Barna
A man's hands are shown on a pulpit

October 5, 2024

Leadership

Pastors Are Concerned About the Future of Church Leadership—What Now?

Today, most pastors are skeptical about the future of church leadership

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78% agree they’re concerned about the quality of future Christian leaders, and 72% fear the Christian Church will decline because of inadequate leadership

Help Bridge the Gap

Learn more about the state of church leadership today with the future Church in mind.

5 Ways Current Pastors Can Help the Next Generation of Church Leaders Now

New data from Barna’s State of Pastors study gives leaders big questions to consider about the future of church leadership.

Today, most pastors are skeptical about the future of church leadership—over seven in 10 agree they’re concerned about the quality of future Christian leaders (78%) and fear the Christian Church will decline because of inadequate leadership (72%).

78 percent of pastors are concerned about the quality of future Christian leaders

At the same time, current pastors admit pouring into the next generation of leaders has not been a priority for them (50% agree training and developing the next generation of church leaders is a significant priority for their church).

Bridging this gap will take intentionality.

Carey Nieuwhof has five tips for pastors looking to show someone the ropes—and for young leaders wanting to learn. Watch the video above for more.

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