Erschreckende Fakten zur Situation amerikanischer Pastoren

Ein Freund hat mir eine Zusammenstellung aus dem Internet weitergeleitet, die sich mit Hintergründen zum Burnout von Pastoren in Amerika beschäftigt. Die Situation von Pastoren in den USA zu Deutschland darf natürlich nicht kritiklos übernommen werden! Aber auch deutsche Pfarrer u. Pastoren sind sehr herausgefordert, wie schon 2003 Dr. Andreas von Heyl in seiner Habilitationsschrift „Zwischen Burnout und spiritueller Erneuerung“ vorgestellt hat.

Hier die Zusammenstellung:

I recently read a New York Times article that really disturbed me…

„Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could.“

Here are a few statistics I found online at Pastor Burnout (just the fact that there’s a website about this should be a red flag):

13% of active pastors are divorced.
25% of pastors‘ wives see their husband’s work schedule as a source of conflict.
33% felt burned out within their first five years of ministry.
33% say that being in ministry is an outright hazard to their family.
40% of pastors and 47% of spouses are suffering from burnout, frantic schedules, and/or unrealistic expectations.
45% of pastors‘ wives say the greatest danger to them and their family is physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual burnout.
45% of pastors say that they’ve experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence from ministry.
50% feel unable to meet the needs of the job.
52% of pastors say they and their spouses believe that being in pastoral ministry is hazardous to their family’s well-being and health.
57% would leave the pastorate if they had somewhere else to go or some other vocation they could do.
75% report severe stress causing anguish, worry, bewilderment, anger, depression, fear, and alienation.
80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with their spouse.
80% believe that pastoral ministry affects their families negatively.
1,500 pastors leave their ministries each month due to burnout, conflict, or moral failure.
Doctors, lawyers and clergy have the most problems with drug abuse, alcoholism and suicide.

17. November 2015: Neuere Einsichten aus Umfragen unter 1500 amerikanischer Pastoren gibt es hier.

The prevailing myth = 1,500 pastors leave the ministry every month
The promising truth = 250 pastors leave the ministry every month

I talk to pastors every day and can attest to the fact that they have one of the hardest jobs on the planet. What this survey says to me is that pastors are not quitters or wimps.

84 percent say they’re on call 24 hours a day
80 percent expect conflict in their church
54 percent find the role of pastor frequently overwhelming

Über Lothar Krauss

Ehemann | Vater | Pastor | Blogger | Netzwerker

Zeige alle Beiträge von Lothar Krauss →