Going the Distance

My son has an Elmo video about numbers.  The geniuses behind Sesame Street know that their catchy tunes will replay in the viewers mind over and over and over again.  For preschoolers that's awesome.  For parents, not so cool.  But, one of the songs is about the number five.  Yes, an entire song about the number 5.  A song that every time I hear the word 5, the lyrics begin their never ending loop through my head.  Much like those annoying songs you would sing on the bus as a kid.

Elmo giving 5...well, 4 actually

This song is significant around the Prairie Parsonage because we have made it over 5 years.  No, not our marriage (although it has), but 5 years in ministry, rural ministry at that.  We are actually coming up on 7 years in full time ministry together and each Labor Day (our ministry anniversary) I feel like I should bake a cake in honor of the occasion!

Why is this such a big deal?  Because we've (or really Christ working through us) have beat the odds.  Statistics state that any where from 50% - 80% of pastors quit the ministry within 5 years of seminary graduation.  In a world that is in need of the gospel, this is a big deal.  If it were any other field, teaching, medicine, law enforcement, etc. it would be considered a crisis.  It would most likely be reported on by the major networks.  Sadly, ministry is no longer considered essential by our culture.

The Rev. and I have both had a desire to help our fellow ministry friends.  We have been blessed with mentors and friends along the way to whom we could turn to in a difficult situation.  Without this, I'm sure I would have bagged the ministry a long time ago. 

That's where The First Five Years comes in.  We have been tossing around ideas for a ministry that would help those in ministry.  We've been praying about how to specifically address the crisis of clergy leaving the ministry.  How can we make a difference for those who are in their first five years of ministry? 

So, what we want to know is this.  If you are in ministry or have been in ministry, what kept you going or what made you quit?  What are some things that you wished you would have known when starting out?  Most importantly, what tools/resources did you wish had during that time?  Please comment below or email us at prairieparsonage@hotmail.com.  Any insight you have, whether you are a paid pastor, lay leader, pastor's wife or pastor's kid would be extremely helpful.

Here's to running the race with perseverance and to another 5 years of this adventure!

Katie