Are We Youth-anizing or Euthanizing the Ministry?
In a recent issue of a denominational bi-monthly publication for ministers, leaders cited two “killer” statistics within that denomination:
Today, in 2018, the average age of an ordained minister is 60 years of age;
In the year 2000, the average age of an ordained minister was 55 years of age.
Clear evidence that the pulpit is greying. And at a rapid rate. Even a deadly one.
This greying of the pulpit took place in spite of a much needed, heart-felt statement and most sincere intention to “raise up” a new generation of leaders who would lead a nationwide church into its future.
Eighteen years of prayer, planning, setting numerical goals, establishing task forces, raising budgets, targeting, strategizing, calling for and working hard to engage a young leaders for the church has not resulted in youth–anizing our church leadership future, but in euthanizingit.
Euthanizing?
Did that last statement shock you?
I hope so.
Because it’s time we admit that our walk is not lining up with our talk. It’s time to assess what we are doing to not just recruit but to retain young leaders for the future of the church.
Recruiting, i.e., asking the young to carefully consider God’s call on their lives, especially the call to vocational ministry, is essential for the work of the Gospel. Educating those who answer God’s call is important as well.
But what then? After we enlist them and educate young men and women for vocational ministry, what are we doing to retain them? What are we doing to see them survive and thrive for a lifetime of healthy and effective ministry to the glory of God, the strength of God’s people, and the salvation of those yet far from Him?
A Third “Killer” Statistic
Did you know studies find that 5 in 10 new ministers leave the ministry in their first 5 years? At Journey, we refer to this as “The 5-10-5 Rule.” One of the nation’s largest and most effective pastoral coaching ministry says the number is even higher.
Could this be one reason for the “graying” of the pulpit?
Even in a denomination determined and driven to youthanize its leadership?
Surveys by Journey and other ministries consistently demonstrate that the number one “killer” of young ministers is isolation: young ministers are unable to find experienced ministers to be mentors or coaches to them. Without the wisdom and encouragement of experienced ministers who have walked where they now walk, five of ten young ministers give up and walk away in the first five years. And just how many of those who stay in the ministry, shut down in the ministry, simply going through the motions in order to survive?
“While statistics can vary, one consistent outcome of nearly every pastoral survey is that approximately four out of five pastors do not have a mentor. They do not have a spiritual leader to turn to in times of decision, challenge, or crisis.” Jimmy Dodd, Survive or Thrive
How Shall They Hear Without a Preacher?
Messengers are at risk. And that means the message is at risk
For the Bible tells me so.
In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul writes about the hand-in-glove connection of the messenger and message: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10.14)
Paul’s rhetorical questions from 54-58 AD invoke certain questions in 2018:
. . . Just how many ministers are we willing to lose?
. . . Which churches will we ask to survive without pastors? Or die?
. . . How many missionaries will not be able to go into all the world?
. . . Which churches will go unplanted?
. . . Who will carry the message if young ministers do not survive and thrive?”
But if we will act to retain those we have recruited, just how many missionaries, pastors, and planters will make it, will survive and even thrive, because we acted on what has consistently proven to be the single most effective action a young minister can take to make it in the ministry: journeying on a regular basis with someone who has walked where the young minister walks.
“The most effective learning of all, more than all other forms combined, is going through hardship with support, and evaluation.” The Center for Creative Leadership
A mentor. A pastor. A coach.
Not Enough or Not Effective?
Right now the numbers demonstrate one of two facts (or both): that we’re not doing enough to retain young ministers or that what we’re doing is not effective.
We, as in you and me. Not “headquarters,” not the “state” office, and not “those in charge.” That’s too easy. Shifting the blame up the ladder is not the solution to the challenge on the ground of front line ministry where young ministers live and die. Where the churches they serve live and die.
Individual ministers of experience stepping in to mentor and coach young ministers are the real key effectively retaining young ministers.
And if we are going to change the present euthanasia equation, we need all hands on deck: district leaders, local pastors, retired ministers, and professional pastoral coaches.
“Of all vocations, surely the gospel ministry is the one whose paradigm is most radically formed by the dynamics of godly mentorship.” Stephen Baldwin, Needed: Pastor-Mentors for Emerging Ministers
Journey Pastoral Coaching and other quality coaching ministries exist to change this equation and restore ministry sustainability but building minister sustainability. We exist for the purpose of helping young ministers build strong for a lifetime of healthy and effective ministry. We exist to help them survive and thrive.
At Journey we do so at NO COST to the young minister: our members EARN coaching by committing to invest in the ministers and ministry of Journey, but they don’t PAY for it.
Why is this our approach? Because we and other coaching ministries are committed to breaking the euthanizing cycle and then launch a youthanizing cycle in the leadership of the church.
Generally, young ministers are those who most need and want pastoral coaching but can least afford it. Rather than add to their burden, we seek to ease it.
Consider these three challenges unique to younger ministers:
DEBT: Young ministers are already burdened with heavy student loan debt. A couple that has attended Bible College, university and/or seminary can easily have six-figure debt;
LOW PAY: Young ministers often serve in low-paying entry level positions or as bi-vocationals.I work with pastors who struggle to pay their bills each month on the salaries their churches pay them;
YOUNG FAMILIES: “Young minister” means “young marriage” and “young family.” It means all of the “start up” expenses that go with these. Do you remember? I wonder how many of us, in the early days of marriage and family, depended on our families to help us?
It all adds up to huge financial stress for young ministers as they seek to serve God by serving their churches and ministries.
Add in the expenses we all carry, those of mortgage/rent, car payment, medical expenses, etc, and you can easily see why a generation that most needs and wants coaching is least able to afford it. This is why rather than adding to their burden, we do all we can to ease that burden.
In his landmark book, Survive or Thrive, the founder and president of Pastor Serve writes that every pastor needs six relationships in order to survive: a boss, a teacher, a counselor, a mentor, a friend, and a coach.
In the midst of our conversations about what the “five-fold gifts” mean, maybe it’s time we talk about what these six gifts would mean right now, today for young ministers, the churches where they serve, and for the mission to take the Gospel of Jesus to all the world.
CONCLUSION
Eighteen years – that’s 216 months, 936 weeks, or over 6500 days – of emphasis and effort on seeing new ministers enter the ministry has not been effective. Eighteen years ago, the average age of an ordained minister in one denomination was 55 years of age; today it is 60 years of age. Other denominations report similar or even more disturbing greying trends.
It’s time was ask ourselves if we are youth–anizing our church leadership future or euthanizing it.
Even more, it’s time to stop asking ourselves what we can do about it and just start doing it.
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Saddled with large student debt, just beginning to set up homes and start families, and serving in low paying first and second positions, Millennials are those who most desire but can least afford to pay for pastoral coaching.
We are able to do so thanks to the faithful and generous support of individuals and churches like yours who want to see young leaders not only enter the ministry, but remain in the ministry.
Now, more than ever, we need your help.
If you or your church would like to help Millennial ministers across the US and overseas build strong for a lifetime in ministry, please click here to support Journey monthly or with your one-time gift. Thank you.
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