A Shortage of Preachers Part 3 Areas of Impact

Most statistics reveal that the churches that are affected with clergy shortages are congregations of less than 100 in attendance, particularly those that require a pastor to hold a second career, and rural congregations that battle declining or aging membership. The problem of filling openings in small churches cannot be ignored, for most American churches are small. In 1999, a study of congregations reported that 71 percent have fewer than 100 regularly participating adults. The median size of a church is 75 active members. Half of all American congregations have fewer than 75 members.

Some church organizations claim their problem is not a shortage of clergy, but a distribution problem, as ministers are drawn to be staff members of larger suburban churches. Among some denominations, the competition for positions in larger and ‘mega’ churches is intense, while smaller churches are suffering. Organizations that formerly emphasized a heavy regimen of college and seminary training are now focusing more on training lay leaders, and short-term training. They are also placing less reliance on youth coming out of college, and working to recruit older individuals who are willing to make a mid-life change to the ministry.

Implications for the United Pentecostal Church
The implications of clergy shortage for the future growth and maintenance of the Apostolic movement could be huge. With an increased emphasis on establishing new churches, daughters works, and opening new mission fields, it is irresponsible to ignore the possibly that we may not have the number of preachers, teachers and missionaries to staff them in the future. This is an issue that must be addressed, at a minimum, 5-10 years prior to the peak of the problem. That time may be now.

More comprehensive research is needed on the trends within the United Pentecostal Church, and the Apostolic movement as a whole, to determine if a problem exists, now or in the future and, if so, how best to address the crisis. Initial statistics indicate that 55% of licensed pastors in the United Pentecostal Church will be at or approaching retirement age over the next 10-15 years. Many of these pastors are in congregational settings that do not support a full-time pastor. Some of these future retirees are also expecting on-going financial support after their retirement from the church’s future revenue, making the picture even bleaker. It is possible that the problem may also not be an issue of supply, but instead of distribution. As in other fields, such as medicine and education, shortages could be largely geographic or demographic in nature.

In the Apostolic ranks, certain districts and churches may have problems attracting qualified ministers for various reasons. This may (or may not) include depressed economies, poor district leadership, a shift towards urban areas that leaves rural areas unattractive to talented young people, and distances away from areas where there is more fellowship. In this scenario, there may be areas with an abundance of qualified ministers vying for a few openings, and other areas where no one is available.

Another possible consideration is that there are active ministers who are not seeking licensing for a variety of reasons. One of the concerns voiced at a recent General Conference was that our organization licenses young men but then does not allow them to vote. As a result, young men may not see the need to be licensed but who still preach in our churches. This raises some new issues. If they are ministering in UPCI,churches, should they not be accountable to the UCPI authority structure, and should they not be responsible to meet the criteria for ministry set forth by the UPCI? Are they planning to be licensed at a future time?

In the next blog, Questions to be Considered