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America’ s maturing pastors
Barna, in partnership with Pepperdine University, conducted a study called,“ The State of Pastors” that explores the demographics of faith leaders. The study includes answers from 900 Protestant Senior Pastors. In 1992, George Barna examined these same demographics, and the results were published in Today’ s Pastors. During this study, 44 was the median age of Protestant clergy, while 33 % were 40 and under, 43 % were 41 to 55, 18 % were 56 to 64, and just 6 % were 65 and older. The median age of pastors today is 54. Fifteen percent are 40 and under; 35 % are 41 to 55; 33 % are 56 to 64; and 17 % are 65 and older; the oldest age bracket is now nearly three times what it was in 1992.
Although these findings might indicate differences in the past 20 years, changes have been occurring since the 1960s; in 1968, 55 % of Protestant clergy were 45 and under. Today, 22 % are under the age of 45. The study attributes these statistics to various factors: longer life expectancy( for men today it is 76— in 1968, it was 66). What is referred to as“ secondcareer clergy” has increased, with pastors joining the ministry later in their lives, after they have had other careers.
Financial reasons are also a factor. With the recession in 2008 affecting 401( k) s and home values, some senior pastors are working longer, so that they can still receive a paycheck.
However, current pastors say that finding future church leaders is also difficult, at 69 %, even when trying hard to do so( 69 %). This is referred to as the“ graying” of America’ s clergy.
In addition, fewer young people are going to church, and even“ kingdom-minded” youth are being drawn to other vocations, according to Barna. President of Barna Group, David Kinnaman, states that,“ The aging of pastors represents a substantial crisis for Protestant churches.” And although the study explores the factors possibly contributing to this, Kinnaman also says,“ The kind of social research Barna conducts cannot answer why this shift has occurred,” adding:“ It’ s not inherently a problem that there are older pastors in positions of leadership. In fact, younger generations are often looking for wisdom and leadership from established teachers and leaders. The problem arises when today’ s pastors do not represent a healthy mix of young, middle age and older leaders. For the Christian community to be at its best, it needs intergenerational leaders to move it forward.”
Some solutions Kinnaman points to include:“ Creating and demonstrating better cross-generational and cross-functional teams; developing and implementing better succession efforts’ seeing more younger leaders signing on to be spiritual leaders; experiencing more established pastors making space for younger leaders’ creating a broader vision for pastoring to include a renewed vision of the priesthood of all believers; and improving the educational and developmental process to unleash more pastors.”
— Reporting by Joyce Guzowski
In this timely webinar, Church Executive Magazine, Church Mutual Insurance Company and Frank Sommerville, JD, CPA, share the best employee practices for churches— in compliance with Federal laws— whether yours is a staff of one or 100.
Topics discussed in depth include:
Frank Sommerville, JD, CPA Shareholder Weycer, Kaplan, Pulaski & Zuber, P. C.
EMPLOYEE HARASSMENT— what constitutes harassment; why the vast majority of incidents go unreported( even in churches); and what you can do about it
A HARASSMENT POLICY— the best hiring practices to avoid discrimination, including what questions you are( and aren’ t) allowed to ask
BEST HIRING PRACTICES— what you should know about background checks( especially related to different staff and ministry positions); what to do if‘ red flags’ are identified as a result
TERMINATING EMPLOYEES— documentation practices; timing advice; guidance on severance
COMPLIANCE WITH MINIMUM WAGE / OVERTIME RULES— what qualifies as work time; who’ s exempt( including common misconceptions); record-keeping strategies
Available on-demand now at: churchexecutive. com / webinars
36 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | NOV / DEC 2017