I know in the mainlines nearly 80% of women and almost 60% of men who are ordained to the Pastorate are out of ministry within 5 years of receiving their first call.

I am curious as to if this same phenomenon occurs within the more conservative Reformed arenas as well.

__________________
Benjamin P. Glaser
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairmount ARP Church

Student of Theology
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
My Blog

Hopefully in reformed circles, the 80% of the women who are out of ministry in the first 5 years doesn't apply because there aren't any!!

__________________
Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

When I was in the PCA, the Chairman of the Ordination and Credentials Committee asked me if I was going to be one of the 8 out of 10 men who are out of the ministry within 5 years of ordination.

So, according to him, he said 8 out of 10 in the PCA are gone after 5 years.

__________________
Chris Mangum
Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte
student, GPTS
.357 Mangum

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

No, you do not see the huge fallout in orthodox churches and denominations. We should rejoice that the more liberal denominations have such a fallout rate. I pray that more will dropout, especially the 80%. I do not use the term "mainline" when referring to groups like the PCUSA, UCC, UMC, Disciples of Christ, ECUSA, ELCA, because there is nothing mainline about them. They have for the most part apostatized, although there are still those congregations in their midst that have not become synagogues of Satan.

__________________
Stephen Welch
PCA Teaching Elder
Nova Scotia

Mega, Mega Dittos Stephen!

This is curious because I had never heard this before. We certainly see men who are removed from ministry because of scandoulous sin, but I am not aware that we have that huge of a fallout in the PCA. I certainly do not see this in the number of churches in NAPARC.

It's possible he was referring to Presbyterians in general but I believe he was referring to the PCA specifically.

I'll keep you posted if I speak with him again.

The pastor of my sending church has been at the some pulpit for about 43 years, Holmes Moore. The assistant pastor Tom Henry has been there about 40.

__________________
Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone