Saturday, June 15, 2013
4T..I-40 Church Consulting Blog with Steve Reynolds: "Statue" of Limitations
4T..I-40 Church Consulting Blog with Steve Reynolds: "Statue" of Limitations: In my back yard this spring stood a badly worn out statue of the Virgin Mary surrounded by the overgrown thorns that were there when I moved...
Friday, June 14, 2013
4T..I-40 Church Consulting Blog with Steve Reynolds: "Statue" of Limitations
4T..I-40 Church Consulting Blog with Steve Reynolds: "Statue" of Limitations: In my back yard this spring stood a badly worn out statute of the Virgin Mary surrounded by the overgrown thorns that were there when I...
"Statue" of Limitations
In my back yard this spring stood a badly worn out statue of the Virgin Mary surrounded by the overgrown thorns that were there when I moved into my newly bought house. Being a non Catholic and from a Christian tradition that does not use icons or statues, I had a dilemma. What do I do with Mary? The statue was in no shape to be given away or sold in a yard sale we were having. Besides that, I wasn't sure if selling Mary would not be offensive to some, especially in a yard sale! My wife, jokingly, suggested that we put a sign on her in the front yard saying, "Available to a good home." Somehow that didn't seem right either. I finally did the only thing I could do to this beaten up statue (I hope I don't offend anyone). I secretly wrapped her up in a garbage bag and threw her in the trash. Even as a non Catholic it felt weird to throw away one who represents the mother of the incarnate God. Yet, at the time it seemed to be the best option for this non-statue believing Baptist.
However this encounter raises a more important issue for me as I reflect on this. Does the church and myself do the same to Jesus? As a church consultant, will my mission be to point congregations to a better method, program, ministry, facility etc. or to point them to Jesus? To be sure a consultation will involve all of those things but if Jesus isn't the central focus, then those things will only be like a worn out statue in the midst of the thorns. A church's ministry, facilities, programs and other activities may replicate Jesus but unless the congregation is truly centered in Jesus then it has no more value than an object headed to the landfill. A ministry-focused church rather than Christ-focused congregation will wear out quickly and lose its vision of why they are in existence-to reflect Jesus Christ in today's world.
It is my prayer that, in the midst of all my consultation, I don't lose sight of the centrality of Jesus in all I do. I am sure I can do a consultation without Jesus and do it well but it will only be a statue dedicated to a Christian endeavor rather than that which reflects the very essence of Jesus Himself. Like my backyard dilemma, the result will be a lifeless church surrounded by the thorns of programs and ministries. On the surface it may look like Jesus but unless He is the focus then we have missed the mark. May God give us the insight to know the difference.
However this encounter raises a more important issue for me as I reflect on this. Does the church and myself do the same to Jesus? As a church consultant, will my mission be to point congregations to a better method, program, ministry, facility etc. or to point them to Jesus? To be sure a consultation will involve all of those things but if Jesus isn't the central focus, then those things will only be like a worn out statue in the midst of the thorns. A church's ministry, facilities, programs and other activities may replicate Jesus but unless the congregation is truly centered in Jesus then it has no more value than an object headed to the landfill. A ministry-focused church rather than Christ-focused congregation will wear out quickly and lose its vision of why they are in existence-to reflect Jesus Christ in today's world.
It is my prayer that, in the midst of all my consultation, I don't lose sight of the centrality of Jesus in all I do. I am sure I can do a consultation without Jesus and do it well but it will only be a statue dedicated to a Christian endeavor rather than that which reflects the very essence of Jesus Himself. Like my backyard dilemma, the result will be a lifeless church surrounded by the thorns of programs and ministries. On the surface it may look like Jesus but unless He is the focus then we have missed the mark. May God give us the insight to know the difference.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Amateurs Built the Ark While Experts Built the Titanic
Much is made of consulting an expert in today's world. We seek expert advice and counsel. Television news shows are filled with a panel of experts covering a number of issues. When it comes to the medical field, we have experts (or specialists) in every field. Certainly when I go to have surgery, I depend on having an expert. When I have my taxes done or even when the church seeks outside help, a certain amount of expertise is needed. However, I wonder if we sometimes over estimate expertise. Are there other qualities other than mere competence or expertise that need to be considered? Is it enough just to have knowledge about a subject? Is it possible that even the experts can get it wrong in a number of ways?
As we ponder these questions, it might be beneficial to compare two of the greatest vessels ever assembled in history-the Titanic and Noah's ark. There is no question that the Titanic was built and designed by a team of experts. It was the most glorious ocean vessel of its day. It had all the luxuries and amenities that went beyond anything built in its era. It was a symbol of human ingenuity and progress. Yet there was one fatal flaw-the designers felt they had a ship in which nothing could go wrong. Perhaps it was a ship that could never sink. As a result, small details were ignored. The possibility of icebergs and evacuation procedures were not even considered. The real problem was that these so-called "experts" were way too sure of themselves and their ability to build the perfect ship. The rest is history (not to mention the theme of movies and books!)
Turning the clock back to many years earlier, we look at another ship builder. In Genesis 6, there was a man named Noah who answered God's call to build an Ark. Certainly he was no shipbuilder when he first heard the call though he did have some skills as a builder. But Noah had one thing going. He was willing to learn from God and he followed the Lord's instructions. Genesis 7:5 summarizes these events by saying that "Noah did all that the Lord commanded him." In Noah, we see a man who did not have any pretense about what he was building. We see nothing of the attitude that "I am going to build the biggest and best vessel ever made." Instead, we see a man who simply followed God's instructions and learned on the way. He became an expert shipbuilder because of his willingness to follow orders.
