Pastors face heavy burdens and burnout in modern ministry
A Baptist General Convention survey shows ministers would leave for better secular pay, with 70 percent lacking a close friend and 90 percent working 46 hours weekly. Most say ministry strains families, causes stress related illness, and leaves them inadequately trained. Leaders urge focusing on spiritual growth and family priorities over numerical church growth.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Baptist General Convention of Baptist
Johnny Witherspoon
University Park Baptist Church
Witherspoon
Don Palmer
Life Unlimited Church
God
Ministry's demanding load humbles pastors and tests families
The Rev. Dave Ring and other clergy describe long weeks of 60 to 70 hours. He notes seminary dropouts and high expectations from laity, with ministers juggling preaching counseling and church duties. Ring recalls moving from Albuquerque with his son amid wrestling gaps and family strain.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dave Ring
Highland United Methodist Church
Southern Baptist
Ring
Albuquerque
Odessa
Truman Warren
Westminster Presbyterian Church
United Methodist Women's
Supreme Court case on assisted death faces moral clash
Religion writers note medical groups warn of harms from physician assisted death while patient suffering and pain rise in studies. AMA study cites only a small share in pain, most fear future suffering. religious coalitions argue equal justice and danger to vulnerable patients if life support is removed or death hastened. Justice opinions appear sympathetic, with ruling months away.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Supreme Court
Ee Ee
Rita Marker
American Medical Association
AMA
Annals of Internal Medicine
Linda Emanuel
Second Circuit Court of Appeals
New York
Michael J. McManus
Bethesda
Black Baptists call to remove flag from Statehouse
The Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina representing over 700 ministers and 400,000 members endorsed moving the Confederate battle flag from atop the Statehouse. President Willie Givens said endorsement does not imply blanket support for Beasley’s monument move. The statement, by the South Carolina Christian Action Council, urges relocation to a more appropriate site for healing and reconciliation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Clemson
S.C
Statehouse
Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of
South Carolina
Onvention
Willie Givens
Sup
David Beasley
Beasley
Theth Carolina Christian Action Council
Group pairs churches with welfare recipients in South Carolina
In Greenville, churches are adopting welfare families to ease their transition to independence. Twenty two churches have committed, with a goal of 50 by January 22, aligned to Gov Beasley’s State of the State address. The Putting Families First Foundation coordinates long term, personal support.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Greenville
S.C
Rod Mays
Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church
Putting Families First Foundation
Lisa van Riper
David Beasley
Baker University Bible Collection Grows Beyond QuayleLegacy
Baker University in Baldwin City builds a premier Bible collection once begun by Bishop William A. Quayle. From 250 Bibles in 1925 the Quayle collection now exceeds 1,100 items, featuring early handwritten volumes, two 1611 King James editions, a Gutenberg leaf, Browning and Stevenson family Bibles, Ojibway Psalms, and a Presidential Bible Collection. Curated by John Forbes, the archive draws praise from rare-book specialists and reflects Quayle’s scholarly impact and fundraising.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Baldwin City
Kan
William A. Quayle
Baker University
Midwest
United Methodist University
Prairie
Exper
Ardis Glenn
Kansas City
Quayle
America
Canada Bible Society
John M. Forbes
Baker
Robert Browning
Sabrina Browning
Robert Louis Stevenson
Kid
Tahiti
Mainz
Germany
Johann Gutenberg
Harry Truman
Cynthia
Philadelphia Books
William Quayle
Chicago
Detroit
St. Louis
Forbes
Niversity
Also Mentioned on This Page
Mark Sterkel
Rev
Ethics & Religion
Black Baptists
John Forbes
College
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!