Originally Posted by Ronzo (Post 185197)

I have my own thoughts about it, but I won't share them...

Originally Posted by shamgar1 (Post 185196)

The new Forward (a magazine for UPCI preachers) came out this week.

In it, there is an article titled "Where Have All the Young Ministers Gone?". The entire Forward is about mentoring and ministerial transition from one generation to the next.

In this article, the writer mentions that of the 9100 licensed UPCI ministers, under 400 of them are below the age of thirty. Hence the question, "Where have all the young ministers gone?" It is my belief that the UPCI is in danger. Under 400 ministers under the age of thirty? Where have they all gone?
Lest I am accused of being an alarmist, consider the theme of last year's General Conference was "Passing the Mantle". Now we have an entire Forward dedicated to the problem.

Why are there so few young ministers and what can be done to remedy the problem?

Originally Posted by Praxeas (Post 185214)

I have to ask, why do they need to be licensed to minister? As for Pastors, why even bother aspiring to pastor when the only way to become a pastor anymore is to become on of an established church. It's very hard to start a church let alone getting approval to start one.

Originally Posted by rgcraig (Post 185215)

So they can pay the dues.

Originally Posted by Praxeas (Post 185214)

I have to ask, why do they need to be licensed to minister? As for Pastors, why even bother aspiring to pastor when the only way to become a pastor anymore is to become on of an established church. It's very hard to start a church let alone getting approval to start one.

Originally Posted by shamgar1 (Post 185199)

Please share, and be brutally honest.