Why the Fallout?

I was listening to the opening session of Reform and Resurge Conference: 2006 this morning (they are podcasting the sessions!). Darrin Patrick began his message with these troubling statistics:

1500 pastors leave the ministry each month

50% of pastors marriages will end in divorce

80% of pastors (84% of spouses) feel disqualified and discouraged about their role

50% of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry, if they could, but they have no other way to make a living

80% of seminary and Bible school graduates that enter the ministry will leave the ministry within 5 years

80% of pastors' spouses feel their husband is overworked

80% of pastors' spouses wish their husbands would find another line of work

Majority of pastors' wives surveyed said the most destructive event in their family was the day they entered ministry

40% pastors polled said they had an extra-marital affair since entering the ministry

70% say the only time they study the Word is when they prepare sermons

Just over Father's Day, my own dad and I were talking about ministry. Ministry is work, and there are no greater stakes than souls that need to hear the gospel and believers who need to live it. It is weighty, but it shouldn't crush a person. As my dad and I talked, there seemed to be a couple of reasons for this trend. All seem to fit under bad theology:

Bad Theology of Ministry

Somewhere we get deceived into thinking our ministry equates our relationship with God. Any casual look at the work of the false prophets will reveal that to not be the case.

Bad Theology of Family

I've talked to men who believe their calling to ministry trumps all other callings in their life. I don't see any Scriptural validation for that concept.

Bad Theology of Leadership

Accountability is avoided for pastors, believing they can not reveal themselves to be a sinner. The problem here is that it conflicts with the gospel message (that we are sinners) and ignores virtually every leader listed in Scripture, as we view their strengths and weaknesses.

Bad Theology of Calling

While attending Grace, it seems that many men were enrolled in the Seminary because he lost his job or was trying something new. Ministry is not to be a career choice, but a calling.

Just plain bad theology

Overall, I think the greatest theological misunderstanding is regarding the sovereignty of God. Too many pastors are trying to work and create results in and of themselves...thus setting themselves up for failure and frustration. We set ourselves up in pride, believing we can create life in a heart, thus setting ourselves up for a fall, discovering we can't.

Please take a moment to pray for pastors, we certainly need it!