Sermon Illustrations

Burnout is a serious problem among pastors around the world. Some statistics include:

On average, seminary trained pastors last only five years in church ministry.

• 100% of 1,050 Reformed and Evangelical pastors had a colleague who had left the ministry because of burnout, church conflict, or moral failure.

• 91% of pastors have experienced some form of burnout in ministry and 18% say they are “fried to a crisp right now”.

• An astonishing 40% of pastors now show a high risk of burnout.

• 21% of pastors who are not seriously thinking of leaving ministry are still at high risk of burnout.

• 1,700 pastors leave the ministry each month, citing depression, burnout, or being overworked as the primary reasons.

Pray for all of your pastor friends.

If you need a friend, I volunteer. Email me here through Sermon Central. Praying for all pastors who read this illustration to not fall out of ministry because of burnout. You are precious to the Body of Christ, my friend, and we need you in the army of God.

- Dr. Larry Petton

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