Image
Blog
June '25 Newsletter: Feeling “Loved and Cared For” by Congregants is Key to Clergy Health
Hello!
Welcome to the Serve Well newsletter, a collaborative resource from the Duke Clergy Health Initiative and Duke Religion and Social Change Lab. Every month, we share trends in ministry formation and flourishing so that however you serve—seminarian, clergy, researcher, educator, or administrator—you can serve well.
Surrounding yourself with good people, what we call in our research “maintaining a network of social support,” is one of the best things you can do for your mental health. Congregations are one form of social support and—for clergy in particular—one of the most pivotal. This month, we offer research and resources for understanding the forms of support you most need.
Trends in Ministry Formation
Supervisors Are the Most Critical Relationship in Seminarians’ Field Education Experiences
Field education is an essential conduit for discerning calling. Using survey and interview data collected from seminarians in 2020 and 2021, the Duke Religion and Social Change Lab found that compared to those with good experiences, students with poor field education experiences were significantly more likely to switch their intended career path away from congregational ministry. Some of the best predictors of positive experiences? How close students felt to their supervisors and how frequently they met. For more research on the field education experience and what makes for a good supervisor, dig into our Field Education Report.
>Download Our Field Education Report
Trends in Ministry Flourishing
The Relationship Between Peer Support and Well-Being Is Complex for Clergy
Clergy giving and seeking support to/from other clergy is complicated. Data from the 2021 Statewide Clergy Health Survey revealed that clergy who were identified more often as giving support tended to have above-average levels of occupational distress compared to clergy who were named less often, offering a reminder to "givers" to be intentional about filling their own cups. On the bright side, the findings also revealed that clergy who reported seeking support from a greater number of colleagues tended to be those with above-average levels of ministry satisfaction and the highest level of positive mental health, suggesting that cultivating a diverse network of social support is essential for flourishing. Explore our research brief to learn more.
Your Serve Well Resource
Loved and Cared For: A Handy Guide for P/SPRC’s Who Want to Support Their Pastor Well
Our research indicates that feeling “loved and cared for” by congregants is strongly associated with better clergy mental health. A new resource by the same name offers practical strategies for lay leaders to show love and care for their pastor, thereby deepening feelings of mutuality. (You may even consider reviewing it during your next P/SPRC meeting.) Want to go even deeper? Clergy and lay leaders can further tend their connection through the resource Keeping the Faith: Conversations to Strengthen the Bond Between Pastors and Church Leaders, or pastors can individually get ideas for strengthening their social supports through the booklet, Fully Alive: A Resource to Guide Clergy to the Four Behaviors of Flourishing.
>Download Our "Loved and Cared For" Resource
About Us
The Duke Clergy & Religion Research Collaborative (CRRC) is a partnership between the Duke Clergy Health Initiative (CHI) and Duke Religion and Social Change Lab (RaSCL). CHI focuses on providing pastors with tools to improve their physical, emotional, and spiritual health, while RaSCL focuses on helping current and future faith leaders adapt to evolving times. Together, we serve those who want to serve well. Our work is made possible thanks to the generous time of our clergy and seminarian research partners and generous funding from The Duke Endowment. To stay informed of our latest research in ministry formation and flourishing, sign up to get our monthly Serve Well newsletter directly in your inbox.