As I think about these two examples in history, it is evident that this has tremendous implications for me as I consult with churches. In my consultation, my desire is not to go in as an expert with a sure-fire way of turning around a church. It is true that in my many years of ministry, I have learned a few things and that the Lord has given me the training and skills to do this kind of work, but what it comes down to for me is whether I am willing to follow orders. Am I willing to listen to God's instructions and to the churches that I am serving? Any task requires a certain amount of expertise, but more importantly, what is really needed is a willingness to be led by the wisdom of God and to have a spirit that is willing to be taught. My prayer when I consult churches is that I will not come across as a "know-it-all" who is unwilling to learn. Instead I pray that I can serve the church and together we can discover the great things God wants to do. Noah started out as an amateur who became an expert because of his willingness to learn along the way the plans God had for him while the experts of the Titanic became foolishly amateur-like when the unsinkable ship tragically ended up on the ocean floor. In whatever God calls us to do, we can go in either direction. May we choose the way of Noah!
As we ponder these questions, it might be beneficial to compare two of the greatest vessels ever assembled in history-the Titanic and Noah's ark. There is no question that the Titanic was built and designed by a team of experts. It was the most glorious ocean vessel of its day. It had all the luxuries and amenities that went beyond anything built in its era. It was a symbol of human ingenuity and progress. Yet there was one fatal flaw-the designers felt they had a ship in which nothing could go wrong. Perhaps it was a ship that could never sink. As a result, small details were ignored. The possibility of icebergs and evacuation procedures were not even considered. The real problem was that these so-called "experts" were way too sure of themselves and their ability to build the perfect ship. The rest is history (not to mention the theme of movies and books!)
Turning the clock back to many years earlier, we look at another ship builder. In Genesis 6, there was a man named Noah who answered God's call to build an Ark. Certainly he was no shipbuilder when he first heard the call though he did have some skills as a builder. But Noah had one thing going. He was willing to learn from God and he followed the Lord's instructions. Genesis 7:5 summarizes these events by saying that "Noah did all that the Lord commanded him." In Noah, we see a man who did not have any pretense about what he was building. We see nothing of the attitude that "I am going to build the biggest and best vessel ever made." Instead, we see a man who simply followed God's instructions and learned on the way. He became an expert shipbuilder because of his willingness to follow orders.
As I think about these two examples in history, it is evident that this has tremendous implications for me as I consult with churches. In my consultation, my desire is not to go in as an expert with a sure-fire way of turning around a church. It is true that in my many years of ministry, I have learned a few things and that the Lord has given me the training and skills to do this kind of work, but what it comes down to for me is whether I am willing to follow orders. Am I willing to listen to God's instructions and to the churches that I am serving? Any task requires a certain amount of expertise, but more importantly, what is really needed is a willingness to be led by the wisdom of God and to have a spirit that is willing to be taught. My prayer when I consult churches is that I will not come across as a "know-it-all" who is unwilling to learn. Instead I pray that I can serve the church and together we can discover the great things God wants to do. Noah started out as an amateur who became an expert because of his willingness to learn along the way the plans God had for him while the experts of the Titanic became foolishly amateur-like when the unsinkable ship tragically ended up on the ocean floor. In whatever God calls us to do, we can go in either direction. May we choose the way of Noah!
Monday, June 10, 2013
The Redefining of the Pastoral Ministry
It is 1973 and Henry is about to graduate from seminary. Soon he will cart off his wife and two kids off to a remote town in Northern New York to his very first pastorate. The church is small, the pay is low but the local farmers fill his refrigerator with food and home grown vegetables are frequently brought to his house. The ministry is hard yet somehow they are able to get by on his meager salary. The church experiences some growth at the arrival of this young pastor. After a short time, he becomes an important part of the community. Everyone in town knows who he is and he is a respected person in the community who is often asked to pray or whose counsel is sought. Church is important to those folks in this Northern New York community. Even those who do not attend often participate in many of the activities that the church has to offer-fairs, dinners, Vacation Bible School, music programs, tent meeting revivals, and other activities. Whenever there is a crisis, Pastor Henry and the church is the first place that is thought of to unravel the difficulties of life.
It is 2013 and that same church in Northern New York is barely twenty strong (or weak, depending on one's perspective). No longer able to afford a seminary-trained pastor and facing the rising costs of health insurance and maintaining a building that is over one hundred years old, the church settles on having a different speaker leading its services every week after the previous pastor had moved on. He left disillusioned in a church and community that was in decline. Many of the church members had grown older and were no longer physically able to carry on the many activities of the church. The community no longer sought the church for its social presence and found that it was more appealing to make the 45 minute trek down the interstate to engage in activities at the mall or civic center. For those who needed answers to life's questions or issues, the Internet or Dr. Phil had replaced the counsel of the church when life became difficult. Increasingly the church nor the pastor, before he moved on, no longer had the relevancy to the community that Henry had enjoyed in the 1970s.
These two scenarios are just a snapshot of the changes that have taken place over the past forty years. The typical image of a seminary trained pastor moving into a church and becoming one of the leaders of the community no longer holds the weight it once did. A number of factors have played into this including the cost of health insurance, the cost of education for the graduated seminarian who perhaps has incurred $50,000 in college loan debt, the secularization of society, the negative reaction to organized religion, post-modern rejection of absolutes-all of these factors and many others have had an impact. The church which had an important role in the community was now seen as a relic of the past and today many people drive by the building unaware that the church even exists. The truth is that this scenario is becoming increasingly a familiar one. Many churches no longer support a pastor on a full time basis and are in a period of decline. In our denominational association, nearly sixty percent of our churches no longer support a pastor on a full time basis and they must work outside the church in order to make ends meet. Furthermore, in many rural communities, there are fewer and fewer farmers and the possibility of the pastor being subsidized with food to help meet costs (as in the 1973 scenario) has become a thing of the past. This has further diminished the ability of the church to secure a pastor especially in small towns.
The point I am raising in this blog is that the pastoral ministry and the church is being redefined. But what are the implications of this? I would like to suggest several.
