Suicide rate among pastors

This is what someone wrote concerning this sensitive matter:

It's been said that 1 in every 4 pastors struggles with depression. 

Research reveals that the number of pastors diagnosed with clinical depression was double the national average. Forty five percent sought advice from their family doctor regarding stress and anxiety issues. 

Nearly one-fourth of all pastors (23 percent) acknowledge having "personally struggled with mental illness," and half of those pastors say the illness has been diagnosed.

I know some people will try to over-spiritualize this blaming principalities and powers. Trying to come up with lists of demons possibly responsible, stating pastors have targets on their backs. But the statistics are nearly the same with those not in ministry.

Sure, spiritual warfare is real. But too many churches are so focused on spiritual warfare when they should be loving people more than they are binding and rebuking the devil. And that includes loving your pastors who are just like you. 

And other Christian churches will be careless and try to bring "discipline and correction" into situations like these. But their attacks and jabs will only push people further away from God, and cause more struggling pastors to hide their struggles.

Depression is real and pastors are not exempt or defective who experience it ... In this generation, pastors are expected to be business savvy, Instagram quotable preaching celebrities, fully accessible, deeply spiritual, not too young, not too old, and if a pastor doesn't quite measure up to someone's expectation at any given moment, they are given a two out of five star rating on Google. Wow! 

We have reduced the ministry to star ratings on Google! Let me recommend that you pray for your pastor and support your church faithfully! You'll probably never realize what they walk through privately."


*I will always say this: deliberately love people. Take your time to observe the faces of the people you meet, strangers, acquaintances, friends. Always, always arm yourself with a  smile and a kind word. Be an agent of God's love. Ask people how they are faring and wait for an answer. Genuinely desire to help them if they need it. 

Sometimes we are so engrossed in our own life that we don't notice until we hear that that neighbor, that friend has committed suicide. Look into their eyes, for in the eyes lies depths of emotions. No matter how they try to pretend they are fine, please show genuine concern. Show them love. Be there for them. Give them a hug. Spare a smile. Please, please, please. There are so many sick people out there. 

Also, we shouldn't assume our pastors are superhuman. They are very much human like us, desiring love, warmth, companionship, a listening ear. Be there for them. Talk with them. Give them attention. Don't always run to them with your issues. They also have issues they dealing with so pay attention and pray for them. But in all, love, love and never stop loving.

'The love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit' Romans 5:5