The Presbyterian Leader

Faithful To-Do Lists

A Presbyterian Leader blogpost by Martha Miller

Over the years I’ve become a writer-downer. In other words, if it isn’t written down, it really doesn’t exist. To remember to do any task, I have to go through the process of writing it on a piece of paper and go back to read it and, if appropriate, check it off of the list. In an effort to be a good steward of paper, I even tried to move to using a dry erase board for my interminable lists. No luck. Turns out I need that process of physically writing down my to-do list in something that seems more permanent. In some way, it feels that I’m making a commitment, I guess. It won’t simply rub off; it’s there for the life of the paper.

In a society that went from an oral background to a written one, important to-do lists were also eventually written down in our Scriptures. In fact, the sacred Shema (Duet. 6: 4-5) instructs us to keep the words in our hearts, “The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” We are told that these words from Deuteronomy are so important that they should be written down and recited constantly.

Obviously this is not the only written to-do list for us as leaders in God’s church. While not lists to be checked off in order to move to another task, the Scriptures are full of such reminders about living out our call faithfully. From the Ten Commandments of the Exodus to Micah’s reminder to do kindness, love mercy, and walk humbly with God to Christ’s expansion of the commandment to love others as we have been loved by God.

While my to-do lists of daily tasks seem like minutia in light of these great words, commands and reminders, my hope is that my small tasks might eventually be leading me to faithful response to God’s call; to truly live as one of Christ’s disciples. I’ll keep writing them down but more importantly, I’ll keep reading them all.

Gearing up for the second half

A Presbyterian Leader post by Byron Wade

 [image: scruffdog1231]

In June of last year, I was selected to participate in the Presbyterian CREDO conference sponsored by the Board of Pensions. For those of you who are not familiar with CREDO, it is a conference that gives Teaching Elders the opportunity to examine their lives and ministry in significant areas and to prayerfully discern what, where, and how God is leading in future directions. The Presbyterian CREDO is modeled after the Episcopal Church's CREDO program and it was for pastors who are between 40 - 55  years old with at least seven years in ordained ministry. Some of my colleagues had previously attended one and told me it was well worth their time. Six conferences are offered in one year and I chose to attend one in a place I have never been before - the beautiful Beaver Hollow Conference Center in  Upstate New York near the City of Buffalo. I had the opportunity to meet and interact with a great conference staff and 32 Teaching Elders from around the nation. Most of the participants were in the mid-40 to early 50's and had at the very least 10 years of ordained ministry experience. We were all at the mid-point of our ministry careers and discerning where God was leading us next as we enter the "second half". 

Without going into the intricate details of  CREDO, I wanted to share with you what I learned about church leadership from my past experiences and through discernment with God and others from this conference that could give you some insight:

1) Leadership is a journey, not a destination - I used to believe that a good church leader heard directly from God the direction s/he should take with the congregation, the people bought in and there we went. Boy, how wrong was I! Although I have great respect for pastors who have done this, I have come to understand in my own life that it's more about the journey. I have found that the plans that I had firmly ensconced in my mind were not what God had planned. More often that not our congregation has arrived where we are today by discerning and following God's call from the various voices in the membership. They were not always what I had in mind but it has been a lesson in trusting God that we will be led in the right direction. When I first arrived in my present call I used to say all the time, "I don't know where we're going but we're going somewhere!" Church leadership is about listening and discerning God's direction in the journey of faith.

2) Working harder only adds water to a sinking boat - I always thought when things are not going well, just work harder. That meant staying at the office later, taking fewer breaks, ignoring your day off, cancelling appointments, etc. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's not so much working harder but working smarter. What has helped me is taking my scheduled days off, scheduling time to do certain tasks, taking frequent breaks, involving others in completing tasks, etc. It sounds simple but leadership is all about doing things in a different way in order to be effective and efficient in time and task. 

