We need to be intentional about getting some exercise and look for ways to do it in and around our…

Sometimes we overlook the obvious. Among the many reasons that we are examining about the early drop-out of clergy is…

The church statistics are overwhelming that the drop out of clergy in the first five years is increasing exponentially. It…

An Examination of Loneliness A major challenge for good pastors is how to handle the loneliness inherent in the pastorate.…

Once we have acknowledged the challenge of loneliness in the pastorate, we need to identify some additional steps in coping…

As a basis for this reflection, let me tie together two separate passages. The first is from Genesis 2:18, “Then…

What most members and society do not recognize with respect to the role of clergy is the sheer loneliness that…

Another category of expectations that is often overlooked is that of the public’s expectation for congregations. While many in our…

If you want to identify some of the key factors in clergy dropping out, there are probably few areas that…

Whether with your email colleagues or with some group within the church, it is worthwhile to use the same categories…

I want to suggest that you try an experiment in testing out the pressure of expectations in your profession. Choose…

There is a certain tyranny as well as a blessing to the expectations, internal and external, with regards to being…

The second area that I suggested may be a factor in clergy dropping out of the profession is the sheer…

Continuing our discussion about the disconnect between what you expected when you first sensed God’s call and the reality you…

One of the incredible turning points in Israel’s journey of faith was how those unique individuals known as the prophets…

Let’s take these causes for clergy dropping out of the ministry one at a time. First, some people experience a…

Last Monday, before I took a break to attend a conference, I asked you to jot down a list of…

In a 2005 survey by the Board of Pensions, the dropout rate among clergy in the first five years has…

Another significant issue with respect to vocation and the future of the church is our response to other servants of…

We have been looking at vocation or God’s call from the perspective of the corporate body of the church. Now…