Pastors serve their congregations and communities in a variety of ways, but perhaps the most notable and recognizable way—and the part of the job pastors tell Barna they love the most—is through the function of preaching.

This article explores pastors’ confidence and concerns around preaching, while also offering a glimpse into a new channel on Barna Access Plus that was created to help pastors strengthen their preaching skills.

Most Pastors Are Very Confident in Their Preaching, But Concerns Are Still Present Barna data from a recent pastor survey show that over two in three U.S. Protestant senior pastors (67%) say they feel “very confident” about their preaching right now. One in three (32%) is “somewhat confident” while just one percent is not confident.

Compared to when they first started pastoring, nine in 10 pastors (90%) say they are at least somewhat more confident in their preaching ability, while the remainder (10%) says their confidence is “about the same” or is less than when they first began their tenure in ministry.

While many pastors are confident in their ability to preach, there are still a significant number who recognize room for growth in this area—just half (49%) rate the preaching and teaching at their church as “very strong,” a number that decreases significantly (40%) among pastors who have considered quitting ministry in the past year. Additionally, pastors also list a number of struggles and concerns that they have around preaching, including feeling unsure “if my preaching is helping people grow as disciples of Jesus” (48%) and “that the congregation is receiving and absorbing what I preach” (46%).