Clergy Satisfaction and Vocational Commitment

How committed are the leaders of America’s local congregations to their work and ministry? How satisfied are they with their effectiveness as congregational leaders? And, what types of problems do they face on a daily basis? These are important questions that religious researchers have begun to explore. There is widespread concern among denominational leaders that today’s clergy are increasingly at risk of “dropping out” of congregational ministry due to high levels of stress, congregational conflict, and burnout. Yet, few national studies have examined the state of clergy commitment and work satisfaction in the United States. This learning module will use quantitative data from the Association of Religion Data Archives to explore the work satisfaction and vocational commitment of U.S. congregational leaders.