The Empty Pulpit Crisis
There are many names for it - clergy shortage, empty pulpit crisis, "graying" of the pastor. Whatever you call it, the fact remains, where will the next generation of pastors come from?
In 2017, Barna released a study about the Aging of the American Pastor.
Here is the highlight reel (if you want to call it that)
The median age for a pastor in 1992 was 44. In 2017, its 54. (In 2024, it could be 60)
2/3 of all pastors shared that they cannot find a suitable person to mentor into pastoral ministry.
(This one shocked me) There are more lead pastors over 65 than there are lead pastors under 40!
Now, let me caveat here.
When I say the phrase the “Next Generation of Pastors” I don’t exclusively think of youthfulness. I mentored 2 men that were 20+ years older than me who planted churches, and praise God for them. But the fact remains: with a few exceptions: churches, denominations, and seminaries are struggling to train and equip the next generation of pastors.
Which is why I am THRILLED to share with you that I pulled together 3 leaders who not only are facing this issue head on but want to equip you to do the same. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to announce Covo Con: Fall 2024 Edition.
Before I get too deep into the weeds, let me tell you why I am thrilled for this evening.
Brad, Steve and Rob all come from different traditions and backgrounds of ministry (from Mainline to Micro to Planting to Revitalizations), but all are investing in the next generation of leaders and have given their time to sit with this community to share best practices and resources.
The entire event will be on Zoom and last 2 hours. The first hour I will be asking the panelists questions on developing the next generation of church leaders and this will be recorded and posted on YouTube later for all to watch. The second hour will be an open Q&A with you as a participant to ask any question you want on developing the next generation of church leaders. That portion will NOT be recorded.
How do I get in?
Your ticket to Covo Con Fall Edition comes with a Premium Subscription to this Substack. If you click the link below, you can upgrade your Subscription to paid and you will receive a Google Calendar invite to the event in the coming weeks.
In addition to supporting my work, you will also receive the following goodies for being a Premium Subscriber:
Instant Access to my $100 Masterclass where I explain the A-Z on how to rebrand from Ministry Professional to Marketplace Professional.
Monthly Remote Jobs Reports that I curate for Pastors who want to make the switch into a Covocational Model (Next one drops in 7 days).
Access to Quarterly Covo Con events like this one where you can learn from and engage leaders on the front line of ministry.
An early release copy of my book, “Market Street Pastor: Ministry Sustainability without Money Stress” which will release in early 2025.
Respectfully, I think this is a steal for $7 / month. But if you cannot swing the cost, please e-mail me at eric@ihelppastorsgetjobs.com. I had a very generous donor reach out to me last week to sponsor some pastors. Don’t be shy.
In conclusion, Thursday, October 17th, 8-10pm ET on Zoom. Join Steve, Brad and Rob and myself as we discuss how to find, develop and release the Next Generation of Church Leaders. It wouldn’t be a party without you, so hit that subscribe button now, become a paid subscriber and see you on October 17th.