The Cassock Tears

The Preacher. The Pastor. The Person. The pressures of the position can wear on the person. This has never been more evident than as of late. Pastors walking out of the pulpit, quitting, scandal, divorce, and even suicide, have become the norm in the headlines. The statistics are astounding: - 72% of the pastors report working between 55 to 75 hours per week.- 84% of pastors feel they are on call 24/7.- 80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Many pastor's children do not attend church now because of what the church has done to their parents.- 78% of pastors report having their vacation and personal time interrupted with ministry duties or expectations.- 65% of pastors feel they have not taken enough vacation time with their family over the last 5 years.- 66% of church members expect a minister and family to live at a higher moral standard than themselves.- 90% of pastors report the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be like before they entered the ministry.- 80% of pastors and 84% of their spouses have felt unqualified and discouraged as the role of pastors at least one or more times in their ministry.- 52% of pastors feel overworked and cannot meet their church's unrealistic expectations. - 54% of pastors find the role of a pastor overwhelming.- 70% of pastors report they have a lower self-image now than when theyfirst started....and the list goes on!From storefronts to megachurches, the questions that are left in the wake of these tragedies is, "Why?" "What happened?" "How could this happen to a Man of God?"In this book, Bishop Davis offers some insight into the life of the pastor/preacher. The candid look behind the curtain seeks to help thepastor and parishioner understand the cries of the call; the cassock tears.