Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore PRAY THE LORD OF THE HARVEST TO SEND OUT LABORERS into His harvest.” (Matt. 9:37-38) New numbers released Tuesday from The Barna Group, the country’s foremost researcher on religion, show that TWO OUT OF FIVE pastors nationwide are seriously thinking about quitting the ministry. “We found a sub-group analysis that pastors in the ministry for 20 years or more were more likely to tell us they were considering quitting,” said David Kinnaman, president and CEO of The Barna Group. “Also, younger pastors under 45 were the most likely to say they were considering quitting. During and after the pandemic, one-third of practicing Christians disengaged from their congregation – just sort of stopped showing up.” Kinnaman said. More than 4,000 churches CLOSED in America in 2020. Over that same time, over 20,000 pastors left the ministry and 50 percent of current pastors say they would leave the ministry if they had another way of making a living.
This is why we need to pray for the LORD to SEND OUT LABORERS! “The wicked (demons) are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those WHOSE HEARTS ARE RIGHT.” (Psa. 11:2) This is happening and Jesus taught us in John 10:9-11, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, HE WILL BE SAVED, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to STEAL, and to KILL, and to DESTROY. I have come that they may HAVE LIFE (zōē: comes from and is sustained by God’s self-existent life), and that they may have it more ABUNDANTLY (perissos: beyond what is expected). “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd GIVES HIS LIFE for the sheep.” (John 10:9-11)
-Bill Stockham