3) Superman & Wonder Woman are fictional characters - Quite often I believed in the old adage "If you want to do something right, do it yourself." I spent inordinate time trying to go through the rolodex in my mind of possible solutions to problems that only I could fix.  One thing that I have learned in ministry over the years is listening to the experience of other colleagues. Sharing ministry experiences with others at CREDO and in my own presbytery has given me support and encouragement in situations when I have felt there was no solution.  At times we all need to be reminded that we are a connectional church as well as the Body of Christ. We can learn from each other and not feel like we need to be the Lone Ranger (another fictional character!).

4) Stop making promises you don't keep - Although we live in an electronic age, leadership is still about keeping your word in doing something either with or for someone else. This is one of the areas I which I need improvement. I am famous for telling someone "I'll be over to visit" or something similar and sure enough, something happens that prevents me from doing so. Sometimes we have such a big heart and promise to do something only to see this fall through the cracks. It's better not to make a promise than to make one and don't keep it. An effective leader not only makes promises but follows through on their word.

5) There is only one you! - Both Teaching and Ruling Elders have very busy lives. There are many articles on prevention of stress and healthy lifestyles for clergy. It took me a long time to understand that you cannot do it all. As hard as it can be, take time out for rest and relaxation. Swim, bike, workout at the gym, develop friendships outside of church, read something other than practical church and theology books, spend time with love ones, etc. There are a variety of things you can do for self-development in other areas. A leader cannot be effective in leading others unless they take care of themselves. 

Well, now I'm gearing up for the second half of ministry. I've been a Teaching Elder for 16 years and if I last until age 65 I have 17 more to go. On the other hand my financial planner told me that to gain the maximum retirement benefit I have to work until I'm 70 - that's 22 years from now.  So whether I have 17 or 22 years left, I hope to become a better leader with God's help and keep on riding!

[image: ChrisDownUK]

 

Trust Your Intuition

A blog post at The Presbyterian Leader by Andrew Taylor-Troutman

Trust your intuition. The saying is cliché in our culture, but do we really believe that it is true? Do we actually think that our gut feelings can guide us? What about when we have major decisions to make? After all, we live in the age of Google; surely, we could do a little research before making up our minds. With so much information at our fingertips, it would be foolish to trust our initial reaction, right? We live in a time of specialization in so many fields; certainly, we should seek out the opinion of an “expert” over our own snap judgments! Trust your intuition? Really?

It seems to me that we are hesitant to trust those feelings deep in our bones because we believe that intuition is merely passive acknowledgement–something that happens to us. It is harder to trust a decision-making process when we feel we have no part in it. Therefore I think the Swedish actor, Ingrid Bergman, offers helpful insight. She describes intuition as “throwing spears into the darkness.”

I love this image for several reasons. First, it acknowledges the unknown, the darkness, which often seems to surround major decisions. Like blindly throwing an object at a target, it is true that our intuition can be hit or miss! But most importantly, Bergman’s idea is decidedly proactive. Intuition is not something that happens to us, but is the result of initiative.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his famous parable of the talents (Mt 25:14–30). It strikes me that the servants given the five and two talents trust their intuition like they are throwing spears into the darkness. These servants received their gifts and then acted “immediately” (Mt 25:15–16). They sensed right away that they could do more with what had been given to them. They couldn’t see into the future, but they trusted their gut feeling enough to take that first step. To continue to apply Bergman’s metaphor, the unfortunate servant who buried his talent ended up falling on his own spear. His inactivity resulted in his demise. By his own admission, he was afraid to act (Mt 25:25). Perhaps Jesus was trying to inspire us to be daring...

“Tell me,” asks poet Mary Oliver, “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

We commonly think of life as precious, but what about as wild? Oliver conveys my belief that such wildness can be the antidote to fear. In our denomination, there are many voices of doom and gloom, warning us of the future ahead. But, for reasons I can’t fully articulate, I am hopeful for the PC (USA). I believe, deep down in my bones, that what God said through the prophet Isaiah is true for us today: “See, I am about to do a new thing! Do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19)

So, yes, let me encourage us to trust our intuition as a first step. Then, we must be bold and daring, throwing our spears into the darkness. Tell us in the church today, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Chaos Theory Reality

A Presbyterian Leader blog post by Emily McGinley.

