Developing Ministry?

I serve on the Board of Governors of our local Primary School. Alongside speaking in Assembly and teaching some RE lessons, it's a way of being involved in the school, and engaging with the wider community. I'm coming to the end of my second year on the Board, and it has opened my eyes to everything that is involved in managing and maintaining a school.

Within the Board of Governors, there are different roles and responsibilities, shared out among the members. I'm one of two Governor reviewers for the Principal's PRSD (Performance Review and Staff Development). In June, we meet together with the Principal and an external adviser to review the past year's performance in terms of their specific objectives, and to set the new objectives for the coming year.

The three objectives are within the areas of: 1. Leadership and management; 2. Pupil and curriculum development; 3. Personal and professional development of the principal. The objectives are also SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound).

In turn, the Principal reviews the PRSD of the teachers in the school, under three similar but slightly different areas, reflecting the different responsibilities: 1. Professional practice; 2. Pupil and curriculum development; 3. Personal and professional development of the teacher.

Coming away from the review meeting last week, it made me wonder about some form of PRSD for ministers in the Church of Ireland. As it stands, there is no model of performance reviewing and development planning as far as I can see. Perhaps it happens in some dioceses, but I've never experienced it.

It needn't be an onerous task - certainly not as detailed as the Annual Appraisal that Doctors endure, in which they produce a full ring binder of evidence of their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) - reflections on their reading, courses and lectures attended, and a certain number of learning hours spent in development; Quality Improvement Activity - auditing their work; Significant events - reflections on particular cases, and how they might do things differently; Feedback from colleagues and patients; and Records of compliments and complaints. I'm certainly not recommending that something as detailed be done, having watched the process of compiling such a portfolio.

If there was some form of review and planning, I think it would be incredibly helpful for those in ministry. Some structured, even if informal, way of reviewing the previous year of ministry, reflecting on particular challenges; as well as identifying two or three areas for focused learning and development.

Perhaps they could be structured around the themes of:
1. Theology (some particular branch or area of theology you want to learn more about e.g. Ecclesiology, or the Holy Spirit, or Biblical theology or Systematic theology, or committing to studying one Bible book intensively);
2. Pastoral (some area of pastoral ministry that you would wish to develop or improve - ministry to the sick / elderly / housebound / marriage prep / Baptism prep etc);
3. Professional - although immediately I recognise that isn't the right word, but I'm struggling to come up with the word, prompted by John Piper's challenging book, 'Brothers, we are not professionals'. This would look at the practical doing of ministry, including prayer, preparing liturgy, preaching prep, conducting meetings, choosing priorities, managing diary and time commitments etc. Perhaps Practical Ministry is the term I'm looking.
4. Personal - looking at home life, making sure time is managed well to ensure days off and holiday time is taken; maintaining and developing outside interests/hobbies; investing in friendships etc.

When at Theological College, we were always warned by the example of a previous anonymous student, who allegedly said that on graduating he was looking forward to never opening another book, because his studies were now finished. So how can we build some form of reviewing and planning into our ministry? How do we ensure that we haven't given up on reading, learning and growing; content to get stuck in a rut, just doing the same old things as we count down the days until retirement?

Some of my colleagues may not want or appreciate a top-down episcopal-imposed 'review', particularly Church of Ireland rectors with the security of parson's freehold. Perhaps we could develop something like this from the bottom up, for those who would appreciate such accountability, and mutual encouragement to keep going and keep growing in ministry.

Today marks the 8th anniversary of my ordination as a Deacon in Dromore Cathedral. God's grace has been amazing, through the highs and lows of pastoral ministry. God is faithful, and in his grace, we'll have many more years of ministry. In his word, he shows us how to do it, in words written by the apostle Paul to his young colleague, Timothy:

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practise these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Tim 4:6-16)

Paul speaks about training yourself for godliness - toiling and striving in it, because we have set our hope on God. The Olympic athlete doesn't just turn up at the stadium in Rio and have a go at running or jumping. They've been training hard for the past four years, their eye on the gold medal. It involves hard work, commitment, dedication, blood, sweat and tears. Are we as committed to godliness?

