YOU’RE NOT CRAZY
If Hiring Feels Harder… You’re Not Crazy.
Let’s just call it out. Hiring kids and student pastors feels way harder than it did a few years ago.
We hear it every week:
Churches are growing.
Ministries are expanding.
But candidate pools feel thinner.
The process feels heavier.
You’re not imagining it. The landscape has changed. Not because great next-gen leaders don’t exist. They absolutely do. But next-gen leaders…well… have been observing the different generations moving in, up, and out of ministry. And these leaders are now learning to ask better questions.
Here are some of the consistent themes we are seeing when interviewing top-talent next-gen leaders:
1. Sustainability Is No Longer Optional
Burnout in ministry isn’t theoretical anymore – it’s measurable.
Barna research has found that roughly four in ten pastors have seriously considered quitting full-time ministry within a given year. Even as numbers fluctuate, a significant percentage of pastors continue to report ongoing stress and vocational strain.
Carey Nieuwhof has also written extensively about the rise in pastoral burnout, pointing to dramatic increases in exhaustion and disengagement among church leaders over the past decade.
Next-gen leaders are watching that.
They’ve seen mentors flame out.
They’ve watched friends quietly leave ministry.
They’ve experienced exhaustion themselves.
So now, from day one, they’re evaluating sustainability:
Is 60 hours a week the norm?
Are heavy seasons followed by flex time?
Is there margin for Sabbath?
Is this role built for longevity or survival?
They don’t want to burn bright and burn out. They want to build something that lasts.
2. Culture Is Being Evaluated, Not Just Compensation
Salary matters.
But culture determines tenure.
Strong candidates are paying attention to how leadership actually functions:
Are events planned in advance or will last-minute bombs be dropped in my lap?
Are expectations clear?
Is communication proactive or reactive?
Are leaders texting staff on days off?
In broader workplace research, flexibility and work-life balance consistently rank among the top factors employees consider when choosing a role and ministry leaders are no different.
They’re not afraid of hard work, but they know how to sniff out chaos.
3. Clarity and Authority Must Match the Title
This is where many searches quietly stall.
Some churches say they want a “Next Gen Pastor.”
But functionally, they need someone to execute someone else’s vision.
That’s not wrong. But it’s different.
If you need a coordinator, call it that.
If you want someone to:
Cast vision
Build teams
Shape long-term strategy
Lead culture
Then they’ll need autonomy, defined authority, and a real seat at the table.
And here’s the part we don’t always say out loud:
“It’s a big ship to turn.”
“Serve your time.”
Many next-gen leaders already have. They know they’ll be valued somewhere. And in today’s landscape, they don’t have to wait indefinitely to have space to exercise their gifts.
A solid compensation package with benefits is no longer the ultimate differentiator. It’s the baseline. Realistic pay, healthcare, and PTO should be expected, not positioned as the selling point. The selling point is a healthy culture, sustainable rhythms, and the opportunity to lead with real trust and autonomy.
The real question is: Are we ready for the questions they’re asking and are we willing to adjust what needs adjusting to attract and retain high-capacity next-gen leaders?
Sources
Barna Group. Pastors’ Well-Being in a Time of Change. 2022. https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-well-being/
Barna Group. Have Pastors Recovered From the Pandemic? 2023. https://www.barna.com/trends/pastors-quitting-ministry-barna-data/
Barna Group. The State of Pastors. Ongoing research series. https://www.barna.com/research/state-of-pastors/
Nieuwhof, Carey. 5 Shocking Realities About the Real State of Pastor Burnout. https://careynieuwhof.com/5-shocking-realities-about-the-real-state-of-pastor-burnout/
Nieuwhof, Carey. 29% of Pastors Want to Quit: How to Keep Going When You’ve Lost Confidence in Yourself.
https://careynieuwhof.com/29-of-pastors-want-to-quit-how-to-keep-going-when-youve-lost-confidence-in-yourself/