As a graphic designer, I would often find myself experiencing a mixture of fear and anticipation the moment before I would begin a new project. “You’re only as good as your next project,” the thought would echo across my mind. I would anxiously wonder if I could pull it off this time. Simultaneously, I would be full of anticipation at the possibilities of how I might translate a concept in new ways.

I couldn’t help but recognize this familiar feeling as my ministry partner, Benjamin, and I looked at each other and realized what we had committed to when agreeing to plant a church. Mostly though, I am full of anticipation, energy, and possibility as we begin our work toward launching a worshipping community in the south side Chicago neighborhoods of Hyde Park and Woodlawn.

Last week, we sat across from each other, talking through our road map and dreaming together about what an iteration of Urban Village Church in HPW could look like. 

During our conversation I was reminded of Genesis 1: “In the beginning … the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

There God and Spirit were, assessing the elements at hand for creation: water, earth, chaos, and One Big Idea. Each had their contribution – God the Creator, Spirit the Actor. It was a moment of intense possibility.

From the very start of our conversations back in February, Benjamin and I strongly felt the activity of the Spirit. In reaching out to these two neighborhoods, there is a lot of complicated history, not to mention current realities, to navigate. Yet, there is no doubt in my mind that the Spirit is hovering over these waters of chaotic creativity.

One thing that I love about the creation stories of Genesis is that chaos is never obliterated. Rather, it is given its proper place in the order of things. I believe that this is God’s way of recognizing the value of chaos in the work of building the kin-dom. Chaos, by its very nature, requires a response, lest it consume creation. Chaos propels us forward, prompting us to do things we’re too lazy, scared, uncomfortable, prideful, and/or perfectionist to do.

Church planting is like entering chaos equipped with just enough of you need – just enough faith, just enough courage, just enough money, just enough energy. It involves some economy, a good deal of thoughtfulness, a touch of recklessness, serious organizational skills, big imagination, and a whole lot of love. Not knowing what you’ll have to combine on any given day, you are an artist of life, producing new works with each new day. Being a fan of bricolage and dada-ism, I feel my creative heart has found a home!

It’s also about pointing out patterns in the chaos; connecting with folks and helping them see how who they are ­– and who they might be ­– can have deep meaning for contributing to abundant life in this world. It’s about helping folks to see that in this life, we’re in it together, whether we like it that way or not. And, that’s the way God set things up.

What a gift it is to participate in God’s chaotic and creative activity in the world! We all have our own moments of engaging chaos – big and small – where we can employ what we have just enough of.

Where is this happening in your leadership?

Church Reboot

A Presbyterian blogpost by Rev. Erika Funk

 

I’d like to introduce a new idea to the mainline church: retroactive continuity. 

Let me explain. 

Retroactive continuity or “retconning” is why we have a “new” Spiderman movie only 5 years after the last one . The new film isn’t a sequel even a prequel, it’s another remake of the Spiderman story.  Its how we got Dark Knight Rises starring Christian Bale and not George Clooney.  

What scripture and comic books have in common is that their story has run for a very long time.  It’s true that Jesus’ story is a lot older than say, Batman’s or the Green Lantern's, but the concept is the same.  When a story and its characters become long running some of the ideas become outdated, unsustainable or unrelatable. 

 

Superman and the phone booth is one example. In the beginning, Clark Kent didn’t change into Superman from a phone booth.  But it did happen just a couple of times in the comic books in the early ‘40s.  By the time Superman the movie was made the phone booth was an iconic part of the story, although not originally that important.  Today no one uses phone booths any more, it would be nearly impossible to find one!  That aspect of the story has become outdated, unsustainable and unrelatable.  Who uses a phone booth to make a call… much less change your clothes in?! 

 

In the comic book world, writers work to keep the original foundation of the story but will “reboot” or rewrite some aspects in order to keep the story fresh and interesting to another generation.  Retconning allows the story to go on, to stay relevant in the future and make sense in the present.  

