Although I haven’t been a pastor for 30 year (only a little over 23), I found Thom S. Rainer‘s blog post, “Seven Ways Pastoring Has Changed In 30 Years“, quite interesting and accurate. Little wonder, the pastor drop-out rate is so high!
- Thirty years ago, most people in the community held the pastor in high esteem.
- Thirty years ago, most people in the congregation held the pastor in high esteem.
- Leadership skills are required more today than thirty years ago.
- Interpersonal skills are required more today than thirty years ago.
- Outreach was accomplished by getting people to come to church services thirty years ago. That is not so today.
- Thirty years ago, there were very few “nones.”
- The Internet and social media have made pastoring much more challenging than it was thirty years ago.
Read the entirety of this insightful article HERE.