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  • Frank Lockwood is the religion editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Frank is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Idaho College of Law. In 2004, he received a Knight Wallace Fellowship at the University of Michigan. A native of Oregon, Frank has been a reporter in Idaho, Kentucky and Washington, D.C.

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ArkansasOnline | Bible Belt Blog Home

Your spiritual leader may be shy, friendless, underappreciated

Posted July 21, 2006

Bible Belt Blogger: Your spiritual leader may be shy, friendless, underappreciated

Frank Lockwood

Pastors have high-profile jobs and are often considered role models, but it's lonely at the top. In a survey by The Barna Group, 61 percent of pastors said they "have few close friends." Nearly one-fourth consider themselves to be introverts. One in six "feels underappreciated." Many of them also struggle with their home life. Roughly 20 percent said they are "dealing with a very difficult family situation."

The personal issues aren't keeping them from doing their job, however. More than 90 percent describe themselves as effective leaders and 98 percent say they're effective at teaching the Bible.

Barna, a polling company which focuses on the Christian community, based its findings on a nationwide survey of 627 Protestant pastors.

Barna's website: www.barna.org

COMMENT AUTHOR: Greg McClellan

URL: http://profile.typekey.com/Gregmcclellan/

DATE: 07/24/2006 01:21:56 PM

The pastor's family didn't ask for any of it, but much is asked and expected of them.