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Duke survey finds clergy 'deeply satisfied' with their ministry
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:
__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.
__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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