WHY SO FEW PASTORS?
Karl Thienes has a link to a thread on the Among the Ruins blog, where there is a discussion about why so many seminarians would rather go on to get PhDs than actually go serve local congregations/parishes. I left a few comments:

Most seminary grads don't end up becoming academics. Some catch the bug -- fewer follow through. And it depends on the orientation of the school. When I was at Fuller in the early 80's I remember professors saying “When you’re doing your research you’ll need to know...” After that I was at North Park Seminary and the professors were saying “When you’re a pastor you’ll need to know...”

In my own extended church family we currently have more pastors than “open pulpits” (especially among smaller churches). And while some of my seminary peers have gone on to do other things in the past 20 years, I would have to say that on a whole our leaders are committed to pastoral ministry for the long haul. True, it is not a glamourous calling. Most make little money. Many serve in places distant from family. And it is not easy work herding cats – many of which like to hear themselves meow. Pastors are lightening rods. Many want to be on the exciting cutting edge but they end up serving backwater people who live mundane lives -- worlds apart from the cool people in the spotlights who hold seminars on successful ministry and publish the latest books on the emerging church (or whatever the fad is this week).

We’re recharged by the knowledge that we are where God has called us to be – season after season – seeing the best and the worst of people. The Spirit renews us and gives us the words to say when we tell the story over and over again.

It is a good life with lots of benefits – and satisfaction. (And you don't have to sit and listen to someone preach every Sunday.) I could do a lot of things but there is nothing I’d rather do. A few years ago I was contacted by a graduate seminary which asked me to apply for a teaching position they had open. I declined. And at times I’ve considered working on a PhD – but have concluded that narrowing my study to such a small area of inquiry would probably send me over the edge.

If God calls me to do something else I will figure out how to make the transition. But after 20 challenging years I’m not looking. Other people are called to serve Christ and his church in other ways. And that’s good. If everyone was a pastor (even if every seminary trained person were such) we’d be all be in a heap of trouble.