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For the past year or so, I've been running an informal poll here at TheLeadPastor.com. I wanted to know what pastors find most difficult about their role.

154 Pastors Answered.

When I asked about the single biggest struggle in ministry, the answers caught me off guard. Tight budgets and harsh critics are always going to be part of the job, but the data seems to point to a deeper cultural problem - one that's taking a real toll on pastors.

Apathy Is The Surprising Number One Struggle

57 out of 154 pastors (more than 30%) ranked spiritual apathy as more difficult than financial pressure or loneliness.... Think about that for a second. We always hear about how broke or isolated pastors are, but the biggest drain is actually just trying to motivate people who don't seem to care.

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Does this match what you’re seeing in your own ministry? Do you have a different take? Let me know in the space below.

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Joshua Gordon

Joshua Gordon is a lay-pastor, author, and senior editor of TheLeadPastor.com. Over the last two decades, Josh has worked closely with pastors and other christian leaders, helping them to sharpen and elevate their messages. Today, Joshua pastors at New Life Fellowship, a thriving church he helped plant in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.

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