ISBN: 1944964614 9781944964610

Category: Religion / General

Page count: 51

The past decade has produced a signficant amount of research related to pastoral wellbeing -- holistic health that leads to flourishing over time on the hard road of pastoral ministry. We now better understand the forces that challenge pastoral wellbeing as well as the practices and disciplines that promote it. This project assessed the wellbeing of PCA pastors. We surveyed nearly 900 PCA pastors to get a snapshot into their current state of wellbeing and conducted 16 in-depth focus groups to gain insight into the practices, conditions, and choices that promote and hinder wellbeing. We found that pastors wrestle with a series of ministry tensions that pull them between healthy and unhealthy approaches to life and ministry. Pastors told us that the struggles of ministry are very real, often hidden, and quite unique. At the same time, they are passionate, engaged, and committed to their calling. --