So, what brings you here today?”

The pastor was silent, his eyes filling with tears.

When my new client finally gathered his thoughts, we started unpacking the ministry trauma cluttering his soul.

It’s a common scene as I counsel church leaders.

During my 26 years of pastoring, I personally experienced the highs and lows of ministry. And as a mental health professional, I regularly see the toll etched on weary faces of pastors in my office.

All leadership comes with serious responsibilities. There are decisions to make, budgets to manage, conflicts to resolve, and visions to cast. But spiritual leadership involves even weightier concerns. After all, Kingdom work and eternal souls are at stake.

A few years ago, my boys were playing with a flying disc that eventually landed on our roof. At first, I watched as the kids devised a strategy for retrieving their toy, but they struggled to lift one another high enough to reach it.

At last, I intervened and volunteered myself as a human ladder.

One of the boys shimmied up my back and stood on my shoulders. From that height, my son gained a fascinating new perspective. He looked around, fixed one of the gutter guards, and gleefully waved to his siblings.

Finally, my son asked, “Dad, are you OK down there?”

I responded, “I’ll be a lot better once you’re off my shoulders!”

Pastoring can feel a lot like carrying a heavy load on your shoulders. At times, the burden becomes difficult to bear.

The past five years have been particularly challenging for ministry. Pastors have navigated a pandemic, changing attendance patterns, and political divisions.

No wonder many church leaders today are struggling with stress, emotional fatigue, anxiety, depression and burnout.

With these issues in mind, the Assemblies of God conducted a survey during the summer and fall of 2024 to assess the mental health of AG ministers.

Of 6,864 respondents (over 18% of all credentialed ministers), 67.4% were men and 32.6% women. More than 8 in 10 (81.6%) were aged 40–60.

The racial and ethnic breakdown was 83% white; 11.5% Hispanic; 4% Asian American; 2.4% Black; 2.2% Native American; 0.8% Pacific Islander; and 2.4% “other.”

Nearly a third of all respondents (31.9%) were lead pastors. Among the other participants were staff pastors and associates (20%); missionaries (14.6%); retired ministers (9.1%); spouses of pastors (2.8%); evangelists (2.2%); and district/network leaders (1.9%).

Emotions

The survey asked, “If you were to seek out counseling and/or psychological support, in which areas of your life might you want some help or a better understanding?” (Participants could choose multiple responses.)

More than half of ministers (53.8%) selected stress and anxiety, while 26.9% indicated they might visit a counselor for sadness and depression.

Other responses included concerns over aging and life stage (25.8%); finances (21.9%); marriage (20.9%); sleep problems (17.3%); health issues (16.3%); past trauma or PTSD (16.2%); work (15.9%); grief or loss (15.2%); parenting (15%); and purpose or identity (14%).

Lower shares said they might seek help regarding faith struggles (3.8%); thoughts of suicide (2.8%); or alcohol/drug use (0.6%).

Concerns about stress and anxiety were highest among young ministers, with about 8 in 10 Gen Z respondents saying they would seek counseling for these issues. Depression was also higher for young ministers.

Unsurprisingly, older ministers were most concerned about health and aging issues.

Suicidal ideation was most common among individuals just starting out in ministry. Those with one year to five years of ministry experience reported thoughts of suicide at more than twice the rate of leaders serving 20 years or more (6.7% versus 3%, respectively).

Finding Support

Another survey question asked, “When you need help, where do you go for counseling or support?” (Again, respondents could check more than one answer.)

When personal mental health problems arise, ministers often feel they have no place to go for help.

Prayer was the top response, with more than three-quarters of ministers saying they would seek God for help (75.8%).

Over half said they would turn to a friend (60%) or family member (50.6%).

Other sources of help included a pastor or leader (33.8%); licensed counselor (26.5%); personal coach or mentor (22.6%); work colleague (11.9%); and district/network office (9.8%).

About 5% were unsure where they would turn. Male ministers were more likely than their female counterparts to list no source of mental health support.

Young ministers reported leaning on friends and family members to a greater degree than older generations.

Excluding prayer, all categories declined with age, suggesting older ministers are less likely to seek help from others.

Barriers

Ministers cite a number of reasons for not seeking counseling or psychological support, but the top two barriers are lack of finances (35.4%) and insurance coverage (26.7%).

Other factors include confidentiality concerns (21.8%); discomfort talking with a stranger (18.9%); uncertainty about where to seek counseling (14.4%); worries about what others might think (10.8%); and fear of losing ministerial credentials (6.7%).

Only 32% of ministers indicated they had not felt a need for counseling.

While younger pastors expressed a willingness to seek counseling, they were more likely than others to lack the needed finances and insurance coverage.

Hope and Purpose

AG credentialed ministers indicate high degrees of both hope and purpose.

An impressive 94.8% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I have found significant purpose in my life.”

Additionally, 92% said they have strong hope for their future.

Hope and purpose are important markers of faith, resilience and well-being.

For those struggling with mental health issues, hope and purpose are vital to recovery.

Church and Family

The survey further asked respondents what resources might benefit their congregations and family members.

Majorities indicated a need for resources relating to stress and anxiety (72.4%); marriage (58.5%); depression (56.3%); grief (51.5%); and parenting (51.2%).

Nearly a quarter (23.1%) said substance abuse resources would be beneficial for their congregations and families, and 19.4% expressed a need for suicide prevention help.

Wounded Shepherds

Pastors regularly minister to people who are walking through grief, illness, addiction, depression and anxiety.

Church leaders are often on the front lines when it comes to observing such struggles in their congregations and referring parishioners for counseling or treatment.

Yet many pastors neglect their own well-being. When personal mental health problems arise, ministers often feel they have no place to go for help.

Meanwhile, the pressures of ministry are unrelenting. A 2023 Barna Group survey found that one-third of U.S. Protestant pastors had seriously considered quitting during the previous year.

The share was down from 2022, when about 4 in 10 pastors said the same. Still, many spiritual leaders are struggling to persevere in their calling.

That’s why Assemblies of God General Superintendent Doug Clay commissioned a group of mental health professionals to focus on these issues and help ministers and their families find the assistance they need. The AG National Mental Health Care Committee came together in 2019.

A new website, ministerfamilycare.ag.org, now provides Christian counselor referrals, crisis hotline information, and free resources for a variety of needs and challenges ministers face.

Additionally, credential holders and their families can access free video-based guidance on depression, recovery and loss from RightNow Media.

Information about these resources, along with a QR code for easy access, is printed on the back of every 2025 ministerial credential card.

The apostle Peter wrote, “Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:7–8).

Peter recognized that Satan could exploit human frailties to disrupt God’s work. He also knew what it was like to experience God’s grace so that he could strengthen others (Luke 22:31–32).

The mental health struggles ministers face are real, but help and healing are available.

Cast your anxiety on the Lord, while utilizing available tools and resources to steward your mental well-being and care for your family and congregation.

Healing Journey

“So, what brings you here today?”

That question started a healing journey for the pastor in my office. We moved forward together as he took the first crucial steps toward wholeness.

Prioritizing mental health is not just a personal necessity, but a vital aspect of effective ministry.

Those who serve as shepherds must also take the time to care for their own needs.

By fostering self-awareness, seeking support, and creating a culture of openness around mental well-being, ministers can sustain their calling while setting a powerful example for the people they serve.

Investing in mental health is not a sign of weakness. It is a step toward greater resilience, effectiveness, and longevity in ministry.

This article appears in the Spring 2025 issue of Influence magazine.