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A recent Barna study suggest that pastoral well-being has plummeted in the past seven years, especially in the area of quality friendships.

The poll collected data from protestant senior pastors from 2015 to 2022. Interviewees reported a 10% decline in “true friendships” in 2022, while poor physical health reports more than tripled since 2015.

The survey also showed a 7% increase in mental health issues. Barna also reported that more pastors indicated a desire to leave their ministry in 2022 than in previous years.

While there are many reasons behind pastoral struggles, lead pastor Glenn Packiam at Rockharbor Church in Costa Mesa, California, has argued for implementing pastoral sabbaticals. He said that taking these breaks should be a form of “preventative healthcare.”