Pastor's Conference in Maryland and Pastor Stats

Sandy Cove Ministries in North East, Maryland

The "Pastor's Conference" May 19-21 was a good time with approx. 700-800 attending.

It was a lot of words of encouragement and of exhortation to keep keep the main thing the main thing - That is putting God's Word first in our lives and in our preaching. I really enjoyed that the ministers were quite transparent, and shared their personal trials and tribulations. Making all present that we are all people, and all go through stuff. The first night there was also a exhortation to keep ourselves pure (in thought and deed). This group of ministers that shared for three days I believe all are living lives pleasing to the LORD. That's almost hard to say in this day of moral decline outside and IN the pulpit.

So bottom line, it was refreshing and I got to know that I am not so unique in my trials and tribulations as a pastor - actually quite normal - LOL!

Praise God for His sustaining power.

Meanwhile below are some startling stats, that should cause you to be praying for your pastor and his wife. You are welcome to also keep us in your prayers :-)

Pastor Stats:

These statistics came from across denomination lines, and have been gleaned from various reliable sources.

Pastors today are faced with more work, more problems, and more stress than any other time in the history of the church. This is taking a frightening toll on the ministry, shown by the (North American) statistics below:

Pastors:
· Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout or contention in their churches.
· Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.
· Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
· Eighty-five percent of pastors said their greatest problem is they are sick and tired of dealing with problem people, such as disgruntled elders, deacons, worship leaders, worship teams, board members, and associate pastors. Ninety percent said the hardest thing about ministry is dealing with uncooperative people.

Pastors' Wives:
· Eighty percent of pastors' spouses feel their spouse is overworked.
· Eighty percent of pastor' wives feel left out and unappreciated by the church members.
· Eighty percent of pastors' spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.
· Eighty percent of pastors' wives feel pressured to do things and be something in the church that they are really not.

Pastors' Relationship With the Lord:
· Seventy percent of pastors do not have a close friend, confidant, or mentor.
· Ninety-five percent of pastors do not regularly pray with their spouses.
· Eighty percent of pastors surveyed spend less than fifteen minutes a day in prayer.
· Seventy percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons.

I don't have to become a negative statistic.

There is victory for you and me at the foot of the cross.

Keep us (Joyce and I) in your prayer that we don't become any of these negative stats. But in ALL things we will always put Jesus first and live in such away that will be pleasing to HIM.