Nearly every pastor carries a narrative of vocation, a time they once whispered “yes” to the beauty and mystery of God’s grace. But over 40 percent are now contemplating retreat, the disillusionment most profound among young and female pastors. Outside the church, culture often shrugs with indifference, or worse, hostility. Within the church, cracks continue to spread, fracturing communities and amplifying loneliness.

The weight of the present relentlessly pushes. The question hangs heavy: How did we arrive at this precipice?

Clergy in Crisis

Church leaders, as spiritual paramedics, have borne the brunt of crises in recent years. From beloved congregants dying without funerals to the heartbreak of mass shootings and the rising tide of social unrest, pastors found themselves in perpetual triage, their phones abuzz with another news alert, prayer request, suggestion, or question.

The world has grown angrier, and that anger often targets Christianity. Scandals and abuses have ...