wfn.org | Duke survey finds clergy 'deeply satisfied' with their ministry

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March 20, 2002      News media contact: Linda Bloom7(212) 870-38037New York
10-21-71B{119}

By United Methodist News Service

Despite reports of low morale, most members of the clergy are deeply
satisfied with their jobs, according to a new survey from Duke University
Divinity School.

Preliminary findings from the National Clergy Survey, which included nearly
900 respondents from more than 80 faith groups, indicate a high level of job
satisfaction, with six in 10 clergy reporting that they have "never doubted"
their call to the ministry and seven in 10 reporting they have never
considered leaving pastoral ministry.

The findings were made available in March to denominational officials. The
survey was conducted for Pulpit & Pew: Research on Pastoral Leadership, a
project at the divinity school.

United Methodist Bishop Kenneth Carder, a member of the core group behind
the Duke study, said he believes the overall findings are representative of
United Methodist clergy as well as those of other denominations, and he
expressed surprise "at the level of satisfaction" that clergy experience.

"We were encouraged that the overall impression is that the ministry can be
and is a very satisfying vocation for people," noted Carder, who leads the
church's Mississippi Area. "By and large, clergy are feeling a sense of
support."

The Rev. L. Gregory Jones, a United Methodist pastor who serves as dean of
the divinity school, pointed out that there has been a "widespread
perception" of problems among the clergy. "What I think is confirmed in this
study is despite the stresses and struggles, it is a deeply satisfying
calling," he said.

He attributes the satisfaction to the friendships and relationships that
clergy are able to forge, along with the opportunities to be involved in
special moments of people's lives. The survey indicated that clergy are less
satisfied in their relationships with other clergy and denominations, and
that clergy morale "can be strengthened even more if denominations and
congregations will take with greater seriousness their responsibilities in
improving the support structures for ordained leadership."

One of the less encouraging survey findings, according to Carder, was that
70 percent of Christian clergy think the "difficulty of reaching people with
the Gospel" is a primary problem for pastors.

"That is a challenge to the church," he said. "How do we better equip clergy
to share the Gospel in this kind of world?"

The United Methodist Council of Bishops, together with the Association of
United Methodist Theological Schools and the Board of Higher Education and
Ministry, has initiated a task force to look at the development of a
Wesleyan vision for theological education and leadership formation. Carder
is chairman of that task force and Jones is a member. "We are looking at
some of the same issues (as the study) in the United Methodist context,"
Carder explained.

The Duke survey raises the question of why the ordained ministry is drawing
more second- and third-career entrants than young people, creating a
"graying" of the profession. Clergy in the ministry less than 10 years were,
on average, in their late 30s when ordained, while those in the ministry for
30 years or more were mostly ordained in their mid-20s, the survey found.

"Although we are by no means critical of second-career clergy - clergy of
different ages and backgrounds bring an important diversity of gifts to
ministry - we wonder nevertheless why this 'graying' of the ordained
ministry has happened in a profession whose members feel so strongly that it
is a calling worth giving one's life to?" the findings report asked.

Carder acknowledged that the church in general "has not been as intentional
about lifting up ordained ministry as a legitimate and fulfilling calling
for young people." He also pointed out that the image of clergy in the
public media "has not been a positive one" and that parents and families
also aren't encouraging young people to consider the ministry.

Jones concurred that families and congregations are not lifting up the
ministry as one of the most significant vocations available to young people.
Sometimes, he said, they actually impede a young person's interest in the
ministry.

Duke Divinity School, as well as several other seminaries, runs a summer
youth academy for talented high school students as a way to spark interest
in a pastoral career. Jones noted that while Duke has a fairly young student
body, "that's atypical across the country, but I think it's something that a
lot of schools have been working on."

Other findings showed that:
7	Two-thirds of clergy reported their congregations had experienced
some form of conflict during the past two years, and more than 20 percent
said the conflict was significant, sometimes even leading members to leave
the congregation.
7	Most clergy were positive about their physical and emotional health,
but 76 percent were either overweight or obese.

Adding that John Wesley had a lot to say about the need for good health and
a disciplined life, Carder agreed with the study's conclusion that the
weight problem of clergy is a concern. "It's an issue of energy, health. ...
It's even a financial issue," he said, citing the cost of providing health
care insurance for clergy.

Research will continue on selected findings from the survey to see how they
might translate into more specific policy recommendations and deeper
theological reflections on what nourishes and supports a ministry, Jones
said. "We need to find stories to tell why and how it's a nourishing and
satisfying profession."

Findings from the survey are expected to be posted at
www.pulpitandpew.duke.edu, the project's Web site.

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