United Methodist Clergy Mental Health in Crisis

New Wespath data just came out revealing several very concerning trends in the mental, spiritual, and physical health of United Methodist Clergy. We go through some of the study while also looking at other social data and how it is that what we believe correlates with our health. In this one we come up against a number of things that cause most folks to take offense. This is a harsh critique of our culture as a whole, not just The United Methodist Church, and a warning about what the American church as a whole will experience if it does not quickly remember scriptural language around the purity of the church and the call to righteousness. Enjoy!
Links:
Religion News Service Article “United Methodist pastors feel worse and worry more than a decade ago” - religionnews.c...
The Wespath Study “2023 Clergy Well-Being Survey Highlights” - www.wespath.or...
Institute for Family Studies Article - “Why Are Liberals Less Happy Than Conservatives?” - ifstudies.org/...
DeseretNews Article - “Religious leaders struggle with burnout, depression and anxiety - just like the rest of America” - www.deseret.co...
Barca Article - “Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year” - www.barna.com/...

[@cherylcampbell472]

Thank you for this podcast. Our UMC in Ohio has decided to not allow discussion about disaffiliation but announced on Sunday that the 8 person group that attended the West Ohio Conference voted to remain. After 49 years as a member I am feeling sad about losing a Church family. I cannot abide by their decision. I will read my Bible at home and pray to God above. There are no Global Churches nearby. Why didn’t these woke minded people start their own Church? Why the sneaky infiltration of the Church? I don’t really think these people truly believe in God. This movement is in our government, our schools and now our Churches. My thought is that the instigators of this will eventually destroy the Christian beliefs all together. So sad!

[@mikehunter6975]

I pray you will eventually find a church that is a strong, scriptural church. God is leading us in ways we never anticipated. I don’t know if your conference might change their minds and decide to have a special session scheduled before the end of the year. Miracles do happen. If so, there may be churches near you that could disaffiliate before the end of the year. 🙏. We loved our former UMC church and the people… and still love them. They were and still are our friends. We could not have an informational discussion. The Ad Council didn’t want it. Even if we went as far as asking for a straw vote to see if we wanted to pursue discernment, I don’t think there would have been enough votes. The Ad Council said it would ruin the church, we could not have our building, and we could never have Methodist on the sign again. 🤔 There were many churches here that chose to disaffiliate. Within 5 miles, probably 9 churches or more. There are a lot of Methodist churches in our area…I call it the Methodist belt. Most are smaller membership, about the same as our former UMC. The people from our former church are great people trying to do what they believe they are being led to do. So are my husband and I. We love our new Global Methodist.

[@janets.4384]

Are you near Oasis Church, pastored by Tim Sheets? Go there! No wokeness, but awakened by the Holy Spirit.

[@RGabeDavis]

I recently was convicted of the my sinful health habits and have been striving to exercise, fast Wednesday and Friday (as Wesley suggested at one time), along with removing sugar and processed foods. It is more difficult than one might think even though I immediately saw results. The struggle is increased instead of helped by the church in general. Instead of holding me accountable they make me cookies and a thing called chocolatey goodness. I wished Christians would put more stock in health and strive together. This Is a timely subject. Thanks for the video and Pray for me as a sweet older sister in the choir continues to bring me sweets.

[@plainspokenpod]

I fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, too! Yeah churches typically eat super unhealthy together. It’s not great…

[@Agben35]

I appreciate your channel and content. I think your content is important and your voice needed in this issue and others.

[@michaeltingle3789]

One of the best podcasts you've done. I left my UMC because of the evil people locally as well as the conference who leveled lies about our traditional pastor and his wife that ended with him being banned from the pulpit. He is now a GMC pastor and doing well. A group of us left the UMC formed a new church plant and ultimately joined the GMC. What a spirit filled group we are now and looking to serve the Lord and the community.

[@steveturner8131]

Yes, Plainspoken is pretty straightforward and plainspoken. Thank you for saying what the rest of us think about.

