Glut of preachers struggle to find jobs [View All]

[Ed Barrow]

A combination of many preachers, too many small churches and a bad economy have led to one of the worst job markets for ministers in decades. That has led to the so-called clergy glut. According to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, there are more than 600,000 ministers in the United States but only 338,000 churches. Many of those are small churches that can't afford a full-time preacher. Among Presbyterians, there are four pastors looking for work for every one job opening.

That has left many good pastors out in the cold, waiting before finding a new job or finding alternative employment, denominational leaders say.

"There's lots of really good pastors out there who are having a terrible time," said Phil Leftwich, executive presbyter of the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee.

...

"There are churches in need of a pastor who don't happen to be in the places where clergy want to go," he said. "A small church that can barely afford a pastor of any kind and it's in the middle of nowhere, and the candidates look at that and say, 'We don't want to go out there.' "


http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100606/NEWS06/6060349/Glut+of+preachers+struggle+to+find+jobs