1) The increasing importance of bi-vocational pastors. If I had a suggestion for seminarians today, my suggestion would be to find an occupation or skill that can supplement your ministry. The idea that upon seminary that a graduate is going to get a full time church that is large enough to support a pastor and his/her family is no longer the rule. Of course, one must depend on God to provide but it would be wise to seek the Lord on other possibilities to help supplement the ministry. Certainly this is not without Biblical precedent as St. Paul was a tentmaker.
2) The increasing role of certified lay pastors. Many churches have a hard time finding pastors who have completed seminary to come to their community due to the inability to adequately support their work or due to a number of other factors including college loans, the inability for the spouse to find work in his/her field, or in declining membership. However trained, certified lay pastors can be utilized especially if it is in close proximity to their home and employment. Churches that struggle in acquiring a seminary trained pastor will have greater opportunity to utilize this developing ministry. It is important to note that this will require a great deal of flexibility by both the denomination and the church. When I first entered the ministry, the expectation in the denomination and the local church was that you had to be a seminary graduate to pastor a local church. But based on current realities, this is one expectation that needs to be evaluated and greater flexibility over the type of pastoral leadership in the local church is a must.
3) The importance of mentoring/training. Since there will be an increasing number of lay pastors, the danger is that they will be sent into churches without adequate training and mentoring. It is here where I feel that the seminary trained, ordained clergy can be of great help in this changing scenario. Trained ordained pastors need to step up to the task of helping lay pastors (who may have not had much training) so that they are not thrown to the wolves, so to speak. Mentoring these lay pastors becomes crucial. One challenge to this may be in the fact that many seminary trained, ordained clergy are still living with the old expectation that only a seminarian trained person should pastor a church, but if the church is to adequately deal with the changing landscape of today's world, then those who are ordained also must exhibit greater flexibility and openness to lay pastors.
These are just a few factors of how I see the pastoral ministry being redefined in the local church. Please feel free to respond and give me your thoughts.
It is 2013 and that same church in Northern New York is barely twenty strong (or weak, depending on one's perspective). No longer able to afford a seminary-trained pastor and facing the rising costs of health insurance and maintaining a building that is over one hundred years old, the church settles on having a different speaker leading its services every week after the previous pastor had moved on. He left disillusioned in a church and community that was in decline. Many of the church members had grown older and were no longer physically able to carry on the many activities of the church. The community no longer sought the church for its social presence and found that it was more appealing to make the 45 minute trek down the interstate to engage in activities at the mall or civic center. For those who needed answers to life's questions or issues, the Internet or Dr. Phil had replaced the counsel of the church when life became difficult. Increasingly the church nor the pastor, before he moved on, no longer had the relevancy to the community that Henry had enjoyed in the 1970s.
These two scenarios are just a snapshot of the changes that have taken place over the past forty years. The typical image of a seminary trained pastor moving into a church and becoming one of the leaders of the community no longer holds the weight it once did. A number of factors have played into this including the cost of health insurance, the cost of education for the graduated seminarian who perhaps has incurred $50,000 in college loan debt, the secularization of society, the negative reaction to organized religion, post-modern rejection of absolutes-all of these factors and many others have had an impact. The church which had an important role in the community was now seen as a relic of the past and today many people drive by the building unaware that the church even exists. The truth is that this scenario is becoming increasingly a familiar one. Many churches no longer support a pastor on a full time basis and are in a period of decline. In our denominational association, nearly sixty percent of our churches no longer support a pastor on a full time basis and they must work outside the church in order to make ends meet. Furthermore, in many rural communities, there are fewer and fewer farmers and the possibility of the pastor being subsidized with food to help meet costs (as in the 1973 scenario) has become a thing of the past. This has further diminished the ability of the church to secure a pastor especially in small towns.
The point I am raising in this blog is that the pastoral ministry and the church is being redefined. But what are the implications of this? I would like to suggest several.
1) The increasing importance of bi-vocational pastors. If I had a suggestion for seminarians today, my suggestion would be to find an occupation or skill that can supplement your ministry. The idea that upon seminary that a graduate is going to get a full time church that is large enough to support a pastor and his/her family is no longer the rule. Of course, one must depend on God to provide but it would be wise to seek the Lord on other possibilities to help supplement the ministry. Certainly this is not without Biblical precedent as St. Paul was a tentmaker.
2) The increasing role of certified lay pastors. Many churches have a hard time finding pastors who have completed seminary to come to their community due to the inability to adequately support their work or due to a number of other factors including college loans, the inability for the spouse to find work in his/her field, or in declining membership. However trained, certified lay pastors can be utilized especially if it is in close proximity to their home and employment. Churches that struggle in acquiring a seminary trained pastor will have greater opportunity to utilize this developing ministry. It is important to note that this will require a great deal of flexibility by both the denomination and the church. When I first entered the ministry, the expectation in the denomination and the local church was that you had to be a seminary graduate to pastor a local church. But based on current realities, this is one expectation that needs to be evaluated and greater flexibility over the type of pastoral leadership in the local church is a must.
3) The importance of mentoring/training. Since there will be an increasing number of lay pastors, the danger is that they will be sent into churches without adequate training and mentoring. It is here where I feel that the seminary trained, ordained clergy can be of great help in this changing scenario. Trained ordained pastors need to step up to the task of helping lay pastors (who may have not had much training) so that they are not thrown to the wolves, so to speak. Mentoring these lay pastors becomes crucial. One challenge to this may be in the fact that many seminary trained, ordained clergy are still living with the old expectation that only a seminarian trained person should pastor a church, but if the church is to adequately deal with the changing landscape of today's world, then those who are ordained also must exhibit greater flexibility and openness to lay pastors.
These are just a few factors of how I see the pastoral ministry being redefined in the local church. Please feel free to respond and give me your thoughts.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
The Birds and the Bees
I am sure that when you saw the title of this blog that you thought that I was going to start a discussion on sexuality. But, the truth is, I really am going to literally talk about the birds and the bees. In my front yard of the new home that we recently moved into, I have three bird feeders which I fill up several times a week. Yet, it is amazing how fast those bird feeders become empty-sometimes within hours. Between the birds (especially the morning doves and the starlings) and the squirrels, the feed rapidly disappears. I can barely keep up with this feeding frenzy as the birds and those bushy-tailed rodents peck away at every seed I fill up in the feeder.