 

I am not suggesting we rewrite scripture.  I am suggesting we get our story on target and our ministries out of a 50 year old context.  Leaders need to understand what ticks in the hearts of those who've never heard a sermon or taken communion.  Leaders needs to ditch the "phonebooths" and trade them in for a more future looking storytelling device.  To do that someone is going to have to give up a symbol or story line that is iconic to them.  After the “retconn” the pastor is going to get a lot of hate mail and some loyal fans will be bitter. 

 

But you will also get people hearing the Story for the first time.  After a church “retconn” you will have people showing up for church who never thought they were welcome.  And they’ll stay.  And they will hear with new ears and see with new eyes the Story that is older than any comic book hero.  Are we going to keep preaching the good news in a way that is comfortable and familar but with an expiration date?  Who will be brave enough to write a new way?   

 

Thoughts on ruling elders, part II

A Presbyterian Leader post by Peggy Hinds

Yesterday I wrote about the nominations process in selecting ruling elders. I mentioned that I surveyed and interviewed ruling elders as part of my doctoral studies.

Along with questions about how they became an elder, I also asked them about their training for and continuing nurture after ordination. On a scale of 1-5, one being least adequate and five being most adequate, I asked them to rate their training in five areas: leading worship, public prayer, teaching, chairing a committee, member care, and Sabbath-keeping. The majority rated all of these areas three or below. Sabbath-keeping, leading worship, public prayer, and teaching got the lowest ratings.

I went a little further with Sabbath-keeping because my interest is in encouraging this spiritual practice in our congregations, particularly with leadership. No one had been encouraged to practice Sabbath as part of his or her leadership role. What they knew of Sabbath-keeping was learned elsewhere, but not as a part of their preparation or nurture as congregational leaders. Most said they did not regularly practice keeping Sabbath other than attending worship on Sunday mornings.

The reality is that very few teaching elders practice Sabbath either. Most all of us are overworked, driven, and distracted by responsibilities, media, societal messages, and a sense that our worth is tied into production. Ruling and teaching elders alike tell me that they feel overwhelmed and overcommitted. The practice of Sabbath takes us out of the chaos and allows us to reconnect to God, one another, and ourselves. It is not only a commandment; it is a practical and beneficial gift. It is also a key element in living out the call to spiritual leadership. Listening well for the Spirit’s guidance takes time, silence, rest, and reflection.

Maybe, instead of asking our leaders to take on more and more responsibilities, participate in more activities and events, and do more, we could invite them to stop. Stop all the doing and practice being; being in the presence of God for a significant amount of time each week. What if we engaged in rest, play, discernment, worship, and stillness? What if church leaders modeled Sabbath living for the rest of the congregation? What would that look like? What might happen to the individual members and the congregation as a whole?

The rest of the world tells us we need to keep moving, keep producing, stay turned on and tuned it. The church has an alternative message: Sabbath. Being a Sabbath-practicing congregation begins with leadership. God invites us, you, into rest.

Thoughts on ruling elders, part I

A typical scene at an ordination/installation service: the moderator calls for all ordained persons to come forward for the laying on of hands. People begin to rise and make their way out of the pews and down the aisle. Within a few minutes, half the congregation or more have made their way to the front.

I often find myself chuckling at this scene, and wondering what the few people left sitting think about the fact that they are a minority of the congregation. Why haven’t they been elected to serve as a ruling elder? It seems everyone else has.

What does it say about our system of ordaining when such a large number of members are elected and ordained to serve as spiritual leaders? Perhaps Presbyterian churches are simply full of people with the spiritual depth, gifts and calling to serve in ordered office. I tend to think that it is more likely that we have succumbed to the model of a corporate board. Our nominations committees seek out people to fill slots. Sometimes it is a popularity contest, or a desire to get the power and money people on the session. This sounds cynical, but I have known only a few churches whose nominating process actually takes the time to discern God’s will for spirit-filled leaders with a genuine call to ruling elder.

For my doctorate project, I surveyed and interviewed a good number of elders. Among the questions I asked was, “Tell me about the nominations process. How were asked to serve?” and “How did you make your decision on whether this was your call?” No one had experienced a process of discernment with the nominations committee. Only a few reported that they had gone through a prayerful process of discernment themselves before responding to the request to serve.