Young Timothy was to set an example to the believers - by no means perfectly, but so that all could see his progress. That's the review question - have I grown in the past year? How have things changed, improved and progressed? The planning phase comes under the keeping a close watch on 'yourself and on the teaching' - your life and your doctrine. The apostle Paul would, I feel, get behind such a review and planning strategy - not for its own sake; not to add another thing onto packed schedules; not as a burden; but simply as a way of growing in godliness and effectiveness in gospel ministry. With that aim in mind, it could be a very useful procedure.

Book Review: Building Below the Waterline

Building Below the Waterline by Gordon MacDonald was recommended to me as a book to read on leadership. I'm hesitant about the obsession with 'leadership', especially when it seems to be business world wisdom applied to the church. The book was fine, and readable, but I'm not sure I would recommend it to others.

The title comes from the story of the erection of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. After months of construction work, there was still no sign of anything visible, and the public began to question the cost and the progress. But the construction firm were building below the waterline, putting in solid foundations so that what was above the water would stand firm, and indeed has done ever since. That's the metaphor MacDonald pursues, urging the reader to build solid foundations in the unseen, private world of the soul, so that public leadership is assured. The book is divided into those two sections - the inner life of a leader, and the outer life of a leader.

The book comes at the end of MacDonald's career, and acts as a reflection on a life of ministry and leadership. There are many allusions to some kind of breakdown or disgrace, but the story is never told, so the reader coming in ignorance is left in confusion and imagining the worst. Perhaps if this had addressed or explained in some way, the book would have made more sense.

As it is, the chapters are short, the practical application is ready-made, but I'm not sure that there's much of scripture in it. Rather, it seems to be practical pragmatism with some spiritual sweetener on top. It's fine, but not what I'd want to build my life on, above or below the waterline. In a similar vein, I much preferred Letters to a Young Pastor by Calvin Miller.

Building Below the Waterline by Gordon MacDonald is available for Kindle.

Book Review: South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917

The Kindle did it again! I've said before that books can transport you to places and experiences you would never otherwise encounter, and so it was with this free Kindle ebook, leading to a chilly read. Sir Ernest Shackleton was one of the great polar explorers, and this volume invites you to travel with him on his attempted expedition across Antarctica. As the world began to go to war in 1914, Shackleton and his dedicated band of adventurers were setting off to explore the Antarctic region, including a trek across the South Pole from one side to the other. This is the story of their journey.

From the outset, the reader is told that the expedition failed in its objective, but nevertheless 'there are chapters in this book of high adventure, strenuous days, lonely nights, unique experiences, and, above all, records of unflinching determination, supreme loyalty, and generous self-sacrifice on the part of my men.' (foreward). The reader is transported to the barren wilds of the South Pole and the whole polar region, with stories of football played on ice floes, long months of winter darkness, hunting for penguins and seals, dodging sharks and killer whales, low food stocks, and scary moments.

Early on, Shackleton's boat becomes stuck in the ice field, and the party have to set out on sledge and foot across the ice, not having made it to 'dry land' yet. Their bravery knows no bounds, in that terrible and desolate place; with courage and encouragement keeping their spirits high as they urge each other on through moments of thirst and hunger, as well as the sadness of losing the dog sled teams. The puniness of man compared to the wonders of Nature were felt: 'We had seen God in His splendours, heard the text that Nature renders. We had reached the naked soul of man.' (p. 115)

There were some insights into Shackleton's sense of responsibility and thoughts on leadership:

'I confess that I felt the burden of responsibility sit heavily on my shoulders; but on the other hand, I was stimulated and cheered by the attitude of the men. Loneliness is the penalty of leadership, but the man who has to make the decisions is assisted greatly if he feels that there is no uncertainty in the minds of those who follow him, and that his orders will be carried out confidently and in expectation of success.' (p. 68)

At the same time, there was a quiet confidence in the Providence of the Almighty God: 'When I look back at those days I have no doubt that Providence guided us, not only across those snowfields, but across the storm-white sea... I know that during that long and racking march of thirty-six hours over the unnamed mountains and glaciers of South Georgia it seemed to me often that we were four, not three.'

