A Baptist pastor-friend asked:

Could you point me in the direction of the most recent statistics for clergy drop-out rates, Baptist compared to other denominations? I thought that I had them filed away some where but cannot find them currently. Only if you have time and can put your finger on them easily.

My response:

Re transition from parish/pastoral ministry (sometimes to another form of ministry), these figures are anecdotal – gleaned from hundreds of interviews, and dozens of clergy conferences where I’ve asked ‘How many in your cohort of ordinands/people commissioned to parish/pastoral ministry are not now in that form of ministry?’

*Very* generally: Baptists are mid-range. Highest drop-out rates from parish/pastoral ministry are the Pentecostals, (especially church-planters)

followed probably by the S/Army (but they are often deployed to other S/A ministries). Both these groups lose more than they keep from parish/pastoral ministry. Then a cluster of the smaller evangelical groups, then Baptists/Churches of Christ (who keep as many as they lose). Lowest dropout rates are from the mainline denominations – Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Presbyterian. (Why? ‘cos you can stay on in these denominations more easily if you’ve lost your zip, and they look after you better materially, and pastors have more authority: broadly, they keep more than they lose).

Total of ex-pastors/parish ministers/priests in Australian – probably about 12,000.

Shalom! Rowland Croucher

September 2005