Why EIM? Why should we be concerned?
Beyond the fact that nearly half of seminary graduates leave pastoral ministry within 5 years, research from a number of Lilly Endowment-funded and outside studies show:
Only 1 in 10 who enter pastoral ministry will retire from ministry
Financial stress (often the result of outstanding undergraduate and graduate student loans, coupled with modest pastoral salaries) inhibits effective pastoral leadership and is likely to prompt a decision to seek a higher-paying occupation
Financial and relational costs of financial stress to both ministers and congregations are often beyond calculation
