Rick Hiemstra is a former Wesleyan pastor who now directs the EFC's Centre for Research on Church and Faith. He and host David Guretzki reflect on increasing concerns over upcoming pastor retirements and the shrinking numbers of future pastors. They consider issues around training, educational structures, public reputation around pastoral careers, and the need for Christian communities to be more intentional and explicit in raising conversations about vocation.
Rick Hiemstra's 2024 article in Faith Today: Waking up to the pastor shortage
A response by Gordon T. Smith from 2025: Rethinking Canada's congregational leadership crisis