Was tun gegen den Pastorenmangel?
Pastor urgently needed! This cry for help is being voiced by a growing number of congregations. Around 70 participants discussed how to solve the current pastor shortage at the tsc network’s Theological Forum at the end of April 2024.
“Churches, education, youth organizations and mission form an ecosystem”
«For every 35 students, there were 340 job offers,» reported Dr. Benedikt Walker, the rector of the tsc, at an event where congregational associations presented themselves as potential employers. He sees demographic trends as the main reason for the pastor shortage. Currently, the baby boomer generation is retiring, while the proportion of young adults in the population is declining. In the case of pastoral ministry, a relatively high number of people transition to other ministries or leave the ministry altogether after just a few years.
To find solutions, Benedikt Walker sees a shared responsibility between parishes, education, youth organizations, and mission: «We form an ecosystem and are in the same boat. I see the opportunity for us to make better progress together.» With this intention, the Theological Forum 2024 of thetsc networkinstead of.
Speak more positively about the pastoral profession
Christian Seitz, regional director of Viva Church Switzerland, began by stating that pastoral ministry requires a calling and that God calls passionate people. «Calling becomes concrete when our own human longings identify with God’s feelings and intentions and align with His goals.» A discussion with students from the tsc (Swiss Catholic Church in Switzerland) was exciting. They reported that misconceptions or fear of being overwhelmed can deter them from entering pastoral ministry. In congregational ministry, they consider teamwork and mutual respect particularly important. Sebastian Friedle, pastor of the Evangelical Chrischona Congregation in Freiburg, therefore suggested speaking more positively about the pastoral profession. «Pastoral ministry is a premium profession: It is meaningful, diverse, varied, and offers a great deal of creative freedom.» Beat Ungricht, regional director of Viva Church Switzerland, envisions regional centers of excellence from several congregations in the future, where pastors work together in a gift-oriented and team-oriented manner.
Vorteile der ECTE-Partnerschaft
Ein Vorteil der neuen Partnerschaft mit ECTE ist der Gewinn an Gestaltungsfreiheit. Das TSC muss nicht mehr die bürokratischen Erfordernisse aus dem britischen Bildungssystem erfüllen. Ein weiteres Plus: Nach der Akkreditierung werden die Studiengänge des TSC in der Datenbank der europäisch anerkannten Akkreditierungsagenturen aufgeführt – eine Positivliste von anerkannten Studiengängen und Ausbildungsstätten. Für ECTE spricht auch, dass das TSC weiterhin Bewerber mit Berufsabschluss – aber ohne Abitur oder Matura – zum Bachelorstudium zulassen kann. Als Partner passt ECTE sehr gut zum TSC, weil das ECTE-Netzwerk über 80 evangelische, theologische Ausbildungsstätten in Europa und dem Nahen Osten verbindet.
«My topic was vocation. I was amazed that God himself is a passionate God and that he seeks passionate people and wants to call them, so that with God’s help they dare to do things they wouldn’t dare to do themselves. What I’m taking away from the Theological Forum is that we are all connected in an ecological system. I would use the image of the mobile to show that we are mutually dependent, but also that we have many resources together that we can use together to counteract the shortage of pastoral specialists.»
Christian Seitz, Regional Director Viva Church Switzerland
Empowering and encouraging pastors through continuing education
And what can theological educational institutions like the tsc do to address the pastor shortage? Benedict Walker explained: «Education is never an end in itself. Our goal is to empower people for pastoral ministry through theological training and continuing education.» Therefore, the tsc, together with theInstitute for Leadership and Community DevelopmentIn recent years, among other things, a pastoral training, a leadership development program and, quite recently, theGenerationPLUS AcademyThe idea behind it: to empower and encourage pastors. And to prepare the baby boomer generation to actively shape their new phase of life and experience a new intergenerational coexistence in the congregation. This can help to relieve some of the burden on pastors.
«Education is never an end in itself. Our goal is to empower people for pastoral ministry through theological training and continuing education.»
"I was excited to hear all these perspectives"
With the Theological Forum, the tsc network raised awareness of the pastor shortage and identified initial approaches to solutions. Many participants resolved to speak more positively about pastoral ministry and to encourage people to take up the ministry. Peter Schneeberger, President of the Swiss Free Churches Association and the FEG Switzerland, benefited from the interaction between congregational associations, youth organizations, education, and mission: «I was inspired to hear all these perspectives on the future of pastors and to participate in the struggle to find new members for service in the Kingdom of God.»
Statements from participants:
«I have discovered a new joy and love for the fact that the generations enjoy each other, that they serve one another, that they are there for one another. This applies to both the younger generation and the older generation. If both enjoy investing in one another, being there for one another, and creating space for one another, then the church has a future.»
Josias Burgherr, Head of Communications and Young Generation Viva Church Switzerland
«I brought home a rich bouquet of ideas, but no definitive solution. One thing I’m definitely taking with me is the question: When and how do I talk about what excites me about my job? Do I only talk about what stresses me during stressful periods, or about why I’m a youth worker? I definitely want to take that with me, take that enthusiasm with me, and pass it on.»
Johanna Habel, Youth Officer Stami Lörrach
Dr. Benedikt Walker, Rector of the tsc, will present the reasons and possible solutions for the pastor shortage at the Theological Forum.
Leaders from congregational associations were strongly represented at the Theological Forum.
zur Internetseite des ECTE
- BA Theologie & Pädagogik (3 Jahre, Bachelorabschluss) – die vielseitige theologische und pädagogische Grundausbildung.
- BTh Kommunikative Theologie (3 Jahre, Bachelorabschluss) – der Theologie-Studiengang kann im Präsenz- oder im Fernstudium studiert werden.
- Online-Kurse (1 oder 2 Semester, Leistungsnachweis) – individuell belegbar zur persönlichen Weiterbildung.
- Akademie GenerationPLUS (2- oder 3-tägige Kurse, CAS möglich) – Weiterbildungsangebote für die zweite Lebenshälfte
- CAS-Programme (1 Jahr, Certificate of Advanced Studies) des Instituts für Führung und Gemeinde-Entwicklung.
- TSC-Jahreskurs (1 Jahr, Teilnahmezertifikat) – beliebt als Orientierungs- oder Vorbereitungsjahr. Schwerpunkt Worship wählbar.
- BA Theologie & Musik (3 Jahre, Bachelorabschluss) – die im deutschsprachigen Raum einzigartige Kombination aus theologischem und musikalischem Studium.
Interessiert?
- Termine ungünstig? Kein Problem! Starte einfach eine Anfrage an den Studienberater René Wälty und vereinbare einen Termin für deinen individuellen Schnuppertag oder für ein Beratungsgespräch.
- Kompakte Infos zum Studienangebot per Online-Videokonferenz erhältst du bei den Schnupper-Stunden. Die nächsten Termine: Di. 23.09.25 | Do. 20.11.25 | Di. 17.02.26 | Mi. 22.04.26 | Di. 19.05.26, jeweils 18 – 19 Uhr
- Wie ist es, am TSC zu studieren? Und wäre das etwas für dich? Herausfinden kannst du das bei kostenlosen Schnuppertagen. Die nächsten Termine: Di./Mi. 21./22.10.25 | Fr./Sa. 06./07.03.26 | Di./Mi. 05./06.05.26