• 70% say, "the only time I read the bible is to prepare for a sermon, other than that I do not read it"  
  
• Each month, 1500 leave the ministry due to; sexual sins, burnout, marital difficulty, or fighting in church
  
• 80% feel unqualified to lead there church
  
• 84% feel discouraged  
  
• 50% would leave if they had another option
  
• 50% of their marriages end in divorce
  
• 80%  (within 5 years) leave the ministry and never go back
  
• 70% admit to fighting depression
  
• 40% confess to committing adultery                       
  
  

Pastors Retreat Center

I need you to picture with me, a cabin, sitting back in the woods with the sound of a stream in the background, the birds singing in the trees, and a husband and wife kneeling in prayer under the trees.  Imagine with me, a pastor walking through the woods and spending time with his Heavenly Father, renewing the call which God had placed upon his life.  Can you imagine a pastor and his family learning once again to play together and reestablishing the relationships which had been damaged.

Now imagine an entire "staff" meeting together in love, dealing with the hurts of serving in the ministry, building a bond of trust.  A relationship which can now be used by God to strengthen the local church.  At the Pastors Retreat, Pathway would provide a Christian counselor who could work in assisting in the healing and restoration of their ministry.

These are just a few of the reasons to create a Pastor's Retreat Center.  A place where pastors, staff ministers, missionaries can come and be rejuvenated in their call for Christ. 

It is our desire at Pathway to purchase 2 to 4 cabins which can be used by anyone in the ministry, as a time of healing.  To provide a place that is available to all ministers and their families.

For almost 15 years I have had the privilege to work with Pastors all over Central Florida.  Sadly, for almost 15 years I have seen Pastors leave the ministry, be "run out" of the ministry, commit sexual sins and have affairs that destroyed their ministries, face major health issues related to stress, depression, and anxiety, and finally, i have seen their families completely fall apart.

On top of all of that, I have seen major disagreements between Pastor and staff, lack of trust, Senior Pastors who have destroyed the men and women who serve with them in ministry, pastors who are so defeated that they do not know what to do.

What is a Pastor to do??? Where does he turn?? How does he renew and refresh the "call" which God has place upon their lives??  What can the church staff do to repair the damage and learn to trust and support each other so that the effectiveness of the ministry is returned????

Below are some additional statistics that "bring to life" the hurt and danger facing the men and women who serve the Lord in full time ministry.  The information comes from a series of messages preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church, in Seattle, Washington.

Pastors' Wives

• Eighty percent of pastors' spouses feel their spouse is overworked.
• Eighty percent of pastors' spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.
• The majority of pastor's wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that has occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry.

Burn Out

The following are indicators that ministry leaders are heading toward burnout, if not already there. Sadly, we too often become so focused on our tasks and responsibilities that we fail to see these warning signs until it is too late.

• Unusual mood swings that may include weeping without just cause, anger, or depression
• Exhaustion
• Paranoia and suspicion
• Weight change, including gain or loss
• Moments of panic and feeling totally overwhelmed
• Fantasizing about dying or running away to get away from the pressure
• Fight-or-flight cycles where you rise up to intimidate and conquer others or run away from difficulties just to avoid them
• Insomnia, including difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep, which can lead to a reliance on sleeping pills
• Too frequent use of alcohol or tobacco
• High blood pressure
• Comforting yourself with unhealthy foods packed with fat, sugar, and simple carbohydrates
• General irritability
• Reckless driving
• Change in sexual desire of either noticeable increase or decrease
• Notable ongoing sexual temptation
• Health-related issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, heart trouble, chronic sickness, and stomach problems including ulcers
• A victim mentality that sees the world as against you and everyone as an enemy to varying degrees
• Shopping sprees and unnecessary financial spending
• Reliance on caffeine to self-medicate
• Children, friends, and loved ones begin to feel like yet another burden

How can you help???

• Pray for the funding of the ministry as we seek to work with pastors and their families to restore the "anointing of God's touch
• If you have a cabin which you no longer use and want to see God work in the lives of the men and women whom He has called, donate the cabin to Pathway
• Support the ministry financially so that we can use the money to purchase the Retreat Center
• Tell you friends and Sunday School class about this ministry