Heh. Lots of "that's too long, I will never read it, sum it up for me."
So, given the subject, why not:
1. Healthy churches should support ministers who prioritize their own families. In fact, that's a good sign all around. Should you have to quit to be able to do so? Well, it's complicated. But often that's how it plays out. Is that always because the church is unhealthy? No, but too often it is, otherwise why did they have to make that choice?
2. If a church would have the choice between being wealthy or healthy, I assure you, healthy is better. You can't increase pay or benefits to stay ahead of the stresses of ministry if an unhealthy church culture is whittling away pieces of your minister.
3. I really don't know the answer to this, but basically the way to know you're healthy as a church is if you do good discernment on your leadership roles (in my tradition, elders, diaconate, officers). If you do a ton of discernment on calling a new minister, but "slot fill" for leadership, it's not going to end up well for minister or church. Does doing more intentional discernment on calling your lay leadership make you a healthy church? I suspect so, but am not entirely clear on how a not-healthy church becomes more healthy . . . while I suspect whatever spiritual disciplines it takes to get to intentional discernment on leadership roles will do.
4. It's not that more churches are unhealthy, or that more ministers are fragile. It's that the times have changed & external stresses increased to where being spiritually healthy isn't an improvement, it's a necessity, for survival as a viable corporate body in our current social moment. What used to be "good enough" isn't going to work anymore. Intentional spiritual disciplines, and a commitment to discernment in church culture & governance, are all absolute necessities.
Jeff, I finally read through the Departure piece. I chose not to comment, in part because I'm retired. I retired in June 2021, but I made the decision before COVID. That said, being 63 when I retired, I might have retired anyway. I found some of Departure's reasoning suspect, but we all have our own reasons for leaving. I spent 23 years in pastoring, so I made it past the point that 90% of colleagues had departed. I am concerned though for the newest cohort if so many choose not to continue. Not sure how to support them, though I'll do my best!
Heh. Lots of "that's too long, I will never read it, sum it up for me."
So, given the subject, why not:
1. Healthy churches should support ministers who prioritize their own families. In fact, that's a good sign all around. Should you have to quit to be able to do so? Well, it's complicated. But often that's how it plays out. Is that always because the church is unhealthy? No, but too often it is, otherwise why did they have to make that choice?
2. If a church would have the choice between being wealthy or healthy, I assure you, healthy is better. You can't increase pay or benefits to stay ahead of the stresses of ministry if an unhealthy church culture is whittling away pieces of your minister.
3. I really don't know the answer to this, but basically the way to know you're healthy as a church is if you do good discernment on your leadership roles (in my tradition, elders, diaconate, officers). If you do a ton of discernment on calling a new minister, but "slot fill" for leadership, it's not going to end up well for minister or church. Does doing more intentional discernment on calling your lay leadership make you a healthy church? I suspect so, but am not entirely clear on how a not-healthy church becomes more healthy . . . while I suspect whatever spiritual disciplines it takes to get to intentional discernment on leadership roles will do.
4. It's not that more churches are unhealthy, or that more ministers are fragile. It's that the times have changed & external stresses increased to where being spiritually healthy isn't an improvement, it's a necessity, for survival as a viable corporate body in our current social moment. What used to be "good enough" isn't going to work anymore. Intentional spiritual disciplines, and a commitment to discernment in church culture & governance, are all absolute necessities.
Jeff, I finally read through the Departure piece. I chose not to comment, in part because I'm retired. I retired in June 2021, but I made the decision before COVID. That said, being 63 when I retired, I might have retired anyway. I found some of Departure's reasoning suspect, but we all have our own reasons for leaving. I spent 23 years in pastoring, so I made it past the point that 90% of colleagues had departed. I am concerned though for the newest cohort if so many choose not to continue. Not sure how to support them, though I'll do my best!