The last few years have taken a real toll on pastors, causing many to consider quitting ministry. But new data from Barna Group suggests that fewer pastors are now thinking of walking away.
According to Barna’s latest findings, 24 percent of U.S. senior Protestant pastors say they have seriously considered leaving full-time ministry within the past year—a decline from the peak levels recorded during the height of the pandemic era. While still a substantial share of leaders, the decrease signals a meaningful shift after several years marked by intense vocational strain.
For much of the past five years, Barna’s research has documented rising pressure on pastors. Early in the pandemic, pastors were forced to navigate church closures, rapid shifts in ministry models, health concerns and political division—often all at once and with limited support. Emotional exhaustion intensified during the COVID-19 years, ministry demands multiplied and leaders faced heightened conflict and polarization within their congregations.
By 2022, those overlapping pressures culminated in an alarming reality: roughly two in five pastors said they had seriously considered quitting ministry altogether.
Since 2022, the share of pastors considering quitting has steadily declined.
(Barna Group) 'By 2022, those overlapping pressures culminated in an alarming reality: roughly two in five pastors said they had seriously considered quitting ministry altogether.
— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) January 31, 2026
Since 2022, the share of pastors considering quitting has steadily declined. The drop to 24 percent…
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