The future for clergy
(via Ecunet - UCChristnet) - Feb 2010

Note #43899 from Robert Campbell to UCCHRIST CHATTER:

"I am sorry to inform you Marge, that there are not many 20 and 30 [year old] clergy out there.  I am one of the youngest clergy, and I am 46.  The vast majority of clergy will retire by 2021.  There are {few} young clergy graduating in seminary, and the one's that are, are going into specialized ministry.  I remember one Chicago seminary class of 107.  Only 4 were going into pastoral ministry.  The vast majority of clergy now are second career and over 55.  We have to realize that pastoral ministry is dying. 

Clergy shortage is due to debt to pay problems.  According to the Banker's Association, the average Student Loan debt is about $8,500.  They estimate that it takes a cash salary of $44,000 a year to pay the debt off safely without negatively affecting the other parts of the pastor's life.  The biggest churches (about 4%) pay about $40,000 a year.

According to a spouse who went to a spousal retreat, she said that 17 of the 18 spouses were on anti-depressants. 

When pastoral ministry was the healthiest profession in 1950, it is now the most at risk professions of stress related heart disease and illness. 

We have the highest rate of divorce.

And consider that pastors are isolated, cannot trust anyone (even other pastors), and that 75% report that they have at least one conflict every day...

Then you have Conferences that shoot their own wounded, churches that will beat up the pastor emotionally, psychologically, financially, and socially...

The list goes on and on.   We may talk about how churches will survive, but we have to consider that the church will have to survive without clergy.  Sure, we have lay training programs, and I am not putting them down.  I have helped at least one person go though one and seen him go on to serve a church.  I know one licensed minister who is very, very good.  But let's not kid ourselves.  Ordained ministry is dying.