How often clergy think about leaving pastoral ministry
Percent of clergy, 2023 (in percent)
Key finding
Highest: Never (49%). Lowest: Very often (3%).
- Never: 49%
- Once or twice: 25%
- A few times: 17%
Source: Lifeway Research, 5 Current Challenges Facing U.S. Churches · Article published 2023-09-26.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Highest: Never (49%). Lowest: Very often (3%). Never: 49%. Once or twice: 25%. A few times: 17%.
Who published this data?
Lifeway Research, 2023. Source: Lifeway Research, 5 Current Challenges Facing U.S. Churches (https://research.lifeway.com/2023/09/26/5-current-challenges-facing-u-s-churches/).
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- Drop in pastors considering quitting since the 2022 peak Leader Insights, 2026
- Aim to serve their church through their professional skillset Barna Group, 2024
- Areas where U.S. pastors feel underprepared Barna Group, 2024
- Churchgoers who completely trust their pastor Lifeway Research, 2024
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.