Presbyterians do not recruit people to serve on a board of directors. God calls people, via the vote of the congregation, to serve Christ through various roles and functions. The order of ruling elder is a lifetime commitment to servant leadership; leadership not based on a person’s social or economic status, but on his or her spiritual maturity and response to God’s call.

What if our nominations committees took time to seriously determine God’s call on peoples’ lives, and help them through a spiritual process of discerning to what role or function their call can be enacted? What difference would it make to the way sessions make decisions, and how congregational leaders participate in the life of the church even after their term on the session is completed?

Meeting Face to Face Makes all the Difference...

A Presbyterian Leader blogpost by Jewel McRae

I’ve been involved in coordinating and planning Face to Face events for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for over a decade and one thing I hear a lot:  “I didn’t know what to expect.”  Face to Face is an opportunity to meet, greet and dialogue about where you see God is calling you to serve.  

It’s almost like a first date.  First, there must be an attraction, then there’s the first impression, then the conversation, and then a common interest between the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) and the pastor or the candidate for ministry.

Before coming to a Face to Face event, PNCs have already received countless numbers of Personal Information Forms (PIFs) either through self-referrals or matching; pastors and candidates have read enough Church Information Forms (CIFs) from the Church Leadership Connection (CLC) system to become familiar with one another.

It’s amazing to see how the Holy Spirit can work a room.  God is calling you to people and places you would never imagine serving.  I hear, “we received their PIF through CLC, but we really can’t get a sense of their call, until you meet face to face,” which really made a difference and we’ve learned so much  from the person that we didn’t see on paper.

Another good thing about Face to Face, it helps to sharpen your interviewing skills.  From our most recent event, here’s what one participant said:

“I was not sure I was ready to sell myself in an interview setting, but had 3 rewarding interviews and found the interview experience very enjoyable and energizing and I left feeling encouraged.”

What do you think about meeting Face to Face?  Does it really make a difference?  With today’s social media, should we meet face to face or just go to Facebook?     

 

"Your services are no longer needed . . . "

A Presbyterian Leader blogpost by Byron Wade

[image: takomabibelot]

A few weeks ago I was in the church office and received a knock on the door. To my great delight it was a long-time friend and colleague in ministry that I had not seen in a while who was in town with his family on vacation and they decided to pay me a surprise visit. We've known each other for many years while working together in youth ministry and I had kept up with him through graduation from seminary and accepting his first call. As we were sitting down chatting about life in general I asked how his church was coming along. He told me that he was in the process of accepting a call to another congregation. It sounded like a great situation - larger congregation, more resources, etc.  - and I was truly happy for him and his family. Then I asked about his current congregation and how they were taking the news. He hadn't officially told them yet but what startled me was when he told me that by words and actions the church essentially told him his gifts and skills for ministry were no longer needed and would be better used elsewhere. I was taken aback because I knew that he is a young, vibrant pastor who was doing great things in that congregation. However as he explained the situation it became understandable; the congregation had power struggles in leadership, didn't have a new vision for ministry following a discernment process and was not willing to grow. Speaking of the neighborhood surrounding the church, one church leader actually said "Why would I care who lives there? My neighbors live on X street." It became apparent that his services were no longer needed when he was approached after worship one Sunday by a congregant who told him that although he was highly respected by many in the community and admired for his ministry skills that "the church apparently did not want them" and encouraged him to seek a new call where his gifts and passion would be a better fit.