In my back yard, the neighbor who lives behind me is a beekeeper by hobby. Bees are a very social insect and my neighbor told me that after the males are done mating (OK, so I couldn't totally avoid talking about sex!) that they like to get together and hang out. Often bees will swarm and stay together and they are known to be hard working insects who produce honey. The important fact is that bees very seldom work alone and are known for their connection with other bees.
These two lessons from nature which involves both my front and back yard teaches some important spiritual lessons that has implications for the church of God's people. First of all, the birds remind us of their hunger for the seed as I can barely catch up to them before it is time to refill the feeders. What would happen if God's people had that kind of hunger for God and for His word? What would happen if His church was so hungry for the presence of the Lord that they were never satisfied to stay at the same level spiritually. Churches would have a new passion. People would not keep checking their watches thinking about the next diversion that can take away their attention. Worship would be dynamic and God's people would never have enough of the Lord. Jesus says in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." What the church needs today are people who are hungry for God.
Secondly, the bees remind us that those who call on the name of Christ constitute a community. In our individualistic society, this is a truth that is too often forgotten. We talk about our PERSONAL relationship with Jesus and our PERSONAL devotions and our PERSONAL calling from God but we have forgotten that we are called into a community. I Corinthians 12 likens this community to a human body where the different parts are necessary and how they need each other. This smacks in the face of much of the individualistic Christianity that we see in America today. If we can learn one thing from bees, we are called as a community of faith.
As Christians we can learn much about the birds and the bees and this is not merely from premarital counseling or a sermon series from the Song of Songs! Much can be said about hungering for God and walking in community with each other. Jesus said that the two great commandments was to love the Lord and to love one another ( Luke 10:27). If even the birds and the bees can hunger and live in community, how much more should we who have been redeemed by grace do any less than to have a hunger and love for God and to love one another in community?
In my back yard, the neighbor who lives behind me is a beekeeper by hobby. Bees are a very social insect and my neighbor told me that after the males are done mating (OK, so I couldn't totally avoid talking about sex!) that they like to get together and hang out. Often bees will swarm and stay together and they are known to be hard working insects who produce honey. The important fact is that bees very seldom work alone and are known for their connection with other bees.
These two lessons from nature which involves both my front and back yard teaches some important spiritual lessons that has implications for the church of God's people. First of all, the birds remind us of their hunger for the seed as I can barely catch up to them before it is time to refill the feeders. What would happen if God's people had that kind of hunger for God and for His word? What would happen if His church was so hungry for the presence of the Lord that they were never satisfied to stay at the same level spiritually. Churches would have a new passion. People would not keep checking their watches thinking about the next diversion that can take away their attention. Worship would be dynamic and God's people would never have enough of the Lord. Jesus says in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." What the church needs today are people who are hungry for God.
Secondly, the bees remind us that those who call on the name of Christ constitute a community. In our individualistic society, this is a truth that is too often forgotten. We talk about our PERSONAL relationship with Jesus and our PERSONAL devotions and our PERSONAL calling from God but we have forgotten that we are called into a community. I Corinthians 12 likens this community to a human body where the different parts are necessary and how they need each other. This smacks in the face of much of the individualistic Christianity that we see in America today. If we can learn one thing from bees, we are called as a community of faith.
As Christians we can learn much about the birds and the bees and this is not merely from premarital counseling or a sermon series from the Song of Songs! Much can be said about hungering for God and walking in community with each other. Jesus said that the two great commandments was to love the Lord and to love one another ( Luke 10:27). If even the birds and the bees can hunger and live in community, how much more should we who have been redeemed by grace do any less than to have a hunger and love for God and to love one another in community?
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Walmart Wedding
I just read an article which reported that a couple had gotten married at Walmart. Apparently that particular Walmart was the place the couple had met and fallen in love. For most of us it seems to be a rather strange place to get married, yet it was not without its uniqueness. As a place for marriage, Walmart is a foreign place for us, but to that couple it was a special place.
I wonder if that couple feels that way about the church? Perhaps the church was a foreign place to them and the only place they found love was in a Walmart. What does that say about the state of our culture today? But, more importantly, what does it say about the church? Is it possible that we in the church are so self-centered that most people on the outside feel that finding love in the church is just as foreign as it is for us to find love in a Walmart? It is an important question that we must wrestle with.
When people come through our church doors, do they find it as a special place? How do our church attendees feel? Is church a special place or is it a place of strife and activity without purpose?
Jesus says in John 13:35 that people will “know that we are His disciples if we love one another.” The truth is that because of the depth of the love of Christ and all that He has done, the greatest demonstration of this love that we can offer is the church’s love for one another.
Is our church a special place for this kind of love? While we may be amused or intrigued whenever we hear about unusual weddings and romances, let us not forget that the church, above all, is to demonstrate the highest display of love-the sacrificial love of Jesus. It is that kind of love that will make a difference in today’s world.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Congregational Reactions to When a Pastor Leaves
In my previous blog, I outlined the various phases we pastors go through when we leave a church. However in this blog, I outline several reactions that take place when they first hear the news that their pastor is leaving.
REACTION #1: SHOCK AND CONFUSION: Some people are in utter shock and become confused when a pastor announces that he/she is leaving. They wonder what the church will do next and are concerned that the church will not be able to survive without the pastor. It is helpful during this time for the departing pastor to preach and teach from the Scriptures that God is in control. I often use such Scriptures such as I Corinthians 3 and the Exodus-Joshua accounts to show how God raises up different leaders at different times and that God still leads.
