US pastors grappling with post-pandemic burnout

(NewsNation) — Post-pandemic burnout among Christian clergy leaders in the U.S. has prompted many to consider abandoning their jobs, according to a new survey.

According to a Hartford Institute for Religion Research survey, 40% of the leaders seriously considered leaving their congregations at least once since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and more than half had thought seriously of leaving the ministry.

“The post-pandemic turnover has left our lay leadership depleted; people’s sense of connection and commitment is less than before,” one clergy leader said. “Plus, people’s doubt is at an all-time high. I’m spiritually exhausted from talking people back into faith — am I even doing them a favor?”

About a tenth of clergy report having had these thoughts often, according to the survey, conducted as part of the institute’s research project, Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations.

The high rates of ministers considering quitting reflects the “collective trauma” that both clergy and congregants have experienced since 2020, said institute director Scott Thumma, principal investigator for the project.

Some of these struggles are trends that long predated the pandemic. Median in-person attendance has steadily declined since the start of the century, the report said. With fewer younger participants, the typical age of congregants is rising. After a pandemic-era spike in innovation, congregants are less willing to change, the survey said.

About a third of clergy respondents were considering both leaving their congregation and the ministry altogether, with nearly another third considering one or the other.

Most clergy reported conflict in their congregations, but those considering leaving their churches reported it at even higher levels and also were less likely to feel close to their congregants.

Those thinking of quitting the ministry entirely were more likely to be pastors of smaller churches and those who work solo, compared with those on larger staffs and at larger churches.

Jr. Forasteros, the lead pastor at The Haven Collective, told NewsNation this doesn’t come as a surprise to him, he mentioned it has been a gradual process.

Mainline Protestant clergy were the most likely to think of quitting, followed by evangelical Protestants, while Catholic and Orthodox priests were the least likely to consider leaving.

The percentages of clergy having thoughts of quitting are higher than in two previous surveys conducted by the institute in 2021 and spring 2023, though it’s difficult to directly compare those numbers because the earlier surveys were measuring shorter time periods since 2020.

Meanwhile, several clergy leaders mentioned in the report expressed satisfaction in their roles and believe they are contributing positively.

“People still yearn for community, and we are listening to what they are craving,” one clergy leader said.

The results are based on a survey in fall 2023 of about 1,700 religious leaders across more than 40 Christian denominations.