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By: Brian Chilton, Ph.D. | September 7, 2023
Amid these major problems, the church finds itself with a pastoral workforce that is becoming increasingly disenfranchised with ministry, resulting in burnout, and leading many to leave the ministry altogether. One statistic states that some 37% of pastors currently serving in ministry have seriously contemplated leaving, and for good reason. The COVID-19 pandemic stressed pastors in ways that they were not prepared for. In a recent article, a pastor of a Presbyterian church announced that he was leaving the ministry after serving 30 plus years. As he put it, he was tired of working for 1,000 bosses.
Congregants are panicking as they want to see growth and often compare their local pastor to their favorite preaching celebrity on television. Yet it is more and more difficult to encourage people to attend church, especially Millennials and Gen-Zers, generations that have more people identifying themselves as “nones”—that is, those with no church or religious affiliation.
This has led to what church analysts have called the “Pastoral Exodus.” The Pastoral Exodus leads to additional problems for the church, resulting in a lack of qualified candidates available to fill the pulpits, fewer youth entering the ministry, and a diminished pool of individuals for pastor search committees to choose from. Thus, pastoral burnout is not only an issue for pastors. Rather, it is an issue that impacts everyone.
How do we resolve pastoral burnout? Well, our guest today has some insights that could help. We welcome Dr. Josh Taylor with us. Dr. Taylor is an ordained minister and pastors Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Demorest, Georgia. He holds degrees in pastoral ministry from Toccoa Falls College, Christian apologetics from Biola University, and a D.Min. in Biblical Preaching from Anderson University in South Carolina. He is married to Mandy, and they have two kids: Scottlynn and Haddon. Dr. Taylor is the author of the book A Preach Well Church: How Churches Can Stop Burning Out Their Pastors. We welcome Dr. Taylor to the podcast today.
- What is the main premise of your book A Preach Well Church?
- In your first chapter, you mention panic attacks that often accompany burnout. What are the main factors behind pastoral burnout and anxiety?
- What are the seven commitments you challenge churches to take in order to become a “preach well church.”
- I found your chapter on the control commitment very fascinating. Why is it that churches often seek to control the pastor’s schedule and, if we can be so blunt, to control pastors in general?
- What inspired you to write A Preach Well Church?
- How dire is our situation with pastoral burnout?
- Any closing words you would like to share with our listeners?
S7E1 A Preach Well Church on YouTube
About our Host
Brian G. Chilton is the founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. Dr. Chilton earned a Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction), a M.Div. in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his B.S. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and completed Unit 1 of Clinical Pastoral Education at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Chilton is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out in his home gym, and watching football. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years and serves as a clinical chaplain.
https://www.amazon.com/Laymans-Manual-Christian-Apologetics-Essentials/dp/1532697104
https://www.amazon.com/Conversations-about-Heaven-Difficult-Questions/dp/1666762687
About our Guest
Dr. Josh Taylor is an ordained minister and pastors Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Demorest, Georgia. He holds degrees in pastoral ministry from Toccoa Falls College, Christian apologetics from Biola University, and a D.Min. in Biblical Preaching from Anderson University in South Carolina. He is married to Mandy, and they have two kids: Scottlynn and Haddon. Dr. Taylor is the author of the book A Preach Well Church: How Churches Can Stop Burning Out Their Pastors. He writes and speaks at preachwell.com where you can find free resources, articles, and more.
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