At the November 2024 CIFT Pastors’ Forum, Dr. Ed Stetzer, Dean of Talbot School of Theology, offered a thoughtful and sobering reflection on the cultural moment facing today’s pastors. Framed around CIFT’s mission to help leaders finish well, his message acknowledged the real weight many pastors are carrying while also offering hope and clarity for faithful leadership in uncertain times.
Dr. Stetzer described the current season as a moment of cultural convulsion, one marked by overlapping pressures that are reshaping both society and the church. Rather than responding with fear, he invited pastors to understand the landscape clearly so they can lead wisely within it.
Five Pressures Shaping the Church Today
Dr. Stetzer named five major challenges influencing the church and its leaders:
Distrust: Confidence in institutions, including the church, is at historic lows. Many leaders feel the strain of leading in an environment where trust is fragile.
Technology and Defamation: Social media amplifies both truth and falsehood, leaving pastors vulnerable to rapid criticism and misunderstanding.
Identity Confusion: Questions around identity have intensified, touching nearly every area of life including faith, politics, and belonging.
Mental Health Strain: Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation are impacting people across generations and congregations.
Division Within the Church: Pastors are increasingly navigating conflict as people leave churches over ideological differences rather than theological convictions.
A Shift Accelerated by Crisis
Dr. Stetzer explained that these pressures did not begin in 2020, but were already forming. Religious affiliation had been declining steadily for years. The events of 2020, including the pandemic, social unrest, and a polarizing election, accelerated what was already happening.
This acceleration has contributed to what he called “The Great Sort,” where many Christians are shaped more by media voices and political alignment than by the discipleship life of the local church. In this environment, ideology can quietly replace spiritual formation.
A Moment of Opportunity
Despite the challenges, Dr. Stetzer offered a hopeful perspective. He compared this moment to 1968, another time marked by cultural upheaval and uncertainty. Out of that season came renewed spiritual hunger and movements of gospel renewal.
He reminded pastors that the mission of the church has not changed. This moment does not pause the work God has given His people. Rather than operating as providers of religious experiences, pastors are invited to lead communities as co-laborers in the gospel, rooted in purpose and clarity.
Returning to the Center
One of Dr. Stetzer’s closing encouragements was a call back to basic discipleship. Research shows that consistent, personal engagement with Scripture plays a central role in shaping Christians who actively love and serve their neighbors. Deep formation, not just attendance or content consumption, remains essential.
Continue Listening
Listen to the full Pastors’ Forum audio to hear Dr. Ed Stetzer’s complete analysis of the Lead the Way research and his reflections on leading faithfully in disrupted times.