(Click here for the Introduction; Part 1; Part 2)
Part 3. What can Synods, Congregations and Mission
Resourcing do for leadership identification and recruitment.
In part 1 of
this paper we noted the following:
“Several factors influence decisions to engage in
intentional leadership training for ministry. The following are particularly
true for Palangi candidates.
·
Understanding of Church, God, ministry
and ones self
·
Personal skills in ministry and leadership
·
(Personal) Discernment of the call of God to
particular ministries
In addition, some cultures emphasise more strongly
the call of the community, the wishes of family members, the social status of
the family, and the influence of parents or grandparents who have also been
ordained. For Palangi candidates, these factors are far less influential.”
As far as I
know, we have never done any intentional recruitment for Presbyteral ministry.
For many years Rev Dave Mullan promoted Diaconal ministry, and the fruits of
that were seen in a dozen or so deacons coming into ministry within a space of
several years.
Some Congregations
provide very good leadership development – The Youth group are groomed as
leaders of the holiday program; Pastoral visitors are trained monthly; Parish
Councillors have a 4 year non-renewable term; etc.
Some Synods
have provided ministry exploration events where those wanting to know more
about ministry (lay or ordained; Diaconal or Presbyteral; Administration or
Parish leadership; leadership in missional or new ventures) can come and
explore together what a call to ministry might involve.
We believe
that in order to encourage people to consider ministry, the whole church (congregations,
regions, synods, Trinity College and Mission Resourcing) will need to provide
practical and theoretical training for lay and ordained in order to provide a
“discernment journey”. This could take place in 4 settings:
1. The parish / congregation /
community
2. Trinity College (formal
training)
3. Ministry experience which is
reflected upon
4. Ongoing spiritual and
ministry development
These four
areas can be provided for both lay and ordained leaders. Each step provides
opportunity and challenge for discernment, assessment and experience /
qualification. In this way the 3
areas of Understanding, Skill and Discernment become ongoing features of this
lifelong process. The process also provides any candidates / leaders with
proven and provable development.
Other areas
for further exploration:
· Synod discernment days
·
Early encouragement of people into Lead Worship, Lay preachers
qualifications or (if these are completed) other ongoing study, reading and
reflection.
·
Congregations encouraging people to experience their Committees – if
only for a couple of meetings
·
Church leaders (lay and ordained) encouraging leaders and potential
leaders to attend and participate in Synod meetings and events.
· Church leadership encouraging their members to try new ventures in mission in their communities.
In discussion I have suggested that we can improve our candidating / recruiting
by 3 steps. (Note: these connect with the material in the first section of this
report)
·
Advertise: Every year we could advertise in Touchstone and Emessenger
for those considering candidating to make themselves known to their presbyters
and Synod Candidates Conveners (SCC’s).
Part of this advertising could be to issue a challenge to consider
ministry, and part could be to kick off the coming year’s candidates processes.
·
Challenge: The call to ordained Presbyteral and Diaconal ministry is a
sensitive one, but involves a challenge to ‘leave your comfort and take a new
journey’. The call is to a fulfilling and challenging ministry, while at the
same time becoming part of the re-shaping of the church. *Missional intentions
and ‘fresh expressions’ of church are going to need people who have a sense of
ministry that may be different to ‘orthodox’ or traditional forms of ministry. This is a challenge that should be given through congregations and ministry leaders.
·
Inform: In a new processes, the minister and local parish become the
major first port of call for candidates (NOT the synods, Mission Resourcing or "someone else"). In order to
accomplish this well, ministers and congregations
will need to gather material to engage the conversations, reflections and ministry praxis
necessary to facilitate the discernment processes.
For Reflection:
o What ways have I used to encourage people to think about / discern
their ministries in our church?
o What spiritual disciplines are necessary for good leadership in a
church?
Link to Introduction
Link to Part 1
Link to Part 2
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