We asked several dozen ministry leaders from around the country to respond to some key questions TMC has been engaging with in recent months. For the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing with you their perspectives and insights. Through these responses, we hope you encounter a combination of common ground, points of intersection with your context and experiences, new and challenging insights, as well as encouragement and inspiration. As always, we’d love to hear from you!
The first question we posed: What are you noticing across the landscape of ministry that you would like more ministry leaders to pay attention to?
Below are a few representative responses. Along the lines of the “Simplify and go Deeper” refrain we’ve repeated in recent years, several responses emphasized depth, common ground, and trust building. One shared insight that stands out is the importance of not shying away from complex or potentially divisive topics, but to address these with thoughtful facilitation that doesn’t shame people, and which majors on the majors.
Kris Rocke, Executive Director, Street Psalms, Tacoma WA. – “We are living in chaotic times that have people asking fundamental questions like, ‘What does it means to be human and build communities of human flourishing?’ If there is a future to the local church, leaning into questions like this is a good place to start.”
Jasiel Hernandez Garcia, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church Kerrville, TX – “An important trend I have noticed in my ministry context (small town, primarily republican, older white population in the Texas Hill Country) is that folks show a great interest in non-partisan sermons in which we tackle heavy topics, but we do not target particular groups. This is also reflected during Sunday school. People seem exhausted of hearing about politics and divisions, but still want to learn and discern together how to be faithful stewards and committed disciples in our community.”
Prioritizing matters of discipleship and human flourishing requires carefully contextualizing the types of spaces we create, in light of the particular needs and assets of a community, and with a view toward forging deep relational connections (which often combine both conventional/traditional means as well as more alternative/innovative ones). Rev Garcia and others get at this dynamic from different angles.
Rev Garcia: “Additionally, fellowship activities seem to be a big draw for most of our congregation. We host at least three events per month that are meant to be intergenerational. We still haven’t seen an increase in younger families, but the welcoming atmosphere these events provide has helped us build a more resilient and understanding church. And lastly, something we have been discerning/thinking about is how to focus on our strengths. We do not need to be ‘all things for all people.’ We are still working on how to maintain and expand what we do well.”
Susan Rogers, Founder, The Well at Springfield. Jacksonville, FL – “I am noticing a need for new “containers” for exploring & practicing faith in community. Experimenting with alternative ways of gathering enlivens existing congregations and helps them to see themselves, their relationship with the wider community and their mission in fresh ways.”
Kelly Chatman, Executive Director, Center for Leadership and Neighborhood Engagement, Minneapolis, MN – “Younger Christians, raised in the church, continue to believe in God but suffer from “church.” Often it is not their experience of hurt as much as their empathy for others. They often go to less formal expression of faith. Those expressions may be deep in ritual but more engaged in social justice.”
Several of these TMC leaders focused on the experiences of pastors and other similarly situated leaders in these ministry spaces and efforts. The two responses below are indicative of a tension we’ve noticed over the past couple of years, that there is indeed a great deal of loneliness out there, but the nature of it, how we interpret or makes sense of it, and sustainable ways of addressing it are nebulous, especially given the numerous factors that seem to contribute to it (institutionally, culturally, spiritually, psychologically, geographically, etc.)
Katie Nakamura Rengers, church planter and staff officer for Church Planting for The Episcopal Church. Birmingham, AL – “Clergy who are really trying to engage the present moment and be available to their neighbors in ways that are differ from the traditional “sociology of church” (Verlon Fosner’s term), are doing it in isolation. There is some pretty profound loneliness going on, and judicatories generally do not think they are responsible for helping build local clergy community. (obviously, I think they should be). The loneliness then breeds a sense of futility.”
Laura Murray, Director of Spiritual Engagement and Formation, Fuller Seminary. Dallas, TX – “Leadership does not have to be as lonely as (leaders) think it is and how they compound their loneliness through past narratives and adopted false narratives. A leader may have a unique role, but it doesn’t have to be a lonely one. The US gymnastics teams in this Olympics are evidence of that shift in that sport and I think it is true for ministry leaders as well. For congregations and even staffs – we have kept them in adolescence spiritually and dependent on leaders (parent figures).”
If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to contact Adam Borneman at aborneman@mministry.org. Our staff is always available to you as you pursue the joys and challenges of leadership.
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