Most Senior Pastors Work 50 Hours a Week

When including bivocational pastors, part-time senior pastors and volunteer pastors, 35 percent work at least 60 hours a week and 30 percent work 50 to 59 hours.

Not surprisingly, much of the time is spent in sermon preparation. Half of those surveyed spend five to 14 hours a week preparing their sermons. Meanwhile, nine percent spend 25 hours or more and 7 percent spend less than five hours on their sermons before preaching.

In comparing evangelical pastors with mainline pastors, 30 percent of evangelical pastors were found to spend 20 or more hours a week in sermon preparation compared to 20 percent of mainline pastors.

If not preparing for their weekend preaching, pastors are typically in meetings, handling e-mail or electronic correspondence, counseling others, or in hospital, home or witnessing visits.