The landscape of pastoral ministry is changing (for the better). Here’s what’s trending:

Confidence among pastors is rising.
Half of pastors (51%) report heightened confidence in their calling compared to when they began their ministry. This is a significant increase from just over a third (35%) feeling this way in 2022.

Job satisfaction is also improving.
Two in five pastors (59%) now express being “very satisfied” with their vocation—a 7 percentage point increase from 2022 to 2023.

Fewer pastors are considering quitting.
Since March 2022, the proportion of pastors contemplating departure from full-time ministry has decreased from 42 percent to 33 percent.

With these positive trends, it’s still important to keep in mind the obstacles certain demographics continue to face:

Younger pastors and women in ministry report lower levels of satisfaction with their current roles. Burnout also remains a significant concern for some pastors, impacting various aspects of their lives.

This data is from Barna’s report The State of Pastors, Volume 2, created in partnership with World Vision, Brotherhood Mutual, RightNow Media and World Impact.