Fewer pastors now feel like quitting, study finds

The share of pastors who feel like quitting their jobs is showing a significant decline since the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data from Barna Research.

Citing findings from its 2025 "State of the Church" produced in conjunction with a Gloo, Barna reports that the share of pastors who felt like quitting their jobs has shown a steady decline since 2022 to 24% in 2025.

“[Some] 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,” Barna noted in a new report, citing data from a December 2025 survey of over 410 U.S. Protestant senior pastors.

“While still a substantial share of leaders, the decrease signals a meaningful shift after several years marked by intense vocational strain.”

Respondents were asked: "Have you given real, serious consideration to quitting being in full-time ministry within the last year?" While nearly a quarter responded "yes" in December 2025, that number is down significantly from a peak of 42% in March 2022, when 510 pastors were surveyed. 

The Hartford Institute for Religion Research’s "Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations" found that as of the fall of 2023, more than half (53%) of over 1,700 religious leaders surveyed said they seriously considered leaving pastoral ministry at least once since 2020. This share was significantly higher than the 37% of pastors who reported in 2021 that they had similar thoughts since 2020.

About 44% of the pastors also said they seriously considered leaving their congregations at least once since 2020. This was more than double the 21% of pastors who reported this sentiment in 2021.

Barna researchers note that while proximity to the pandemic played a role in how pastors felt about their jobs, it wasn’t the only factor driving the decline in the share of pastors who felt like quitting.

“As churches stabilize, many pastors report recalibrating expectations — gaining greater clarity around what is sustainable and where boundaries are necessary. Congregations are also rediscovering rhythms of worship and community that were disrupted for years, reducing the constant sense of emergency leadership,” Barna researchers explained.

In 2022, Barna researchers found that more than half of pastors (56%) who considered quitting full-time ministry in the previous year said “the immense stress of the job” was a huge factor behind their thinking. Beyond those general stressors, two in five pastors, 43%, reported that “I feel lonely and isolated," and some 38% said “current political divisions” made them think about calling it quits at the pulpit.

An equal 29% share of pastors also said they felt like quitting because they weren’t optimistic about their church's future; they were unhappy with the job's impact on their family, or they had a vision for the church that conflicted with where the church wanted to go. Another 24% of pastors said they considered quitting because their church was steadily declining.

In analyzing their recent findings, Barna researchers stated that a decline in the share of pastors who feel like quitting does not necessarily mean the challenges they face in ministry have been resolved.

“A meaningful minority of leaders still feel close to the edge, and younger pastors in particular remain vulnerable to burnout. But the shift matters,” researchers noted.

“Pastoral stability is closely tied to congregational health. When pastors can envision a future in ministry, churches benefit from continuity, trust, and long-term formation. When leaders exit under prolonged strain, congregations often absorb the cost — spiritually, relationally, and organizationally.”