By Dr. Jessica Johnson
Guest Column
Most of the time when you read stories about the ongoing mental health crisis in our nation, pastors may not be the first group of people that come to mind.
I recall during my childhood growing up in church that I likened pastors to superheroes, believing that their faith in God was their potent superpower and that they were close to invincible. Of course, as a young girl, I had no idea about the challenges and personal struggles that come with leading a congregation. My youth was during the 1980s, a period that most would probably agree was a more prosperous era for U.S. churches in terms of pastoral support and community engagement. Now, a little over four decades later, pastors are confronted with additional demands that go beyond their normal duties of administrative leadership and management of finances, and it’s taking a toll on their mental health.
The Resilient Pastor research study published in June by the Barna Group showed that pastors’ “spiritual, mental and emotional well-being, as well as their overall quality of life,” had considerably worsened between 2015 and 2022. The group interviewed 901 senior Protestant pastors in 2015 and surveyed a 585 cohort in September of last year. Two significant factors listed as reasons for poorer mental health and burnout included the COVID-19 pandemic and the infusion of political battles and divisions within many congregations.
Thinking back to the pandemic when in-person attendance sharply declined, this also had an impact on the finances of many churches. With fewer people in the pews and less money coming in to support ministerial obligations, I think this could have also affected pastors in the Barna study who felt less “energized by ministry work.” Only 40% of pastors surveyed in 2022 “frequently” felt invigorated in their roles compared with 60% in 2015.
One of the findings that notably stood out to me regarding pastors’ emotions is that 47% “sometimes” felt “lonely or isolated from others” in 2022, while 38% expressed feeling this void in 2015. The fact that pastors would have increased feelings of loneliness reminded me how vital fellowship is within the church.
The ministry that I am under, Vision of Breath with Life in Columbus, celebrated the 73rd birthday of our pastor, Overseer S.D. Carter, this month. In addition to being showered with love by us, she was also overjoyed to praise God for another year with two of her older sisters along with nieces and nephews.
We had a joyous time eating great food at her party. My pastor is from Virginia, so her down-home Southern dishes of fried chicken, potato salad and collard greens were menu locks. I was in charge of games, so I put together several rounds of “America Says,” one of my pastor’s favorite programs on the Game Show Network. I decided to add an entertaining twist to this game with some sections titled “Overseer Says” that included having everyone learn about her travel aspirations and trying to guess her favorite movies. Many were surprised to find out that she wants to visit Germany and Italy, and some folks were shaking their heads and laughing because they missed the clue that “Mrs. Doubtfire” is one of her best-loved films. The birthday party is an annual event for our ministry, but we plan game and movie nights for fun gatherings throughout the year.
Reflecting on the percentage of pastors in the Barna study who feel isolated, they would probably benefit from more interaction with their congregations through church social events. I also believe that church members in leadership must be more diligent in lifting up pastors in prayer and making sure they have what they need to effectively minister to their communities. I am reminded of what Hebrews 13:17 says regarding spiritual leaders “watch(ing)” for (our) souls.” The Greek translation of “watch” in this verse is “keeping awake,” that is assiduously interceding on our behalf to God. A genuine pastor who intercedes is praying about everything that affects your life – your family, your job, your ambitions. This means a lot, especially in our current troubled times.
For those reading this column who are pastors and struggling with isolation or are just “mentally exhausted” like many of your peers in the Barna survey, I want to encourage you not to give up on your calling. Lean on your faith in Christ to continue doing Kingdom work. Your faith is your superpower, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re still my superheroes.
Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at The Ohio State University-Lima. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @JjSmojc. Her opinion does not necessarily represent the views of The Lima News or its owner, AIM Media.
