We Can Do Better

Charles Chandler

The reality is startling:

Over 20,000 clergy in Protestant/evangelical churches are forced from their ministry positions in the United states every year.
Just over half of these ministers will return to full-time ministry roles.
One consequence is that fewer seminary students are choosing parish ministry.
Only half of the seminary graduates will be in ministry roles ten years after graduation.

Charles Chandler, President of Transforming Clergy-Congregational Health Network, Inc., shared these statistics with 25 participants called together for a “think tank” in Ashland, Virginia, earlier this month. The group was challenged to provide input on these topics:

Characteristics of healthy relationships in congregations;
Conditions contributing to unhealthy relationships; and
Strategies fostering healthy relationships.

John Killinger and Trisha Miller Mandarijn

Being part of this two-day meeting was an intense, enlightening, and sometimes depressing experience. Those involved might be termed a “blue ribbon” team made up of lay leaders, pastors, denominational leaders, and seminary representatives. The discussion in the large group and in small groups was honest, realistic, but also hopeful

Reflections on all the information generated would be impossible, but these five questions seem to sum up the meeting:

How do we create trust?
How do we make the Gospel central for mission and vision?
How do we encourage caring relationships by sharing our faith stories?
How do we address continual change?
What is the role of leadership in this process?

Will Willimon and Charles Chandler

During the meeting, someone asked me, “What is the answer?” This discussion helps us to understand that there are many answers. This is a systemic problem, and the task is to identify the strategies that have the greatest potential leverage to improve the climate. Actions must involve clergy, laity, judicatories, and theological institutions.

There is a better way. This was a step in finding it.

Made possible by a financial grant from the Rotary Club of Richmond, the think tank was sponsored by Transforming Clergy-Congregational Health Network, Inc. Charles Chandler is President and Treasurer, Bob Dale is Vice President, and Arch Wallace is Secretary. Facilitators were Susan McBride and Kathryn W. Kruschwitz. Information here is used by permission.

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