A Lifeway Research study has found that evangelical and Black Protestant pastors today are less trained in counseling and less likely to refer church members to professional counselors than a decade ago. Only 9% hold a graduate degree in counseling, a figure that has remained unchanged over the last 10 years. However, the percentage who have taken graduate courses in counseling has dropped from 52% in 2015 to 46% in 2025.
Pastors are also attending fewer events related to counseling. Attendance at counseling conferences fell from 64% in 2015 to 48% in 2025. Reading on the subject has also declined, with only 81% saying they’ve read several counseling books or articles, down from 90% a decade ago.
Fewer Referrals and Less Counseling Infrastructure
The percentage of pastors referring congregants to a counselor after two sessions has declined from 76% in 2015 to 72% in 2025. Large churches and certain denominations—like Holiness and Restorationist Movement—are more likely to refer. Baptist pastors are among the least likely.
Pastors are also less likely to keep a referral list of counselors. In 2015, 67% maintained a list. By 2025, just 52% do so. This trend is most evident in small churches, where only 38% keep such lists, compared to 80% in larger congregations.
Lay Counseling Ministries in Decline
Churches are also scaling back lay counseling ministries. In 2015, 34% had such a program, but by 2025, this had decreased to 27%. Female and African American pastors are more likely to have lay counseling initiatives. Again, larger churches are more likely to offer these ministries than smaller ones.
Pastoral Isolation and Hesitancy to Share Struggles
Though fewer pastors report feeling isolated, they are less likely to share their struggles with others. Sharing with spouses dropped from 90% in 2015 to 74% in 2025. Similar declines occurred in relationships with friends, mentors, and other pastors. Only 9% meet monthly with a counselor.
Supporters of pastoral counseling emphasize the importance of seeking external help and cultivating humility. Detractors worry that pastors are drifting away from personal, relational forms of church care.
Source:
Survey: Pastors Increasingly Dismissive of Counseling Over Past Decade
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