Revenge of the pastors

When I was growing up I was told to be nice to nerds. Because one day I was most likely going to be working for a nerd. What if the new nerds are community development workers and pastors?

At my senior prom in 2007, I remember an important conversation with my date. As we danced, we talked about our futures after high school. I told her that I would most likely become a pastor one day. She looked disappointed and said, “A pastor? How are you going to support a family?” I realized I didn’t have a future with her and she made me feel like I didn’t have a future as a pastor.

Since then, I have heard many people say that the church is dying and that becoming a pastor is a poor career choice. But recently, the script has flipped.

Now, AI is taking over many of the jobs I was once told would be reliable career paths. Yet one kind of job cannot truly be replaced by AI: work centered on human relationships, community development, empathy, and presence.

Pastors are needed right now more than ever in the United States.

There is a great opportunity before us in the American church to raise up a new generation of pastors. We are facing a real crisis as many in the Baby Boomer generation retire, and there are not enough younger pastors ready to step into those roles. Thousands of churches close each year in America. There are not enough pastors to fill existing openings, let alone plant new churches.

Growing up, some of the top careers I was encouraged to pursue were coding, computer science, marketing, and graphic design. I was told those fields would be secure and full of opportunity. But many of those industries are now being deeply affected by the rise of AI.

AI can now write code faster than many humans, generate graphics in seconds, and increasingly perform tasks that once required entire marketing teams. The jobs I was told in high school would never be threatened are now being cut left and right.

I was also surprised to learn that one of the top uses of AI is counseling. People are looking for life advice and turning to AI for guidance. AI is becoming a trusted voice in people’s lives, and some are even forming emotional or romantic attachments to it. That should tell us something profound: we are living in a time of deep brokenness, loneliness, and isolation.The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us just how important community and human connection really are.

That is why I believe, now more than ever, that the local church is essential to the health of a thriving community. The church is a place where people can worship God and build relationships with others they might never encounter otherwise. It is one of the few places where natural enemies can be reconciled, where strangers can become family, and where people can learn to love one another for the sake of God and neighbor.The local church speaks directly to many of the deepest needs in our society today.

So, to all the people who once thought I was foolish for becoming a pastor, I can now look back and see the grace of God over my life. It turns out that being a pastor may be more secure than many people ever imagined.And more importantly, it is more necessary than ever.

So if you feel called to be a pastor, to lead a church, serve a community, and love a city. Maybe it is time to step out and become who God has called you to be. There is a place, and there are people, who need you right now. And it turns out that it could be a viable career path now.