From the latest Barna Update:
From the early 1990s through 1999 just 5% of the Senior Pastors of Protestant churches were female. Since that time the proportion has slowly but steadily risen, doubling to 10% in 2009.
Not surprisingly, a large share of the woman in the pastorate – 58% – are affiliated with a “mainline” church – i.e., a congregation that is aligned with denominations such as American Baptist Churches (ABCUSA), United Church of Christ, Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), United Methodist or Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), abbreviated PC(USA). Among male pastors, less than half that percentage (23%) is affiliated with a mainline ministry.
(Via: Touchstone magazine)
September 16th, 2009 | 9:13 am
So, what, does that mean that more than three quarters of male pastors in this country are affiliated with something other than the old mainline denoms? That blows my mind. No sarcasm. I mean, I knew that there was a collapse of the minline, but this really shocks me.