Tag: clergy

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Church Leadership

How can pastoral ministry be healthier?

http://joshrhone.posterous.com/what-if-our-current-models-of-pastoral-leader

Joining a conversation

I have decided to join an important conversation about the long term viability of the current paradigm of pastoral ministry.  Pastor Josh Rhone has asked a crucial question that I believe is a very important one for pastoral leaders today.  It is a daring, even dangerous question.  Yet it is one that may help us to face uncomfortable facts about the way we usually do ministry.   We owe it to following generations to answer his question.  Let me copy in his intensive query.

What if our current models of pastoral ministry are in fact detrimental to the spiritual health and vitality of the Church (and her leaders)? Might we need to reimagine/re-envision our models of pastoral ministry? And, what might a new model of pastoral ministry look like?

I am especially interested in how ministry affects pastors over the long term.  Today I would like to comment on the issue of proximity.  One of the characteristics of many pastoral situations that I believe often creates greater wear and tear on the pastor is the issue of proximity.   By this I am speaking about how enmeshed the pastor’s and family’s lives are with his work.  This issue has many facets.  

Are parsonages usually too close to the church for best clergy health?

Continue reading “How can pastoral ministry be healthier?”

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Church Leadership News Commentary

Answering a call for clergy leadership

 

Letter writer, David C. Ashley, in today’s Post Standard opinion page decried a lack of obvious clergy leadership in changing the climate of political discourse in our country.   I have good news for him.   Just such a leadership move has been in the works for awhile and at this crucial time has just begun to be publicized http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100326/conservative-liberal-christians-vow-to-model-civility/.  

This initiative is authored and signed by many prominent clergy of various denominational backgrounds.  It is called A Covenant for Civility: Come Let Us Reason Together.    It is inspiring to read and is very Biblically based.  If implemented, it would bring the Golden Rule back to American politics, something we haven’t seen since politicians discovered that slander via advertising works in election campaigns.    I have personally joined those signing this important document and encourage others to do so.  I found a signable copy and list of many of the chief signers at http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=action.display&item=100308-civility-covenant.    I intend to honor it (I hope I already have been) as I blog and as I preach.