REACTION #2: NOT SURPRISED/ACCEPTING: Many people have had a suspicion that the pastor was about to leave and may have very little reaction to the news. There may a number of reasons for this “non-response.” First of all, they may have been long-term members and have been through this before and figured it would happen again, sooner or later. The church may have had a history of pastors leaving every few years and some members almost expect a change. Others recognize that God can call pastors to a church and call them away. When I broke the news to my leaders, while there were different reactions, a number of them realized that God was leading me in a new direction and were able to accept the decision to a certain degree.
REACTION #3: GOOD RIDDANCE: In the Wizard of Oz, the Munchkins sing a joyful song, “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!” and are happy she is gone. Particularly in church situations in which there is a huge conflict between the pastor and congregation, there is a similar rejoicing when the pastor decides to leave. However, even in the best situations, there may be individuals who are glad when the pastor leaves. Sometimes they might be people who have left the church because they did not like the pastor but will return when he/she is gone.
REACTION #4: ANGER AND THE SENSE OF BETRAYAL: Although similar to reaction #1, this reaction takes it a step further and are very vocal in expressing their disapproval and outrage at the pastor’s announcement. The truth is that such a person will take the pastor’s announcement personally and can even take on the role of a victim with the idea that the pastor has done this to them on purpose. They will sometimes resort to guilt and manipulation to attempt to make the pastor feel miserable or guilty. Sometimes the anger is directed toward the church (rightly or wrongly) for forcing the pastor out even if that weren’t the case. It is not unusual for these persons to drop out of church especially if they think by doing so is their way of getting even..
REACTION #5: STEP UP TO THE PLATE: Although it has some similarities to reaction #2, some people (even those who weren’t necessarily involved previously in the leadership of the church) rise up to the occasion and take responsibility to carry on the church’s mission. They realize that now is not the time to back down or to take a back seat. In the midst of a huge change in the life of the church, they know that the church needs them more than ever and that there is kingdom work to be done.
REACTION #6: WITHDRAW: Combined with reaction #1 and #4, this reaction is just the opposite to the previous reaction. Some people drop out of church all together or if they continue to attend, they will step down from any ministry positions that they were active in under the departing pastor. Sometimes people drop out when they did not like the departing pastor ( see reaction #3) but the congregation, as a whole, loved the pastor. Some also drop out because they are burned out from serving but did not previously do so out of loyalty to the departing pastor.
Whenever a pastor leaves, there will be a number of reactions from the congregation. It is not unusual that one or two of these reactions will be the dominant one in any given congregation. If a pastor has had a long and fruitful ministry, reaction #3 in which people are glad to see the pastor leave may be relatively few. Yet, it is not unusual to see most (if not all) of these reactions in any congregation and a wise pastor is aware of these different reactions and is able to offer pastoral guidance. Whenever a pastor leaves is a major change for both the pastor and the congregation and necessitates the need to hear God’s compassionate voice during the process.
REACTION #1: SHOCK AND CONFUSION: Some people are in utter shock and become confused when a pastor announces that he/she is leaving. They wonder what the church will do next and are concerned that the church will not be able to survive without the pastor. It is helpful during this time for the departing pastor to preach and teach from the Scriptures that God is in control. I often use such Scriptures such as I Corinthians 3 and the Exodus-Joshua accounts to show how God raises up different leaders at different times and that God still leads.
REACTION #2: NOT SURPRISED/ACCEPTING: Many people have had a suspicion that the pastor was about to leave and may have very little reaction to the news. There may a number of reasons for this “non-response.” First of all, they may have been long-term members and have been through this before and figured it would happen again, sooner or later. The church may have had a history of pastors leaving every few years and some members almost expect a change. Others recognize that God can call pastors to a church and call them away. When I broke the news to my leaders, while there were different reactions, a number of them realized that God was leading me in a new direction and were able to accept the decision to a certain degree.
REACTION #3: GOOD RIDDANCE: In the Wizard of Oz, the Munchkins sing a joyful song, “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!” and are happy she is gone. Particularly in church situations in which there is a huge conflict between the pastor and congregation, there is a similar rejoicing when the pastor decides to leave. However, even in the best situations, there may be individuals who are glad when the pastor leaves. Sometimes they might be people who have left the church because they did not like the pastor but will return when he/she is gone.
REACTION #4: ANGER AND THE SENSE OF BETRAYAL: Although similar to reaction #1, this reaction takes it a step further and are very vocal in expressing their disapproval and outrage at the pastor’s announcement. The truth is that such a person will take the pastor’s announcement personally and can even take on the role of a victim with the idea that the pastor has done this to them on purpose. They will sometimes resort to guilt and manipulation to attempt to make the pastor feel miserable or guilty. Sometimes the anger is directed toward the church (rightly or wrongly) for forcing the pastor out even if that weren’t the case. It is not unusual for these persons to drop out of church especially if they think by doing so is their way of getting even..
REACTION #5: STEP UP TO THE PLATE: Although it has some similarities to reaction #2, some people (even those who weren’t necessarily involved previously in the leadership of the church) rise up to the occasion and take responsibility to carry on the church’s mission. They realize that now is not the time to back down or to take a back seat. In the midst of a huge change in the life of the church, they know that the church needs them more than ever and that there is kingdom work to be done.
REACTION #6: WITHDRAW: Combined with reaction #1 and #4, this reaction is just the opposite to the previous reaction. Some people drop out of church all together or if they continue to attend, they will step down from any ministry positions that they were active in under the departing pastor. Sometimes people drop out when they did not like the departing pastor ( see reaction #3) but the congregation, as a whole, loved the pastor. Some also drop out because they are burned out from serving but did not previously do so out of loyalty to the departing pastor.
