Consider the following sobering survey results of the personal and professional lives of the clergy:

• 90% of pastors work more than 46 hours a week
• 80% believed that pastoral ministry affected their families negatively
• 33% said that being in ministry was an outright hazard to their family
• 75% reported a significant stress-related crisis at least once in their ministry
• 50% felt unable to meet the needs of the job
• 90% felt they were inadequately trained to cope with ministry demands
• 70% say they have a lower self-esteem now than when they started out
• 40% reported a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month
• 37% confessed having been involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with someone in the church
• 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend.