How senior pastor transitions begin
Percent of senior pastor transitions by type, 2024 (in percent)
Key finding
Highest: Pastor-initiated (62%). Lowest: Forced by unexpected circumstances (13%).
- Pastor-initiated: 62%
- Planned in advance: 17%
- Forced by unexpected circumstances: 13%
Source: Barna Group, Planned Pastoral Transitions Lead to Better Outcomes · Barna surveys of incoming and outgoing pastors, church staff and churchgoers who experienced a senior pastor transition in the past 5-7 years. Article published 2024-04-04.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Highest: Pastor-initiated (62%). Lowest: Forced by unexpected circumstances (13%). Pastor-initiated: 62%. Planned in advance: 17%. Forced by unexpected circumstances: 13%.
Who published this data?
Barna Group, 2024. Source: Barna Group, Planned Pastoral Transitions Lead to Better Outcomes (https://www.barna.com/research/pastoral-transitions/).
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.