Each October is Clergy Appreciation Month, and this coming Sunday (October 8) is Clergy Appreciation Day. These are opportunities to recognize and honor the work of ministers, pastors and priests across the country—to express gratitude for one of the toughest jobs around.

The call to pastoral ministry has its unique benefits and challenges, which Barna explored in partnership with Pepperdine University in a major study of how Protestant senior pastors in the U.S. navigate life and leadership in an age of complexity. Previously on barna.com, we’ve covered pastors’ cultural credibility, their experiences and timing of the call to ministry, the aging of pastors and the health of pastors’ relationships. Now, in an effort to acknowledge the risks and rewards of being a church leader today, this infographic examines the general wellbeing of pastors: Are they satisfied with their quality of life? How is their physical, emotional and spiritual health? Are they motivated and supported, or do they struggle with exhaustion and feelings of inadequacy? Take a look below:

div class="embed-container"The State of Pastors, Volume 1

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