That crossing had been when Shackleton took two of the party with him in an attempt to bring help from the whaling station at South Georgia, having crossed the sea in a little boat entirely unsuited to such a journey. The lieutenant left in charge of the remaining men on the ice had an infectious leadership style, brimming with confidence that spilled over into his companions:

'Wild reckoned that help would come in August, and every morning he had packed his kit, in cheerful anticipation that proved infectious, as I have no doubt it was meant to be... "You see, boss, Wild never gave up hope, and whenever the sea was at all clear of ice he rolled up his sleeping bag and said to all hands, 'Roll up your sleeping bags boys; the boss may come today." Talk about an illustration for an eschatalogical hope!

This was a fascinating read, both chilling and yet inspiring. Chilling, because with the constant depiction of ice and snow and temperature of 0 degrees Farenheit (let alone Celsius!), it makes the reader a little cold, even in the heat. Inspiring, because of the leadership provided by Shackleton and the willingness of the men to serve and help and encourage each other. All in all, it was a remarkable journey, even if unsuccessful, and well worth reading for the bargain price of £0.00! South can be downloaded from Amazon for the Kindle.

The Gazette on Jensen

Following the recent visit of Peter Jensen, the Archbishop of Sydney to St Saviour's Church, Dollingstown, the write-up in the Church of Ireland Gazette was very favourable. As well as the main article on Jensen's rallying cry, the editorial was positive in welcoming the development of the establishment of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). On the Gazette website there's also a half-hour interview with the Archbishop which is well worth a listen!

Retreating

Just a quick posting from Newcastle, where I'm on our CME retreat. CME stands for Continuing Ministry Education, and is a programme for ministers in their first three years of Curacy. As well as providing a monthly get-together for curates gathering around the Word of God with a meal, it allows us to discuss issues we encounter and continue to learn!

At the end of each year's series there is a retreat in the Glenada Centre. The venue is excellent, food great, and as I discovered earlier, WiFi in the main building! As we meet in the conference room, or eat meals, we're looking out onto Dundrum Bay and towards the Irish Sea. Even better, the weather has been mostly good.

Part of the idea behind the retreat is to de-stress, so I was out last night with the camera in Kilkeel- expect photos when I'm home again. This afternoon we had some free time and I did an impromptu tour of the Kingdom of Mourne, round by Bryansford, Spelga Dam, discovered the ruins of Clonduff old church, Hilltown, Warrenpoint, Rostrevor and back by Kilkeel and Annalong.

However the main reason we're here is to do business with God, being sustained and refreshed by His Word. Bishop Ken Clarke has been leading our sessions. Last night he spoke on our call to follow Jesus. Sometimes we can be so busy leading others we forget to follow. Further, the call to follow means leaving the nets behind, the old habits which have a hold on us. While there is the initial leaving of nets when we come to faith, there are other things we also need to leave behind as we continue on the journey.

Today has been spent looking at the privileges and pressures of ministry, and dealing with stress. Lots to think about and act upon. Back to home tomorrow and back to parish life.

Refreshing The Vision

Last night I was present at the evening in St Saviour's Church, Dollingstown (one of my training parishes), hosted by the Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy (EFIC). The speaker was the Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, who spoke on 'Refreshing The Vision.'

The vision to be refreshed is that of the (Anglican) Church's commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over His Church, and of recognising God's authority in the Bible. It was a stirring, and very challenging, call to stand for the faith once delivered to the saints, in the midst of worldwide turmoil as the Church departs from the Scriptures in the area of human sexuality.

