OBU and Edify Leaders partner for survey
A recent statewide survey of Oklahoma ministers, commissioned by Edify Leaders and conducted by Oklahoma Baptist University, reveals concerns regarding the well-being of Oklahoma ministers.
“The purpose of the statewide survey of ministers was to gain insight regarding the relational, spiritual, physical, emotional, financial, and vocational well-being of Oklahoma ministers and to compare those results to a national study conducted by the Barna Group in 2021 which indicated 33% of mainline ministers had considered quitting. While parts of the Oklahoma survey were encouraging, many results remained concerning, especially the number still considering quitting,” says Ray Sanders, founder of Edify Leaders.”
Oklahoma Baptist University administered a confidential online survey, in November of 2023, among more than 1,400 Oklahoma ministers from multiple Christian faiths.
Highlights from the survey were as follows:
• Regarding the financial, relational, emotional, physical, spiritual, and vocational well-being of Oklahoma ministers, financial well-being was the lowest ranking reported. Nearly 52% responding indicated their financial well-being was poor to average. Just over 35% of respondents reported feeling good financially. Nearly 13% felt excellent about their financial well-being.
• Regarding their relational well-being, 43% of respondents felt severe to moderate loneliness, yet more than 87% of respondents say they have a close friend/confidante they feel comfortable sharing anything with.
More than 41% of participants indicated their emotional wellbeing was poor to average. More than 20% of ministers reported dealing with moderate to severe depression with more than 18% saying they consistently fight depression. More than 58% indicated their emotional well-being was good to excellent.
• When it came to physical well-being, more than 42% of those responding indicated poor to average physical well-being. More than of 79% of respondents reported feeling good to excellent spiritually.
• Vocationally, nearly 33% of Oklahoma ministers have seriously considered quitting their ministerial role within the past year. Nearly 29% indicated their vocational wellbeing was poor to average with nearly 50% indicating their vocational well-being was good and more than 21% indicating it was excellent.
• Eighty-five percent of ministers responding were in full-time ministry with 80% regularly working overtime every week. Nearly 29% of ministers responding make an annual salary of $50,000 to $74,000. Nearly 23% of ministers make $75,000 to $99,000 annually. Just over 4% indicated they made $125,000 or more each year.
• More than 78% of ministers reported being somewhat to very likely to utilize confidential and private pastoral wellness, ministry coaching, and leadership development services, like those offered by Edify Leaders, when available at no cost to them or their ministry.
In response to the survey results and to meet the growing needs of ministers, Edify Leaders made the recent decision to begin offering private online minister wellness services in addition to their in-person ministry coaching and leadership development. Edify Leaders has served more than 200 ministers to date.
“Like all of us, ministers face challenges and opportunities in life and work,” Sanders explained. “Our purpose is to serve as a sounding board and confidante to ministers. We urge ministers to reach out to us at info@EdifyLeaders. org. There is no cost due to the generosity of donors,” Sanders shared. “We encourage people desiring to help the ministry to visit EdifyLeaders. org/joinus.”