For many of us in ministry whether a Teaching or Ruling Elder this probably does not come as a real surprise. However it wasn't supposed to happen like this. We remember when God called us from our daily lives to pursue ordained ministry. We went through the hours of studying strange languages (Hebrew and Greek), sat through intense homiletic courses in which we took criticisms of our preaching gracefully (?), and struggled with certain theological concepts. We had dreams of finally completing the continuous cycle of "jumping through hoops" of the Committee on Preparation of Ministry (CPM) process, passing all the ordination exams (on the first try, no less!), walking across the stage to receive our Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and being ready to receive a call. We dreamt over and over again about the church that would extend the call; the people, the location, its potential, etc. and how we would lead God's people to a greater relationship with Christ and grow in numerous ways!! Then reality hits. In some cases we found out that identifying and changing structures wasn't as linear as was taught in systems theory class. The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) told you some things but inadvertently left out the "small details." Instead of finding the mantra of "Reformed, Always Reforming", we discovered ourselves tussling over age-old traditions; not changing the carper color or deciding to sing the church's favorite hymn which is theologically unsound and that you despise. Or worse yet you find yourself dealing with people who have power and influence in the church who oppose you at every turn and their authority is unquestioned - even by those who in secret disagree with them. We remembered the glorious day of ordination/installation when you and the congregation made promises to each other and the people were willing follow your leadership. After a while you became tired of the struggles and eventually whether we are told or shown you find out that "your services are no longer needed." The bitter reality of the old proverb becomes true, "He who thinks he leads but has no followers is only taking a walk."

I am reminded of the scripture in Luke 8:26-39 in which Jesus encounters the Gerasene Demoniac. Crossing over to the east side of the Sea of Galilee, he encountered a man who was demon possessed. After casting out the demon into the herd of pigs that subsequently jumped over a cliff into the sea, the people were gripped with fear and told Jesus to leave. I imagined that Jesus felt like my friend and colleague by in effect the people telling him "your services are no longer needed." But Jesus did not stop. He kept on doing what he was called to do in other places. Sometimes in ministry we are called to do the same. God calls us elsewhere to use our gifts and skills to bring in God's promised kingdom.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? How have you dealt with essentially being told your services are no longer needed? If you are willing to share I would love to hear your story. If you want to communicate privately my email is revbawade@gmail.com or by facebook message.  

Fertile Questions

A Presbyterian Leader blog post by Andrew Taylor-Troutman

 

This is a case in which I need more than words to find the meaning.

~ Joan Didion

For I know the plans that I have for you ... Jeremiah 29:11

***** 

Please know that I love plans. Love plans! I think good leaders make plans and guide others to stick to them.

I vividly recall our pre-marital counseling sessions when my fiancé, Ginny, and I matter-of-factly stated to our pastor that we had a “five-year plan” for having children. This timing was based on the expected duration of my PhD program, after which I would be employed in a tenure track professorship in the religious studies department at a small liberal arts college. As I taught the undergraduates to expand their minds, my boys would learn to walk in the city park, just across the street from the local farmer’s market. (Did I mention I love plans?)

While she envisioned a little girl running in that park, Ginny was genuinely on board with the rest of this plan, including the five-year aspect. But ... we found ourselves re-envisioning; perhaps a three-year plan! After all, I could help care for our children while writing my dissertation ... and then again, maybe three years was a little too long! I could just as easily study for my coursework while taking care of an infant as I could write a dissertation ...

As I look back on these plans, readjusted time and time again, what strikes me is our innocence. When we “officially” decided to try and have children, we told our families with great excitement and fanfare. In my mind’s eye, I see us gathered around dinner tables for that pronouncement, which I understood as a foregone conclusion. We were so sure of ourselves. So sure of our plan.

Then the weeks turned into months, and the months became years.

It turns out that my plan was loaded with assumptions. I had just assumed that pregnancy occurred when we stopped our efforts to prevent it, like a garden spout holds back the water until the pressure is released. The water flows forth so effortlessly.

Our actual experience of failed conception was that the pressure mounted. Perhaps there was a kink in the hose? Oy vey!

Well, something had to be done; so we made appointments with doctors and specialists. We were poked and prodded, tested and re-tested. The good news was that there were no red flags. But if we were healthy, then why weren’t we pregnant?

There is a line by Gerard Manley Hopkins that captures such feelings of anxiety and hopelessness: I wake and feel the fell of dark, not day.

My experience with infertility has forever changed my understanding of plans. Despite the deepest longing for the desire of my heart of hearts, I had to come to terms with the truth that there is no guarantee I would end where I hoped to be. Perhaps this is true for you as well. So, rather than loving our best made plans, it is upon Love that we must learn to depend ... a meaning beyond words, which can inspire us to journey with our questions.