Pastor Appreciation & Student Baptism Sunday

In his career in the ministry and now head of a nationally recognized search firm that has helped some 3,000 churches find pastors, William Vanderbloemen notices patterns. He also joins those saying the American Church is undergoing a historical shift in pastoral leadership.

Two years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic shattered routines worldwide, including those of pastors. It was an incredibly stressful time to lead a church – negotiating COVID recommendations, social unrest and a white-hot political season.

That shift came to be known as The Great Resignation. The “quit rate” of those leaving their established professions grew to a level not seen since the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics started keeping track in 2000.

The wave was seen among every market. “Everybody has been rethinking ‘Why am I doing what I’m doing?’” Vanderbloemen said.

Pastors were among them – perhaps not in rethinking their calling, but their current ministry context as it related to their vocation and family.

In March, Barna Research released a study showing 42 percent of pastors said they had considered quitting full-time ministry. Respondents cited stress, isolation and political division as contributing factors.

All of it, Vanderbloemen said, composes a “a pretty massive recipe for driving pastors to a breaking point.”

To read the full story, including tips on how you can come alongside and help your pastor, read Scott Barkley’s piece at Baptist Press.
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This Sunday (Oct. 30), will mark the observance of Student Baptism Sunday on the Southern Baptist Convention Calendar, and leaders across the convention are preparing for the celebration.

Shane Pruitt, national next gen director for the North American Mission Board (NAMB), told Baptist Press this date on the calendar provides an opportunity for churches to show what is most important.

Pruitt said pastors should continue to prioritize equipping the students in their ministry to reach their peers.

He added that getting baptized is not only an act of obedience for a follower of Jesus, but it as a public display of faith that can be used as a form of evangelism itself.

Read the full piece and sign up for our daily emails at Baptist Press.com.