We're facing a growing crisis in church staffing—the quiet disappearance of mid-career ministry leaders who should be stepping into senior leadership and mentoring younger staff. This exodus creates a dangerous vacuum where churches lose experienced leaders in their 30s and 40s who have accumulated valuable ministry wisdom.

• Mid-career leaders represent the backbone of church staff teams, bridging veteran leadership and the next generation
• Former youth pastors, worship leaders, associates, women in ministry, and executive pastors are leaving at alarming rates
• Churches didn't just lose these leaders—they wore them out, ignored their development, and assumed their loyalty
• Many left after carrying broken systems, serving under poor leadership, or hitting development ceilings
• COVID accelerated the exodus as many transitioned to healthier environments in the marketplace
• Churches must identify and develop under-challenged staff members before they leave
• Solutions include offering coaching, sabbaticals, clear advancement paths, and competitive compensation
• We need to ask: "Who are we currently overlooking on our staff?"

Get a copy of my new book "Silent Alarm: The Quiet Collapse of the Church Staff Pipeline and How to Rebuild it Before it's Too Late" at chemistrystaffing.com/silentalarm or on Amazon.

Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

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Is Your Church Hiring?
If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.