Whenever a pastor leaves, there will be a number of reactions from the congregation. It is not unusual that one or two of these reactions will be the dominant one in any given congregation. If a pastor has had a long and fruitful ministry, reaction #3 in which people are glad to see the pastor leave may be relatively few. Yet, it is not unusual to see most (if not all) of these reactions in any congregation and a wise pastor is aware of these different reactions and is able to offer pastoral guidance. Whenever a pastor leaves is a major change for both the pastor and the congregation and necessitates the need to hear God’s compassionate voice during the process.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
When the Pastor Leaves
When a pastor leaves a church, it is always difficult for both the congregation and the pastor. Often it can be a time of confusion, grief, and even anger. In this blog entry, I would like to look at this issue from the pastoral viewpoint. In a future blog, I will look at it from the congregational viewpoint. Feel free to respond via e-mail or in one of the social network sites on the “Contact Us” link.
It is important to make a distinction between a pastor leaving voluntarily or because he/she is forced to leave a church. How a pastor leaves will have a huge impact on how he/she reacts to the exit. If the exit is due to being forced to leave, often anger and bitterness can result toward the church or towards God. There may be often a feeling of relief that the “ordeal” is over. It is also important to distinguish that “force outs” can take place in different forms. Some pastors are forced out because of church conflict and turmoil which has its own set of dynamics of anger and bitterness. Other pastors are forced to leave because they are in a denomination where someone makes the decision for them-a bishop or a district official for the denomination. This takes place within denominations like the United Methodists who are appointed to pastoral positions and the decision is made by someone in authority rather than the congregation. This can cause a variety of reactions in the pastor including disappointment and anger toward the denominational hierarchy or great relief especially if the local church setting was not a pleasant one. In this case, the feeling may not be all unlike the feeling a pitcher gets in a baseball game when the manager comes to take him out of the game after giving up eight runs. The result may be a combination of anger and relief-anger that the game did not go as planned and relief that someone finally put an end to a night of having every pitch being hit out of the ballpark. Pastoral ministry can resemble that at times. Other pastors may be forced to leave due to health reasons or other personal reasons. No matter what shape the “force out” takes, a variety of issues face the pastor including anger, guilt, bitterness, relief or a sense of failure.
But what about the voluntary exit? This is one I can readily relate to. Things are going well at church. Generally speaking, conflict is held in check. The pastor has a good rapport with the people. Often a pastor in such situations has had many years in one church and has a number of close relationships. But in spite of a satisfying ministry, sometimes there is a call to a new church or a new ministry. In my case, I was at a point in life that it was time to pursue my long-time vision of being a church consultant. It wasn’t over being disappointed in what I was doing, but it was clearly in the Holy Spirit’s prompting for me to move in a different direction.
As I reflect on the different “phases” I went through in leaving voluntarily my pastorate of almost 19 years in my church, I can clearly see how God’s hand was on each phase. But in this blog, I thought it might be helpful to outline each phase of making the voluntary decision to leave.
The first phase, I would call the DECISION phase where the choice is actually made. Up until then, there may have been some soul searching as well as fact finding about the future. Once the decision is made to leave (which can happen months or even years before), steps are taken to begin the process of making the exit-resumes and profiles are sent out or, in my case, training and certification is pursued.
The second phase can best be described as the ANXIETY phase where all of the fears and questions race through one’s mind. For me, it was the struggle of how I would tell the congregation that I deeply loved (and I know who deeply loved me) that I was leaving. For me, to leave the church that I had pastored for nearly two decades was one of the most agonizing decisions I had ever made. What made the decision so agonizing was realizing how hard it would be to tell the congregation.
The third phase is called the RELIEF phase. After I told the leaders and the congregation that I was leaving, a huge burden was lifted off my shoulders. Since there were some things that needed to be taken care of before I made the announcement, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep the upcoming announcement hidden from the congregation. But when I finally was able to spell it out to the congregation, there was a sense of relief.
The fourth phase was the GRIEVING phase. It was a time of many tears and the replaying of many memories. This phase can go well past the actual day that one leaves especially if it involves retirement or in the pursuit of a much different type of ministry or career. As I reflect back, my worst day of grieving was on the day after I had stepped down from my church. I realized that I was no longer a pastor and there was a certain emptiness in my mind and heart. However, this phase can often be intertwined with the fifth phase, the phase of JOY, GRATITUDE, and CELEBRATION. I actually experienced these phases simultaneously and it was not unusual to find myself oscillating back and forth from depression and sheer joy that I have much to be thankful for.
The final phase is what I call the RELEASE phase. It is the time where there is a peace that the church will survive and will move on and with God’s help, will do just fine. It is the phase where the pastor can let go of the ministry and give it to the hands of God. I found myself actually beginning this phase even before I preached my last sermon on the last day of my ministry in the church. During the last month of meetings, I realized that the concerns and the direction that each church board was dealing with was no longer my issue. I could release these concerns knowing that it was no longer on my shoulders and that God would raise up another leader to help guide the church. It is important to note that the “release” phase takes time and I find myself still in the process of working though this as I am barely a month past the date when I left my ministry to move in a new direction. Releasing 19 years of ministry is a slow process that cannot be unraveled in just a month and takes time to work through. Yet when a pastor is able to release his/her former church into the loving arms of the Savior, God is able to do a new work and the Kingdom is advanced for the glory of the Lord.
It is important to make a distinction between a pastor leaving voluntarily or because he/she is forced to leave a church. How a pastor leaves will have a huge impact on how he/she reacts to the exit. If the exit is due to being forced to leave, often anger and bitterness can result toward the church or towards God. There may be often a feeling of relief that the “ordeal” is over. It is also important to distinguish that “force outs” can take place in different forms. Some pastors are forced out because of church conflict and turmoil which has its own set of dynamics of anger and bitterness. Other pastors are forced to leave because they are in a denomination where someone makes the decision for them-a bishop or a district official for the denomination. This takes place within denominations like the United Methodists who are appointed to pastoral positions and the decision is made by someone in authority rather than the congregation. This can cause a variety of reactions in the pastor including disappointment and anger toward the denominational hierarchy or great relief especially if the local church setting was not a pleasant one. In this case, the feeling may not be all unlike the feeling a pitcher gets in a baseball game when the manager comes to take him out of the game after giving up eight runs. The result may be a combination of anger and relief-anger that the game did not go as planned and relief that someone finally put an end to a night of having every pitch being hit out of the ballpark. Pastoral ministry can resemble that at times. Other pastors may be forced to leave due to health reasons or other personal reasons. No matter what shape the “force out” takes, a variety of issues face the pastor including anger, guilt, bitterness, relief or a sense of failure.
