"Pastors are the single most occupationally frustrated group in America," says Southern California psychologist Richard Blackmon, quoted in a recent Los Angeles Times story on the demands faced by today's spiritual leaders. Roughly 30% to 40% of religious leaders eventually drop out of the ministry, according to Blackmon. About 75% go through a period of stress so great that they consider quitting. The incidents of mental breakdown are so high that insurance companies charge about 4% extra to cover church staff members when compared to employees in other businesses.

Pastor John Huffman of Ventura, California, said he could empathize with Ron Dybvig, a 55-year-old pastor who ran away from his congregation a week ago and spent three nights wandering the snow-covered mountains in San Diego County. When found, Dybvig told authorities he was overwhelmed by life and just needed to get away.

The demand to be on-call for a congregation 24 hours a day - as personal confidant, marriage counselor, crisis interventionist - puts church leaders in a constant whirlwind of stressful events, says the article. And when the phone rings, a pastor is expected to answer the call no matter how tired or strained he or she may feel.

The profession is often characterized as more stress-ridden than a doctor dealing with a terminal illness, since the doctor can walk away from the situation when he leaves the room. The pastor, how ever, unlike other professionals, normally has emotional links and personal ties to those being helped and suffers with them.

Pressure is also applied since ministers live under tremendous scrutiny by their congregations and the community, and are expected by them to conduct a life far more holy than their own. Additionally, religious leaders, especially those heading up small churches, wear several administrative hats - worrying about attendance, bills, building repairs, staffing issues and volunteer recruitment - on top of preparing multiple sermons, messages and Bible lessons each week. "Their strong religious beliefs mean they won't kill themselves, "says pastoral psychologist Archibald Hart. "They just spend their time wishing they were dead."

Pastors need to set limits for themselves if they are to avoid burnout, warn the experts- They also need to have hobbies and interests outside of the church. Finding or creating a regular support group with other religious leaders is also important. [Source; Los Angeles Times, 1/29/99]

John Maynard
Bunyip VIC, Australia 3815