[@gitfiddler716]

The UMC is definitely toxic. I grew up among their clergy. They are so sick and hurt people. We need a healing group for people wounded by the UMC.

[@lorraineculp1504]

Thank you for sharing the importance of recognizing our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit. The neglect of our physical health just snowballs as our diet gets worse and worse. I will say our pastor loves us enough to call us on our sin (privately). A lot of what you have described is evident in both Christians and non-Christian. Depression, diabetes and other illnesses cross all demographics. That said, I can not imagine the pressure on ministers trying to reach souls for Christ in the western world we live in. I pray for our church staff and their families. Anyone offended by your words needs to examine their own life to see if they are really without blemish.

[@JeffPospisil]

A good friend of mine says that going to a counselor or psychologist is mostly just renting a friend. If you have some close friends that want the best for you that you talk with regularly and openly, that can be the best way to work through most of your problems.

[@Keycity60]

I believe this is the most plainspoken you have ever been. One note you have hit over and over again is that Christians are to hate sin. Somewhere along the way hatred of sin became conflated with hating individuals and/or groups. As a result those who spoke as you did today were shamed or silenced. I’m profoundly glad that a group of Methodists, who understand how holy God is and how sinful man is is finding their voice. Never lose that voice again.

[@steveturner8131]

The greatest way to love people is to hate sin and expose it.

[@robertkersten3971]

I couldn’t agree with you more about what you’ve stated on this podcast. I’ll be subscribing.

[@mikehunter6975]

I have watched Plain Spoken for quite awhile. Going through these hard times, I have definitely appreciated his ministry. I hope you do too.

[@user-bi9fu3gl1p]

A lot of wisdom and sanctified common sense. Glad to hear a voice of sanity coming out of your part of the world. The LORD bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you.

[@paulcooper8335]

"...and three-quarters are worried about money..." That must be why at GC2019 Wespath was voted as the first and most important issue to address, ahead of The Traditional Plan and The One Church Plan.

[@plainspokenpod]

Yeah I didn't even get to the money piece on this. I may just sit down and film thoughts on money here soon. This stuff is important.

[@paulcooper8335]

@@plainspokenpod Money and guaranteed appointments go hand-in-hand.

[@nancywenger2025]

I'm not offended in your plain spokeness. Thank you for identifying and articulating the loss of virtues, the loss of structures of obedience and piety. It is everywhere. You are spot on

[@schmeeps4052]

Being in a very liberal UM seminary, so many of my peers are already terribly unhealthy and already have concerning habits. Many of them hold extremely liberal, if not outright heretical beliefs, and it makes me wonder if there’s a connection. It has even been a struggle for me to resist some of these temptations. I just wonder how ministry is going to pan out for them.

[@plainspokenpod]

I remember all the anxiety and depression around me at seminary. Half of the students I knew well were legitimately dysfunctional. I do believe a progressive worldview is innately unhealthy and dysfunctional. Long term viability of such ministry on an individual level will vary. Collectively, it has caused the slow motion seppuku of mainline denominationalism.

[@ricmiller9624]

Wow that is a great topic we need to grow with gods not just the fill good tonic that burns hot and dissipates without the warm glow of hot embers that is the lord

[@user-qb6er3ns9q]

This video is full of God’s TRUTH. Your thoughts echoed many of my thoughts and convictions. Your podcasts, especially this one, provide much needed “salt” and shine the light on Biblical truth.

[@eileenthrift8259]

Christ preached against self-centeredness. As Christians, we place God first and others second. We should serve others as if we were serving the Lord. If we are slaves to our Lord Jesus who bought us with his own blood, then we have deep joy, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. 1Th 5:16-22 ❤ I believe PlainSpoken will continue to grow as the Lord will bless this truthful on-line ministry.

