Serving as a pastor is often one of the loneliest jobs in America.

Men and women go into ministry because they want to preach, teach, love and serve people. While attending Bible school or seminary, they are taught theology and the classical disciplines. But once they receive the keys to their first church, reality sets in. Before long, they’re spending their time managing people, balancing finances, and dealing with conflicts and issues that commonly weren’t a part of their education. In fact, 90 percent of pastors say their seminary or Bible school training did only a fair-to-poor job of preparing them for ministry.

Tragically, many pastors have lost their joy and enthusiasm for ministry amid the stress and even disillusionment of church leadership. No other profession has such a wide gap between expectations and reality. Four out of five pastors feel unqualified and discouraged in their roles. Four out of five!

Pastor burnout and their growing exodus from ministry are occurring in a culture that’s becoming increasingly secular. Pastors desperately need a safe place to go where they can be ministered to out of a heart bent to service, not condemnation. They need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ applied personally to them.

This is the purpose of the PastorServe blog; to provide a Gospel-centered venue for communication among pastors and ministry leaders.

Since its founding in 1999, the PastorServe team has responded to more than 115,000 requests for assistance from pastors and ministry leaders across America. PastorServe provides resources to pastors, coaches them and works alongside them in times of crisis. We provide friendship, pastoral coaching, pastoral assessment, conflict management, pulpit supply, training in pastoral competencies and a number of additional services. This blog is one more way in which the PastorServe team will serve pastors.

The PastorServe team of contributors bring extensive experience in pastoring, church planting and leadership. We’re excited to meet each one of you and provide this blog for your encouragement.

Blessings in Jesus,

Jimmy Dodd