting ministry in the last 12 months.” - Barna

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5 Posts About Pastor Search Teams

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“With the growing number of baby boomer pastors retiring, and with wounded and weary pastors leaving the ministry, your church might be seeking your next pastor or staff member. If so, maybe one of these posts will help you” - Chuck Lawless

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4 Lessons on Staying (from Someone Who Hasn’t)

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“In the past six years we’ve lived in four different cities and served at three different churches in various roles…. I can’t speak to the challenges of staying in a single place for a long period of time. I can, however, offer four lessons I’ve learned about staying from our going.” - TGC

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Are our pulpits full of preachers who want to quit but haven't yet?

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“Even if we haven’t seen a dramatic increase in pastoral attrition, many people believe it’s still coming…. If the bubble does burst later this year or next, all eyes are on three demographics: pastors early in their careers, those nearing retirement, and bivocational ministers.” - C.Today

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The Great American Clergy Shortage Is Coming

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“Though there isn’t an official national registry for clergy in America, an October study from the Barna Group found that 38 percent of pastors were at least considering leaving … concern is even higher among Millennial pastors, roughly 50 percent of whom were considering quitting.” - Relevant

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