SUB ISSUES:

What is happening out there?

Changing scene from 20 years ago in the secular workforce. The reality today is that people could have 5-6 different careers in their lifetime compared to years ago when people stayed in the one workplace for a lifetime.

There are many more opportunities for all kinds of pastoral ministry today that weren’t available 20 years ago eg chaplaincies in seconday tertiary and primary schools and also in a wider variety of Christian schools. The increase in children’s, youth , seniors, music, worship and creative ministries associate pastoral roles in local churches. These often tend to be more shorter term.

There are at present more pastors looking for a call to a church than there are churches looking for pastors

The percentage of pastors not getting calls is increasing (need some actual figures here)

What are some of the core reasons a pastor doesn’t get a call? (much of this material is taken form a previous Baptist Union of Victoria paper “When the call to leadership is not confirmed”)

1. The pastor may not have the gifts appropriate to the needs of a given church. This is more so today than ever when there are so many different kinds of churches with different styles and approaches to ministry.

2. There may be perceived doctrinal and or theological emphases which are not seen to be compatible eg women in ministry, gifts of the Spirit, homosexuality, open membership

3. There may be a lack of experience in ministry, or experience that doesn’t seem to be related to the needs of the church

4. Churches have become incresingly selective in their approach to issuing a call. Pastoral Search Committees are willing to go to considerable lengths in gathering information about pastors independently of formal challenges

5. The pastor may have concluded a previous ministry or ministries under less than ideal circumstances. Churches are very cautious about approaching such a pastor in the future if they are aware of this and if those circumstances are not clearly understood

6. A pastor may not be well known (through limited experience, through coming from another denomination or through coming from another State or overseas

7. A pastor may impose geographical restrictions which limit a call to a smaller number of churches therefore decreasing the likelihood of a call. For some there are medical issues, for others family issues, for others it is to do with their partners career.

8. More than a third of churches in Victoria are now part time and this is increasing so it is becoming harder to find full time opportunities for ministry. This is especially difficult for pastors with children .

9. It seems top be increasingly difficult for pastors in their late 50’s and early 60’s to receive a call to a permanent pastoral position in a church.

10. There have been changes in the way churches and their Pastoral Search Groups are seeking out new pastors which means that they can often by pass the Advisory Board process and advice. This is especially seen in the increasing numbers of people who are being called by their own churches to associate pastoral positions and also in the increase in churches advertising for pastors.

Is the call to pastoral ministry for life or a period of time?

1. The traditional view for pastors commencing ministry 15 or more years ago was that the call to pastoral ministry was expected to be for their working life and even beyond

2. There has been an increasing trend for some pastors to commence ministry after some significant time in the workplace outside of the pastoral ministry and for some to be in pastoral ministry for just one or two pastorates. There is a strength in this because it means such pastors have a better understanding of what it is like in the workplace.

3. It is also true that many people take on associate roles in larger churches often on apart time basis and often without heading down an ordination path and sometimes without much theological education or with none. Such people are nearly always called by their own congregation to minister in a paid capacity in some way.

4. The reality of the workplace in where people over 55 are being made redundant is also being seen in the church where is is increasingly difficult for pastors who are 58 years of age and beyond to receive a permanent call to a church.

5.There has been confusion about the whole issue of “ministry”. Traditionally the view has often been that people who are paid to do ministry (ministers) are the ones who are called to full time or part time ministry. The reality biblically is that all Christians are called to full time ministry and the avenues of that ministry are as wide as there are places where people are at, home, work, voluntary situations, recreation , church and community etc.

What are some of the difficulties facing such a pastor and the emotional and psychological impacts for them in not getting a call.

1. A questioning of their call to pastoral ministry

2. A crisis of faith for some, wondering where God is in all of this and wondering about His promises of guidance. Some of this may be based on an imperfect understanding of God and how He works in todays world.

3. Financial & housing dilemmas especially if the pastor is in the older age bracket and hasn’t been able to purchase their own home or younger and with a substantial mortgage to pay off

4. A loss of self esteem and confidence in their ability to minister well especially as the time away from ministry widens

5. A feeling of grief that something they have trained for and experienced may not be a reality any more

6. Marriage struggles as the stress of not getting a call impacts relationships

7. For some a sense of abandonment and rejection by churches, the Union and other pastors which can lead to them withdrawing and isolating themselves

8. Depression, self pity, anger, resentment, blaming of others and an inability to make good decisions

9. A sense of a loss of value because they aren’t contributing in a way that they believe is significant.

10. An inability or unwillingness to accept the reality that they will not be getting a call which stops them from discovering a new ministry elsewhere

11. The lack of other skills and qualifications which makes it difficult to get other kinds of satisfactory work

12. For those still in a church but believing they should have moved on a sense of being stuck in a situation where they have little motivation or enthusiasm and can feel quite helpless and hopeless. Added to this is the fact that this impacts on the church significantly so everyone loses out.

13. Sometimes an unwillingness by those in the Union to actually be really up front about the isssues that are stopping a pastor from getting a call. (this is getting better)

How do we better prepare and educate pastors for ministry in this area?

1. We need to be very open when we encourage people to train for pastoral ministry by saying that it may not be for a lifetime.

2. We need to continue to educate our pastors in these issues so they know that it can be a reality. Maybe when we have the regular retirement seminars that there is a good session on this where people can hear the stories and experiences of pastors who have been through or are going through this.

3. We need to communicate clearly with pastors who are in those situations about what is happening as far as Advisory Board is concerned and what the process is when a pastors name is not going to churches. This is being done far better than in the past. The difficulty is being really honest and real with a pastor about what the issues are for them (point 13 above)

4 The provision of some good specific seminar /workshop events especially for such pastors where they can share their journeys, can ask questions, receive practical help and think through possibilities for their future. This would be especially good in small groups that could have an ongoing element to them if needed. Maybe even a weekend with partners as has been done in the US would be very helpful.

Put together by various people at the Baptist Union of Victoria.