Being a pastor has its great points. Being a pastor has its not-so-great points. Some people have a naïve view of pastors. They’re convinced since he or she is doing the Lord’s work, a pastor’s life is a charmed life… exempt from normal human pressures, and the wear and tear of living in a fallen world.

Statistics on pastoral health tell a different story. Depending on the source, it’s estimated:

• More than 1000 pastors leave the ministry every month. (Some sources put the number at 1700 per month). The main drivers are burnout, contention with church members, or moral failure.
• Pastors suffer a rate of depression 4x that of the general population. And for their spouses it’s 5x.
• The vast majority of pastors’ spouses report the ministry has produced a negative impact on their families.
• A large percentage of pastors report they have no close personal friends.
• The average pastor lasts only five years at a church. (Barna Group)

These stats raise some obvious questions: Are longevity and health for a pastor possible? Or must we simply must accept the above statistics as inevitable? Do we give way to the idea that depression, burnout and anxiety are part of a pastor’s reality and therefore unavoidable? Is pastoral health a myth? The answer is NO!

Let’s take a minute to answer the question: “Why do pastors struggle to stay healthy?” Let me give you four reasons (although many more reasons exist):

Separation anxiety

During my years as a lead pastor—disconnecting from work proved difficult for me. The underlying pressure of being El Capitan never went away.  In contrast, I’ve found it much easier to separate from jobs I’ve held in the business world. Separation anxiety can wear down even the finest leader.

Spiritual warfare

Pastors have a target on their back. I know every Jesus-follower does… but the devil is an opportunist who understands if he takes out a leader, he can hurt a whole bunch of people. The wear and tear of sustained spiritual attack is real, often unrecognized, and almost always underestimated.

Societal dysfunction

Society’s growing dysfunction has spilled over into the Church. The complexity, variety, and sheer number of problems pastors deal with are on the rise. The lack of spiritual basics the majority of unchurched people bring with them stretch a pastor’s limited time and resources.

Shopper mentality

The consumer mindset of some churchgoers can exhaust a leader. When people hop from church to-church in search for a place that meets or exceeds all of their expectations… it can put a lot of pressure on a pastor to try and please everybody. Trying to please everybody is a recipe for burnout. Now… there are legitimate reasons to leave a church: leadership abuse, heretical teaching, etc.; but most of the time, the decision to leave a church happens because someone thinks the pastor preaches too long, or too short… the music is too contemporary or not contemporary enough… or they don’t like the paint color in the sanctuary.

The Kingdom of God cannot afford to lose 1000+ pastors every month. How will we achieve the Great Commission if leaders are unhealthy? How will we maintain influence in our culture if pastors are dropping like flies?

If you’re a pastor reading this – you must learn how to shut off the ministry. Become aware of the bullseye the devil has placed on your back. Stay close to Jesus, and enlist the support of people who know how to pray. Share the ministry load so the flood of society’s dysfunction won’t overrun you. And stop trying to please everyone because you will fail—and wear yourself out in the process.

If you’re a churchgoer reading this – quit being a consumer. Commit to a church, roll up your sleeves and get involved. Pray for your pastor. Accept his humanity and limitations. Understand his priority list is different than the one you envision for him. And step up… serve God and people with your spiritual gifts/talents… and give generously of your finances.

Is pastoral health a myth? Only if we decide to let it be.