Pastor to Pastor with Dave Stone Finding Hope in Discouragement with Pastor Glenn Packiam
Sep 23, 2025
In this enlightening conversation, Pastor Glenn Packiam, a pastor, author, and researcher, explores the crisis of discouragement plaguing many pastors today. He discusses compelling research revealing high levels of isolation and pressure within ministry roles. Glenn emphasizes the importance of resilience through recovery and recalibration, offering practical strategies for preventing burnout. He also delves into the significance of communal worship and how balancing diverse worship styles can enrich the spiritual experience, reminding listeners of God's faithfulness.
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Research Anchored In Data And Theology
- The Resilient Pastor project combined surveys, focus groups, and scripture to diagnose evergreen pastoral challenges.
- Glenn emphasizes historical perspective: our moment is new but the church has faced crises before and endures.
Discouragement, Not Just Turnover
- Barna found a discouragement crisis: up to 42% of pastors seriously considered quitting in 2022, settling near one-third by 2023.
- Glenn reframes this as discouragement more than resignation, signaling deep systemic strain rather than mass departures.
Stacked Expectations Crush Leaders
- Pastors now face stacked expectations: preacher, apologist, CEO, therapist, and cultural commentator all at once.
- The composite pressure makes being every role impossible and intensifies stress and burnout.
