{"id":31236,"date":"2022-09-10T15:22:24","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-problems-that-have-improved-for-pastors-this-summer\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:22:24","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:22:24","slug":"5-problems-that-have-improved-for-pastors-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-problems-that-have-improved-for-pastors-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Problems That Have Improved for Pastors This Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Taylor Grote photo – Unsplash<\/div>\n

By Aaron Earls<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, pastors and church leaders are dealing with a lot right now. Several issues are at the front of pastors\u2019 minds as the summer months wind down.<\/p>\n

As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, however, pastors have also been able to effectively adjust to some problems so that they are no longer as pressing.<\/p>\n

Here are five areas that fewer pastors saw as stress inducing since the spring, according to Lifeway Research\u2019s surveys of pastors and the impact of COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Technology<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Early during the pandemic, pastors worried about making the needed technological transitions to minister in an online environment. Most have now made the switch.<\/p>\n

In April, 17% of pastors said technology was a pressure point. That dropped to 6% in the most recent Lifeway Research survey.<\/p>\n

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Still, some churches and pastors may be struggling with this issue and could use some help from those who have gotten a handle on it.<\/p>\n

If your church has gotten over the technological hurdles in place earlier this year, reach out to other congregations in your community to see if you can help.<\/p>\n

Staying connected<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As more churches have figured out the technology required for this moment and started meeting physically with precautions, pastors are less likely to say staying connected is a concern.<\/p>\n

Since the spring, the percentage of pastors who voiced this as a worry has dropped from 13% to 9%.<\/p>\n

Many churches have creatively used small groups to maintain and grow connections during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

Planning for a return<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In April, more pastors said they were struggling with planning for an eventual return to physical gatherings. That also dropped from 13% to 9% since April.<\/p>\n

One explanation is that most churches have now gathered physically in some manner, so pastors are no longer concerned with the planning aspect.<\/p>\n

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However, pastors have been confronted with division and disunity over how their congregations have decided to gather again.<\/p>\n

That issue saw the largest increase among pastors from April to July.<\/p>\n

Members with no technology<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Two months into the pandemic, pastors still worried about their members who didn\u2019t have the technology needed to move their church activities online.<\/p>\n

In April, 8% of pastors voiced that as a top pressure point. Now, few if any pastors see that as a concern.<\/p>\n

Pastors may have realized those concerns were unfounded or those members have found other ways to connect with the congregation, including physically gathering with needed precautions.<\/p>\n

Time-consuming nature of changes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pastors also seem to have coped with all the changes COVID brought to their congregation, at least in terms of the time needed to make those changes.<\/p>\n

In the spring, 7% of pastors said they were feeling pressure related to the time-consuming nature of the changes. Few pastors point to that as an issue now.<\/p>\n

Pastoral problems<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While these issues have lessened for many pastors, others have become larger areas of concern.<\/p>\n

Disunity and division, safety of members, uncertainty and the need for wisdom, spurring discipleship and evangelism, and a concern that members will return worry more pastors now than they did earlier this year.<\/p>\n

Each phase of the pandemic and the recovery bring with it certain problems pastors will have to strategically and prayerfully address.<\/p>\n

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Aaron Earls<\/h2>\n

@WardrobeDoor<\/p>\n

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Aaron is a writer for LifewayResearch.com.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n