Drop in pastors considering quitting since the 2022 peak
Protestant senior pastors, March 2022 to January 2026
Key finding
- Drop in pastors considering quitting since the 2022 peak: -43%. The share seriously considering leaving ministry fell from 42% to 24%, 18 points or 43% in relative terms.
This figure is a Leader Insights calculation from published sources, with the formula shown to members.
Source: Leader Insights calculation from Barna Group, Pastors Considering Quitting Ministry · Calculated by Leader Insights, not a survey result. Formula: (24 - 42) / 42 x 100. Inputs: 42% in March 2022, 24% in January 2026.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Drop in pastors considering quitting since the 2022 peak: -43%. The share seriously considering leaving ministry fell from 42% to 24%, 18 points or 43% in relative terms.
Who published this data?
Leader Insights, 2026. Source: Leader Insights calculation from Barna Group, Pastors Considering Quitting Ministry (https://www.barna.com/trends/pastors-quitting-ministry-barna-data/).
Where can I get the full data and a citation?
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About this data
Leader Insights collects statistics about U.S. churches from published research by organizations such as Lifeway Research, Barna Group, Springtide, the American Bible Society and PRRI. Every number is checked against the wording of the original source before it is published, and each statistic links back to the study it came from. Figures are reproduced from the publishers named above; see the source for full methodology.