[@kennethsanders1694]

As clergy gets older, health would naturally decline. We as a country have a problem with over medicating. Exercise, eat healthy, less sugar, sleep 8 hours, all help physically. Spiritually, pray, read the word daily, repent daily, stay connected to other like minded believers and focus on others.

[@centralislipfirstunitedmet3007]

How much does the fact that UMC clergy are aging effect the results of the survey?

[@plainspokenpod]

It certainly impacts it. The problem is that the impact is sorta irrelevant. The reasons WHY aren't as important as establishing that this is the case. UM clergy are, on top of all of these unhealthy and problematic trends, also generally quite old. The quality of the UMC is influenced greatly by the general reality of its composite members. The group is old, unhealthy, dysfunctional, and in denial. It is a recipe for disaster and death, which is what the world is currently seeing.

[@jayfriberg2975]

Why editorial commentary so negative? Perhaps, you might interview a Board Certified psychiatrist as a guest to discuss mental health issues. Someone who is a specialist in mental health. Kindness gets you further than a hurtful word. Pastor, Christ is the Light of the world for all. Amen.

[@mikehunter6975]

God is the best psychiatrist.

[@kennethsanders1694]

Read Proverbs 27:6. The truth is sometimes difficult to hear. We need truth, and truth is a person.

[@janets.4384]

Mental health? This is a demon problem! Actually demons! Deliverance is the ministry of every Christian. These pastors need deliverance!!!

[@jdrake8738]

I think western Christianity may be finished except in exceptional cases...we have signed on to what bonhoffer called cheap grace and we seem to no longer remember ANYTHING that use to be the moral decency of the God fearing American people of even the 1950 to 1980s period

[@kevinkelly1586]

I know painfully what you mean by confusing Christianity with culture. In the mid-1980's, the mainline churches did exactly that (and pretended to be "prophetic" in doing so. They abandoned the biblical concepts that everyone was a sinner, that personal sin caused problems for oneself and others, failed to assert biblical teachings about greed and other wickedness, and to equate the "Kingdom of God" with Politically Correct dogmas. Justice, morality, sin, equality, etc. meant whatever the PC tyrants claimed, and not what the Bible actually said. Of course, concerning increased obesity, it's not the fault of the United Methodist leadership that most us don't eat all of the "fruits and vegetables" that we as humans unfortunately need to eat.

[@kennethsanders1694]

Amen. God cannot bless a sinful lifestyle.

[@obliograce3551]

The reason that liberal minded persons are generally less happy than conservative minded people comes down to taking responsibility for ones actions. A conservative person will generally say, there is a problem here, do I have a part in this becoming a problem and/or, regardless of how the problem came to be, how can I contribute to correcting the problem. A liberally minded person will generally say, this is YOUR fault, or someone else's fault. The modern liberal mind, now called the woke, is very different from the liberal minds of old where education and self-awareness (which is still nothing it if doesn’t conclude with God awareness) leads to taking responsibility for your life. The liberal woke mind does not want to take any responsibility and so remains chronically unhappy (“triggered”), saying things like, I demand reparations, climate change demands that you stop driving your car, somewhere a trans person is unhappy so everyone must stop believing that males and females, boys and girls exist. This obviously becomes pathological very quickly. However, it still all comes down to responsibility or, the ability to respond. What if David had come down to fight the giant as God told him to do but complained to the King that David was just too tired as he had been eating a poor diet, was not exercising, and wanted someone else to face down the giant? David was responsible for his life and for his actions. This can also be a problems for pastors. I have given talks and been frustrated that people were not paying attention to the talk. This was in the beginning, I have gotten better since then. I had to learn to not blame my audience for my failing to surrender my heart to speak fearlessly and with the full truth about the joy, the power, and the Glory of God. Why else would a pastor open his mouth from the pulpit if not to honor God? FWIW, I have spoken in churches and for corporate team building settings but, I an not actually a pastor.

[@w4atl]

"Fasten your seatbelts, its going to be a bumpy podcast."