But what about the voluntary exit? This is one I can readily relate to. Things are going well at church. Generally speaking, conflict is held in check. The pastor has a good rapport with the people. Often a pastor in such situations has had many years in one church and has a number of close relationships. But in spite of a satisfying ministry, sometimes there is a call to a new church or a new ministry. In my case, I was at a point in life that it was time to pursue my long-time vision of being a church consultant. It wasn’t over being disappointed in what I was doing, but it was clearly in the Holy Spirit’s prompting for me to move in a different direction.
As I reflect on the different “phases” I went through in leaving voluntarily my pastorate of almost 19 years in my church, I can clearly see how God’s hand was on each phase. But in this blog, I thought it might be helpful to outline each phase of making the voluntary decision to leave.
The first phase, I would call the DECISION phase where the choice is actually made. Up until then, there may have been some soul searching as well as fact finding about the future. Once the decision is made to leave (which can happen months or even years before), steps are taken to begin the process of making the exit-resumes and profiles are sent out or, in my case, training and certification is pursued.
The second phase can best be described as the ANXIETY phase where all of the fears and questions race through one’s mind. For me, it was the struggle of how I would tell the congregation that I deeply loved (and I know who deeply loved me) that I was leaving. For me, to leave the church that I had pastored for nearly two decades was one of the most agonizing decisions I had ever made. What made the decision so agonizing was realizing how hard it would be to tell the congregation.
The third phase is called the RELIEF phase. After I told the leaders and the congregation that I was leaving, a huge burden was lifted off my shoulders. Since there were some things that needed to be taken care of before I made the announcement, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep the upcoming announcement hidden from the congregation. But when I finally was able to spell it out to the congregation, there was a sense of relief.
The fourth phase was the GRIEVING phase. It was a time of many tears and the replaying of many memories. This phase can go well past the actual day that one leaves especially if it involves retirement or in the pursuit of a much different type of ministry or career. As I reflect back, my worst day of grieving was on the day after I had stepped down from my church. I realized that I was no longer a pastor and there was a certain emptiness in my mind and heart. However, this phase can often be intertwined with the fifth phase, the phase of JOY, GRATITUDE, and CELEBRATION. I actually experienced these phases simultaneously and it was not unusual to find myself oscillating back and forth from depression and sheer joy that I have much to be thankful for.
The final phase is what I call the RELEASE phase. It is the time where there is a peace that the church will survive and will move on and with God’s help, will do just fine. It is the phase where the pastor can let go of the ministry and give it to the hands of God. I found myself actually beginning this phase even before I preached my last sermon on the last day of my ministry in the church. During the last month of meetings, I realized that the concerns and the direction that each church board was dealing with was no longer my issue. I could release these concerns knowing that it was no longer on my shoulders and that God would raise up another leader to help guide the church. It is important to note that the “release” phase takes time and I find myself still in the process of working though this as I am barely a month past the date when I left my ministry to move in a new direction. Releasing 19 years of ministry is a slow process that cannot be unraveled in just a month and takes time to work through. Yet when a pastor is able to release his/her former church into the loving arms of the Savior, God is able to do a new work and the Kingdom is advanced for the glory of the Lord.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
A Biblical Basis for Considering Consultation for Your Church
Several Biblical models serve as a foundation when I reflect on my philosophy of what it means to be a church consultant. The first model that is foundational to my understanding of church consulting can be found in Exodus 18:13-26. In this passage, Moses is acting as judge from morning until evening and is carrying a heavy load. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law consults with Moses and tells him that what he is doing is not good and that he cannot possibly continue to listen to all of the issues facing God’s people alone. Furthermore, since Moses’ caseload is time consuming, much time was being wasted as people waited in line for their turn. Jethro instructs Moses to select capable men to share the load and he tells Moses to hear the difficult cases while his leaders can act as judge over groups of “hundreds, fifties, and tens.”
This Biblical account outlines what I consider to be the first principle of what I see as essential in church consulting. I call this the principle of “Burden Sharing.” Today many pastors and church leaders are carrying a heavy load. Because they are carrying such a burden, it is hard for them to see the “forest through the trees” and can easily get bogged down in the every day affairs of the church. Far too often, it is hard for churches to have a clear vision of what God wants to do. I find this especially true in small struggling churches in which the pastor and far too few leaders are carrying the entire load. As a consultant, I believe one of my tasks is to help a church to have a fresh look at their ministry and to assist them as I can use my specialty to do some of the exploratory work of helping a church realize God’s purposes for them. Many times, church leaders simply do not have the time to do the work necessary to map out a strategy of ministry to their community. However as a consultant, I can lighten the load by doing that aspect of the work while helping the leaders find ways to ease the load.
The second model of church consulting found in Scripture can be found in Numbers 13 where Moses sent out a team of people to explore the land of Canaan. In Numbers 13:18-20 a number of questions and issues were raised. “What are the people like?” “What kind of land do they live in?” “Is it good or bad?” “What kind of towns do they live in?” “Are they unwalled or fortified?” “How is the soil?” These were just a few of the questions that were raised and the task of these explorers was go into the land and to come back with a report.
