Barnabas File

  See, I am doing a new thing!     Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness     and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19, NIV)   In previous posts, we considered context, calling, and possibilities for church leadership in the future.  I am convinced that the Spirit of God is always at work among God’s people, providing ways forward that will allow the church’s mission to flourish.  In this post, I suggest five key issues for the church today, shifts in thinking from our current ways of dealing with them to new strategies, and leadership skills need to make the shift.  You may find my suggestions unsettling, even controversial, but please give them some thought.   First, a shift in theological training and the leadership roles of clergy.  With a decline in the number of seminary students who are seeking the Master of Divinity degree and the increase in ...

Something exciting is happening in our culture.     Churches and their leaders are being called upon to step up and provide hope and community in these challenging times.     This is a time for believers to engage.    In recent years, many religious leaders have seemed content to sit on the sidelines, wring their hands over the “decline of the church,” and avoid the charge of Jesus that “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40, NIV) Bold leadership--foot washing and witness--go hand in hand, but this only happens when leaders are empowered and supported.   In his new book,   Coaching as Spiritual Practice: Deepening Faith While Deepening Impact  Edward Hammett suggests one strategy to provide that kind of support.   “I would like to propose that churches, denominations, judicatories, and districts begin to cooperate to employ a coach in ...

Do you have what it takes to be a coaching leader?  A coaching leader is someone who encourages another person to identify his or her goals, discover the resources available to pursue those goals, develop action plans together, and then walk along beside that person in the process of achieving the person’s goals.  A coaching leader can apply these skills in working with groups and teams as well, multiplying his or her impact as a coach by including others in the process.   A coaching leader is strong in the elements that Daniel Goleman attributes to emotional intelligence:   Self-awareness. Self-regulation. Motivation. Empathy. Social skills.   These are skills that can be learned once a person understands his or her own emotional intelligence profile.  The more that you, as a leader, can manage each of these areas, the higher your emotional intelligence.  Emotional intelligence is essential to be an effective coaching leader. In ad...

The first real “job” for which I was paid was as a math tutor.  Considering that I failed Calculus in college, this is rather ironic.  I was a junior in high school and my math teacher recommended me as a tutor for an eighth grader.  The parents paid me ten dollars a session.   As I began working with this young man, I realized pretty quickly that he already knew what he was supposed to do.  He understood the calculations and was probably a better math student than I was!  The key was focus.  He needed someone who would just sit with him, respond to his work, and provide encouragement.  I did not need to be an expert; I just needed to be there.   I find myself in the same situation very often as a leadership coach.  As I talk with a client, I discover that not only does the person have the best knowledge of the situation we are discussing, but he or she has some ideas about how to address it in a p...

I was recently in a group where we were invited into a time of Centering Prayer.     The host asked each of us to select a “sacred word” as a focus for this time. Of course, I chose two works: “living water.”    This a significant phrase for me both inspirationally and theologically.   I grew up on the Gulf Coast and spent many summer days on the beach, both swimming in and observing the Gulf of Mexico.  The expanse of the Gulf reflected for me the immensity and power of God.  Its vastness spoke of God’s omnipotence and omnipresence.   In my more mature years, I have come of appreciate another source of water--mountain streams.  The flowing grace of a stream with its gentle mummering, calls me to consider the intimacy of God.  I accept and glory in the majesty of God, but most days I need to feel the closeness of God.   There are a couple of references that encourage me in this thought.   The  Didache ...

In previous posts, we have looked at the context in which future clergy leaders will serve, one in which resources may be more limited, but there are options for those who are open to them. There are still churches with strong traditions on which to build.     The challenge is that they may no longer have full-time pastors.     We have also looked at the people who are training for pastoral roles in churches and realize that their numbers are declining.     We have also seen that these ministers in training bring specific gifts to ministry—some with strong life experiences and some with a focused approach to ministry.    Here are some possibilities for the future.   Large congregations that are stable and have adequate resources will continue to seek out pastoral leaders with Master of Divinity degrees as a minimum expectation but will most likely search for a Doctor of Ministry or Ph.D. graduate (or equivalent).  More will be open ...

If we are looking toward the future of clergy leadership, a good place to start is with theological education.  Who is in the “pipeline”?  The best source of this information is The Association of Theological Schools (ATS), the accrediting body for seminaries and schools of theology in North America.  Their report on students as of fall 2024, shows that theological education is experiencing a significant demographic and structural shift.     ATS data shows a total enrollment of approximately 76,500 students across member schools, representing a 1.8% increase from the previous year. Here are some trends:   Age and Life Stage.   The student body is getting older, reflecting a surge in mid-career professionals and "second career" seekers.  The average age of an entering student has risen to 40.4 years.   Approximately 14.8% of degree-seeking students are aged 56 or older.   Racial and Ethnic Dive...