Pastors Are Open to New Ministry Models, But Congregants Are Unsure

Barna has paid close attention to the state of pastors in America since the beginning of the pandemic, sounding the alarm when the proportion of pastors thinking about quitting ministry rose to a sobering two in five. Since then, our researchers have been delving into the who, what and why behind pastors’ consideration for leaving full-time ministry—or their determination to stay.

All of these findings, plus insights on how pastors can pursue resilient leadership in challenging times, are documented in our latest briefing, [insert briefing title], available exclusively on Barna Access Plus. This article offers a glimpse at some of the findings highlighted in the briefing, exploring if—after years of disruption and burnout—pastors and their congregations are open to considering new ways to conduct church ministry.

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Pastors Who Have Considered Quitting Are Most Likely to Be Open to Change
Data collected during a survey of senior pastors in March 2022 show that, when asked if they were open to considering new ways to conduct church ministry, half of all U.S. pastors (51%) are “very willing” to do so. Another 44 percent are at least somewhat willing, totaling over nine in 10 pastors (95%) who are at least somewhat willing to consider new models of ministry.

For pastors who have considered quitting ministry in the past year, over two in three (62%) are “very willing” to consider new ways to conduct ministry, with another 36 percent saying they’re “somewhat willing.” For those who haven’t debated quitting in the past year, a smaller percentage (43%) is “very willing” and exactly half (50%) are “somewhat willing” to consider innovations to ministry.

This data can't speak to a church's or pastor's ability to actually pursue or embrace new methods of ministry. But it's important to recognize that, overall, pastors who have considered leaving full-time ministry are the most open to considering new models. This perhaps hints at a desperate desire to change the course of their burnout and move into a more positive season in their ministry tenure. For pastors who haven’t considered quitting, there is less eagerness to explore new ways of conducting ministry. They may feel what their church is doing right now is working.

While Leaders Are Open to Change, Most Believe Their People Won’t Be as Willing
Are church congregations as enthusiastic as lead pastors about new ways of conducting church ministry? Pastors aren’t so sure.

Just 12 percent believe their congregation will be “very willing” to consider new methods. Most church leaders (62%) believe their congregation falls into the “somewhat willing” category—not opposed to the idea, but not totally on board either. Indeed, a quarter of pastors says their congregation would be unwilling on some level (23% somewhat, 3% not at all) to consider new ways of conducting church ministry.

Percentages among pastors who have considered leaving full-time ministry in the past year tell a more discouraging story. While one in 10 (10%) says their congregation would be “very willing” to consider new ministry models (similar to all pastors and those who haven't considered quitting), just over half (53%) say their people would be “somewhat willing,” a percentage that is notably lower than that of their peers. Three in 10 (31%) believe their people would be “somewhat not willing,” almost doubling the number among pastors who’ve not considered leaving (17%). While pastors who have considered leaving full time ministry are open to conducting church ministry in new ways, the data show they might also feel that the environment they find themselves in is static or unwelcome to change.

When segmented by pastors who are “very willing” to reconsider new ways of conducting church ministry and those who are not, pastors who are open to changing the way ministry is conducted at their church are more likely to believe their congregants are also “very willing” (22% vs. 1%). However, these same pastors note a much smaller portion of their congregation as “somewhat willing” when compared to their peers who aren’t open to new ministry models (56% vs. 69%). Both pastors who are open to conducting ministry in new ways and those who are not say a similar percentage of their congregation would not be willing to go along with a change (22% vs. 29%).

These data showcase pastors’ desire to try new things in a season of significant change and continued uncertainty. Yet there might be a disconnect between the pulpit and the pew. While pastors are interested in considering new methods, they’re unsure if their congregations will support them or follow their lead. For pastors who are burned out and already considering quitting ministry, this belief that congregants are not open to change—whether it is an accurate or misguided perception—might factor into their discouragement.

With Clergy Appreciation Day (October 9) just around the corner, pastors and those who support them may be thoughtfully and prayerfully seeking next steps or signs of encouragement for modern-day ministry.

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Additional reading and resources:

• Read [insert blog title] to hear a pastor’s perspective on the above data.
• [insert briefing title], Barna’s latest release, available exclusively on Barna Access Plus, explores these findings and more around pastor burnout and resilient leadership.
• For more ideas on how you can support your pastors through this season of ministry, check out the full [insert resource bundle name] in Barna Access Plus.
• Learn about the drastic increase in pastoral burnout in this article.
• Discover how burnout among pastors has continued to increase in 2022, and why pastors say they’ve considered leaving full-time ministry.
• Read how pastors, both those who have considered leaving and those who are determined to stay, rate their self-care and soul-care right now.
• For pastors interested in pursuing pastoral resilience, check out Dr. Glenn Packiam’s book, The Resilient Pastor, featuring exclusive Barna data about the state of pastors in the U.S. right now.

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About the Research
March 2022 Pastor Survey data: Barna Group conducted this online survey among 510 Protestant Senior Pastors from March 10–16, 2022. Participants are all members of Barna Group’s Church Panel. Minimal weighting has been used to ensure the sample is representative based on denomination, region and church size.

Photo by Robert Ruggiero from Unsplash.  

 About Barna
Barna is a private, non-partisan, for-profit organization under the umbrella of the Issachar Companies. Located in Ventura, California, Barna Group has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984.

© Barna Group, 2022