This Biblical account outlines the second principle of church consulting which I call the principle of “Fact Finding.” It is important to see that, even though God had promised them a “land flowing with milk and honey,” this did not negate the need to do the exploratory research of the land that God promised to the Israelites. Likewise God’s command for us to make disciples comes with a promise in Matthew 28 that He would be with us. In Acts 1:8, God emphatically says that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and we will be witnesses in Jerusalem and to the ends of the world. This is not only a command but also a promise. As a consultant, my task is similar to those who explored the promise-to look at the layout of the land where God has called the church to be witnesses and to help it see the challenges and opportunities to live out God’s promises. It is also important to see that after the final report was given to the people (Numbers 13: 31-33), there was a negative reaction and the people rebelled against God. They were too afraid of going into the land and could only see the obstacles and not the promise. Nevertheless, Moses and Aaron focused on the promise (Numbers 14) in the midst of the conflict and in light of the facts. Likewise, the consultant’s role is not only to be a fact finder but also to reveal the facts in light of God’s promises regardless on how the church responds to the consultant’s findings. How the church responds to the consultant’s work will ultimately be up to that congregation in light of God’s Word.
The third principle of church consulting can be found in Isaiah 40:29-31 which promises that God will give strength to the weary for those who hope in the Lord. The passage concludes by saying, “They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31, NIV). I call this principle of church consulting the principle of “hope.”
When I get my consulting ministry up and running, I plan to call this ministry, 4T/I40. The 4T stands for “Transformation Through Transitional Times.” The I-40 stands for Isaiah 40 in which “they will soar on wings like eagles.” There is no question that we are living in a period of great transition. Churches are facing major changes especially here in the Northeast where many churches are becoming bi-vocational or are even closing its doors. We are seeing many congregations becoming older in age while many young people are not connecting with a church. Yet God has a plan. One of the primary tasks as I pursue a consulting ministry is to take the training and the years of ministry experience I have had and to provide the tools and training to help churches through these transitional times with the goal to see true transformation in the church and in its individual congregations. My dream for the church is that it will truly soar on wings like eagles and will have an impact in the 21st century. I especially want to be able to help the small church even in declining communities and in places where the church has grown weary. My dream is to help churches restore the hope that has been lost.
I am fully aware that this will be a difficult road for many churches. Humanly speaking, often I can only see the giants living in the land. But, if in some small way, I can have an impact for the kingdom of God by helping churches along this journey and to see hope restored because of God’s promises, then I will consider my role as a consultant as an important one as we head into the next century.
This Biblical account outlines what I consider to be the first principle of what I see as essential in church consulting. I call this the principle of “Burden Sharing.” Today many pastors and church leaders are carrying a heavy load. Because they are carrying such a burden, it is hard for them to see the “forest through the trees” and can easily get bogged down in the every day affairs of the church. Far too often, it is hard for churches to have a clear vision of what God wants to do. I find this especially true in small struggling churches in which the pastor and far too few leaders are carrying the entire load. As a consultant, I believe one of my tasks is to help a church to have a fresh look at their ministry and to assist them as I can use my specialty to do some of the exploratory work of helping a church realize God’s purposes for them. Many times, church leaders simply do not have the time to do the work necessary to map out a strategy of ministry to their community. However as a consultant, I can lighten the load by doing that aspect of the work while helping the leaders find ways to ease the load.
The second model of church consulting found in Scripture can be found in Numbers 13 where Moses sent out a team of people to explore the land of Canaan. In Numbers 13:18-20 a number of questions and issues were raised. “What are the people like?” “What kind of land do they live in?” “Is it good or bad?” “What kind of towns do they live in?” “Are they unwalled or fortified?” “How is the soil?” These were just a few of the questions that were raised and the task of these explorers was go into the land and to come back with a report.
This Biblical account outlines the second principle of church consulting which I call the principle of “Fact Finding.” It is important to see that, even though God had promised them a “land flowing with milk and honey,” this did not negate the need to do the exploratory research of the land that God promised to the Israelites. Likewise God’s command for us to make disciples comes with a promise in Matthew 28 that He would be with us. In Acts 1:8, God emphatically says that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and we will be witnesses in Jerusalem and to the ends of the world. This is not only a command but also a promise. As a consultant, my task is similar to those who explored the promise-to look at the layout of the land where God has called the church to be witnesses and to help it see the challenges and opportunities to live out God’s promises. It is also important to see that after the final report was given to the people (Numbers 13: 31-33), there was a negative reaction and the people rebelled against God. They were too afraid of going into the land and could only see the obstacles and not the promise. Nevertheless, Moses and Aaron focused on the promise (Numbers 14) in the midst of the conflict and in light of the facts. Likewise, the consultant’s role is not only to be a fact finder but also to reveal the facts in light of God’s promises regardless on how the church responds to the consultant’s findings. How the church responds to the consultant’s work will ultimately be up to that congregation in light of God’s Word.
The third principle of church consulting can be found in Isaiah 40:29-31 which promises that God will give strength to the weary for those who hope in the Lord. The passage concludes by saying, “They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31, NIV). I call this principle of church consulting the principle of “hope.”
When I get my consulting ministry up and running, I plan to call this ministry, 4T/I40. The 4T stands for “Transformation Through Transitional Times.” The I-40 stands for Isaiah 40 in which “they will soar on wings like eagles.” There is no question that we are living in a period of great transition. Churches are facing major changes especially here in the Northeast where many churches are becoming bi-vocational or are even closing its doors. We are seeing many congregations becoming older in age while many young people are not connecting with a church. Yet God has a plan. One of the primary tasks as I pursue a consulting ministry is to take the training and the years of ministry experience I have had and to provide the tools and training to help churches through these transitional times with the goal to see true transformation in the church and in its individual congregations. My dream for the church is that it will truly soar on wings like eagles and will have an impact in the 21st century. I especially want to be able to help the small church even in declining communities and in places where the church has grown weary. My dream is to help churches restore the hope that has been lost.
I am fully aware that this will be a difficult road for many churches. Humanly speaking, often I can only see the giants living in the land. But, if in some small way, I can have an impact for the kingdom of God by helping churches along this journey and to see hope restored because of God’s promises, then I will consider my role as a consultant as an important one as we head into the next century.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)