Few pastors leave the pulpit each year, but those who do exit mostly say it was a personal decision. According to a Lifeway Research study of former senior pastors in four Protestant denominations who stepped down before retirement age, 4 in 5 (81%) felt sure during most of their ministry at their last church that they could stay there as long as they wanted. Only around 1% of U.S. Protestant pastors leave the ministry each year, according to the most recent Lifeway Research study.| The Roys Report