Speaking from Jeremiah 9:12-26, he pointed out three major things, as God spoke to the Old Testament Church, which God is still speaking to the Church today:

1. The crisis Jeremiah is dealing with came about because the people of God turned away from his word. It was, essentially, a crisis of authority - would they listen to and obey God's voice, or would they listen to and obey the world, the flesh and the devil? 'Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it, but have stubbornly followed after their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them' (verses 13-14)

2. The crisis is the unleashing of God's wrath against his disobedient people. In verses 15-22, we see the terrible picture of the Lord's judgement in Israel, and judgement always comes first on the Church. Part of the current problems is that we haven't taken sin seriously at all - rather there is the 'sanctifying of sin' - saying that sin and our sinful actions aren't actually a problem. The 'inclusive Jesus' is spoken about, without the call to repentance, the call to change.

3. The Lord's people ought to be like the LORD - both in understanding and knowing Him, and in practicing steadfast love, justice and righteousness, because in these things, the LORD delights.

In another post, I'll write some more on his thoughts on the implications of the current crisis in Anglicanism, as well as what is needed in this hour. But even the above provides food for thought.

Sermon Audio: Titus 1: 5-9

On Sunday night I was preaching from Titus chapter 1 on Paul;s directions to Titus to appoint elders and overseers/bishops. Here's the sermon audio mp3 from the meeting in the halls.




Download this sermon

Sermon: Titus 1: 5-9 Christian Leaders

I wonder if you’ve ever been to Crete. It’s an island in the Mediterranean Sea, and the holiday brochures look great. With white beaches and stunning mountains, you can see why someone would go there on holiday.

Tonight we’re continuing our study in the letter of Paul to Titus, and as we see, Titus is not there for a holiday. As we found last week, Titus is a younger colleague of Paul’s, involved in preaching the good news of Jesus and leading the church in that place. From the start of tonight’s reading, it’s clear what the task of Titus is. ‘This is why I left you in Crete, that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.’ (v. 5)

So Titus is to appoint church leaders. What should he be looking for in prospective leaders? And for us – what should we be looking for in church leaders, both current, and future? Well, as we’ll see, the important things to look for in church leaders link in with the overall theme of the letter to Titus: Truth which accords with godliness. (1:1)

So as we look at our passage tonight, we’ll see that church leaders must hold to the truth, and also must have a life of godliness. But just before we get into that, a quick reminder of just who church leaders are. Look at verse 7. ‘For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach.’ So the church leader, in whatever role, (here the words elder and overseer/bishop refer to the same people), is a steward of God. It’s the position of responsibility over a household, the chief servant – illustrations that help us to see that Christian leadership isn’t about lording it over people, but about following in the example of the Lord Jesus in humble service.

So what should Christian leaders look like? First, we’ll look at their knowledge of the truth, then we’ll look at the accompanying godliness. So what of the truth in their lives?

Verse 9 shows us clearly. ‘He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.’ You see, the leader is not free to make up his own doctrine, or to invent new things to teach about God and the gospel. There is the ‘trustworthy word’ – the authentic, authoritative word of the gospel, passed on by Jesus and the apostles to faithful men who have passed it on to us. We have the trustworthy word in the Scriptures – as Paul says, the trustworthy word as taught. We can only trust the words of the Bible, the authentic teaching about the Lord Jesus.

So many supposedly Christian leaders are departing from the trustworthy word, and their people suffer.

The leader then, in particular, must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught. Holding firm – I was visiting a house this week, and a wee dog came and grabbed the front of my shoe, and it held on firm! It wasn’t going to let go! Or think of someone who has slipped from a balcony, holding firm to the edge – to do otherwise is to perish.

Yet, as we see from the rest of the verse, it’s not just holding firm to the Scriptures in order to pass a ‘soundness test’ or a doctrine exam. No, it’s in order to do two connected things. First, to give instruction in sound doctrine; and second to rebuke those who contradict it. Next week we’ll see just why the need for holding firm and rebuking was so vital, with false teachers on Crete.

