But new research suggests otherwise: nearly half of U.S. Protestant pastors have considered leaving ministry in the past year. Barna’s latest survey found that 42 percent of pastors seriously contemplated quitting full-time ministry, with the number even higher among younger pastors. “This is a growing crisis for church leaders in America,” Barna president David Kinnaman said. Half of former pastors felt their church had been inaccurately described to them before they accepted the role. Nearly half of pastors are already considering leaving, and the research shows the stressors that often push them to follow through.