Update for Leading Ideas of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership for Wednesday, 3 September 2014
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A
Report from the Director
Trend toward Older Clergy Continues in 2014 |
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The
Lewis Center prepares these reports so that church leaders can see the most
important trends, share them with others, and act upon the findings.
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For the past ten years, the Lewis Center in partnership with the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits has reported annually on Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church. The Lewis Center prepares these reports so that church leaders can see the most important trends in clergy numbers and ages in such a way that they understand these trends, can easily share them with others, and act upon the findings.
The report covers elders, deacons, and local pastors. Elders are ordained to a ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order and Service. They itinerate and receive an appointment annually by the bishop. Deacons are ordained to a ministry of Word and Service to both the community and a congregation. Deacons are not required to itinerate, nor guaranteed an appointment. A local pastor is licensed and appointed to perform the duties of a pastor in a particular setting. They are not required to itinerate, nor guaranteed an appointment.
This five-minute video provides an overview of the changes in clergy age trends.
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Download this video free from Vimeo.
Fewer and Older Elders; More Local Pastors
Elders and local pastors are appointed as pastors of congregations. The number of active elders continues to decline as the number of local pastors grows. Since 1990, there are 6,123 fewer elders and 3,459 more local pastors. In 1990, there were over five elders for each local pastor; today there are two elders for each local pastor. In 2014, there are 15,384 elders and 7,395 local pastors.Elders between ages 55 and 72 comprise 55 percent of all active elders, the highest percentage in history. This group reached 50 percent for the first time ever in 2010. This age cohort represented only 30 percent of active elders as recently as 2000. Previously their percentage of the total was even lower. The median age of elders increased to 56 in 2014, the highest in history. The median age was 50 in 2000, and 45 in 1973. The average age remains at 53, an historic high, though unchanged for five years. The mode age (the single age most represented) remains at 61, also a high. The percentage of elders aged 35 to 54 continues to shrink, from 65 percent of all active elders in 2000 to 39 percent in 2014.
Modest Growth among Young Clergy
The number of young elders hit an historic low in 2005 and has increased by almost 100 (or about 12 percent) since then. The number of young local pastors and deacons, while much lower than elders, has increased at a higher rate since 2005. Today, under-35s make up about 6 percent of elders, 9 percent of deacons, and 8 percent of local pastors.The gender makeup of young elders is becoming more balanced. For many years the highest concentrations of young clergy elders have been in the Southeastern and South Central Jurisdictions. That trend continues in 2014, but the North Central Jurisdiction made the greatest gains in young elders in the past year. Much more information is available in the complete Clergy Age Trendsreport, which is available for download free of charge. The full report includes detailed data for every annual conference.
Further reading
Read or download the full Clergy Age Trends report atchurchleadership.com/clergyage. View a five-minute video of the report on YouTube.
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No longer can we
simply ask, “What can we do to get people to come to our church?” We must
also consider, “How can we go into the world to encounter those in need of
the gospel?” Taking Church
to the Community, this year’s Reach
New Disciples conference, will explore strategies your
congregation can use to reach beyond its walls with worship, community
events, ministries, and service — meeting community members where they are
and moving them toward discipleship. Learn more and watch
introductory videos now.
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Bring the best of
conference presentations and workshops home to your church. The Taking Church to the Community
Resource, available in downloadable and DVD/CD formats, includes videos,
narrated presentations, outline of key points, and supplementary materials to
guide your congregation in reaching beyond its walls. Save $15 —
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Designed to nurture the spiritual
discipline of giving, our new Theology
of Stewardship and Biblical Generosity resources may be used in a
variety of Christian education settings or in conjunction with an annual
stewardship emphasis. The resources are ecumenical and may be used for self
study or with groups:
Each resource is
$19, or save when you bundle all four resources together — $59 (includes
additional video, Faith
and Generosity). Available in DVD/CD and downloadable formats. Learn more and
watch an informational video now.
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The most vital congregations always do two
things: connect people with God and connect with their communities. Learn
about the latter in this five-minute video from Lovett H. Weems, Jr., as he
provides an overview of the importance of community engagement to your
church. In addition to the video, you will also find related resources from
the Lewis Center and other organizations. Watch now.
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Wesley Theological Seminary and the Lewis
Center for Church Leadership together offer a Doctor of Ministry in Church
Leadership Excellence. With this track, clergy will receive the enhanced
knowledge, skills, and motivation to increase congregational and denominational
service, vitality, and growth. The next cohort begins in May 2015 in
Washington, DC. Learn more and apply today.
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Editors: Lovett H. Weems, Jr., and Matthew Lyons. Production and distribution: Carol Follett
4500 Massachusetts Ave NW Washington, DC 20016 United States (202) 885-8757 lewiscenter@wesleyseminary.edu |
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