Remember that the theme of the letter is truth and godliness. This is just as much necessary in Christian leaders, who will then be able to lead and help the rest of the church to progress in these matters. We see the concern with godliness in verses 6 to 8. Each verse neatly breaks down the matter of godliness for prospective leaders into three areas – home, negatives, and positives.

Starting with home, then, verse 6. ‘If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery and insubordination.’ That ‘above reproach’ doesn’t mean that Christian leaders are perfect. Far from it – if the bar for leadership was perfection, then there would be no leaders! But what it does mean is that there could be no accusations against the person. You’ll see it repeated in verse 7, but first what would no accusations mean in home life? Well, he would be faithful to his wife, if married, and his family will be believers. Why is this? Well, the church is a family, albeit bigger than our individual families. As Paul writes to Timothy, ‘for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?’ (1 Tim 3:5).

We’ve already noticed the start of verse 7, and again we see the words ‘must be above reproach’. What does it mean for the church leader’s conduct to be above reproach? Paul outlines five negatives, and then six positives.

‘He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain.’ As we look at this list, it’s probably very easy to see why these qualities would not be useful for those in the teacher-pastor role of leadership. It might be easy to be arrogant if we hold the truth, but it will not help the proclamation of that truth. In pastoring people, it’s not a good idea to be quick-tempered or violent – disastrous things may result! Similarly, the drunkard’s dependence is not on God, but on something else – in this case the bottle. And finally, some may see leadership as a way to gain financially. Do you see how these various features are all about putting self first – my opinions, my anger, my addictions, my fists, my pocket. And all stem from a lack of self-control.

As we scan the other list, verse 8, the positive qualities to look for in Christian leaders, we see the opposite of self first. In contrast to the lack of self-control, we find it twice here, being ‘self-controlled and disciplined.’ This putting of others first also shows up in being hospitable (willing to open your home and life), and in being a lover of good. The last two words speak of being upright and holy. Upright is in terms of being honest in your dealings with people, and holy is the word for devout in your attitude to God.

So what do we do with our passage tonight? If you’re already in church leadership (and I’m speaking to myself here as much as anyone else), then are these qualities developing all the more? How is your knowledge of the truth and your godliness growing?

If you’re considering Christian leadership soon or at some point in the future, then are these qualities evident in your life?

But maybe you’ve been sitting back thinking, well, all that’s well and good, but I’m never going to be in leadership. I’ve no intention, and therefore it all doesn’t apply to me. Friends, there is still much to respond to here in the passage. First, be praying for those who lead – that they will hold firm in the midst of temptations and pressures from lots of sources. Also pray for those who are considering leadership, and for those who make the selections.

But also vitally important to recognise is this: truth and godliness is not just the reserve of the rector and the curate. It’s not just a thing for the Select Vestry. It’s not just for the keen people who turn up to everything. Knowledge of the truth and godliness of the leaders is important, precisely as they can lead the Christians in the church to follow the same path.

In a few weeks time we’ll see that in practice for all members of the church, in chapter 2. So even now I’ll challenge you – as the leaders seek to grow in truth and godliness, are you also growing?

There’s a section of the ordination service, which I want to finish with this evening: ‘Because none of us can bear the weight of this ministry in our own strength, but only by the grace and power of God, let us pray earnestly for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on these persons. Let us pray also that God will each day enlarge and enlighten their understanding of the Scriptures, so that they may grow stronger and more mature in their ministry, as they fashion their lives and the lives of the people they serve on the word of God.’

There’s that double emphasis on truth and godliness. Even so, let us pray!



Discussion Questions

1. What does Paul mean by requiring elders to be above reproach? Why is this so important?

2. Is the quality of life expected of church leaders in the public eye too high or too low? Do we expect more from them than the ‘normal’ Christian? Why?

3. What does it mean to hold firm to the trustworthy word?

This sermon was preached at Sundays at 6.30 in St Elizabeth's Halls, Dundonald on Sunday evening 15th March, 2009, continuing our new series in the Letter to Titus.