Last Monday, before I took a break to attend a conference, I asked you to jot down a list of at least five reasons that a person who felt God’s call to ministry might within the first five years drop out of the ministry. I hope that either then or now, you will make your list. Assume, for the purpose of discussion, that the experience of God’s call is real. What are the factors that later cause a person to give up on that call. (Yes, I know that God can call you to other vocations than the pastoral ministry and that you can mistakenly sense God’s call, but for now set that aside and just do the exercise.)
When I thought about it, I came up with some of these factors, not necessarily in order of priority.
First, some people experience a deep disillusionment when their idealism confronts the reality of the church. What ministry requires does not seem to be coherent with what was envisioned in God’s call.
Second, and related to the first, is the sheer stress of meeting the expectations of others and even of yourself as you pursue the ministry. I would emphasize that in my experience sometimes our own expectations may create the major part of our stress.
Third, there is a powerful sense of loneliness in the pastorate. It is not in the same proportion as Christ, but good pastors do absorb the wounds, pain, fears, angers and sins of their neighbors. We are often trusted with people’s secrets, good, bad, and tragic, and rarely have someone else with whom we can process what we are experiencing. It can get lonely.
Fourth, because few members of the congregation can appreciate the multiple dimensions of the ministry, it is very easy to feel under-appreciated in all that we do. Who really recognizes the full picture of what the ministry is all about.
Fifth, there are a variety of challenges — financial, marital, physical, emotional — that can overwhelm a person and make them feel inadequate to the challenge.
Sixth, sometimes we become so focused on the challenge of the profession that we lose touch with the source of the call that can give it meaning in all circumstances.
I would love to hear about what other factors you have come up with. Not all of them apply to any one person. Look them over and pick out the one or two that seem most valid for you. In the next few days, I want to explore what the possible approaches are to responding to these factors in a healthy way.
