Barnabas File

In the wake of the resignation of the pastor of a megachurch in our area, the local paper published an article citing the findings of a survey related to pastoral attrition: “LifeWay Research also found that 40 percent left pastoral work before age 65 because they had a change in calling, 25 percent cited a conflict in a church, 12 percent left because of personal finances and 12 percent left for family issues. The online survey conducted in 2015 asked questions of 734 former senior pastors who left in four Protestant denominations, and respondents could choose more than one reason.” In reviewing these results, most of us realize that if a person is continually dealing with conflict, financial concerns, or family issues, he or she will probably consider “a change in calling” for personal well-being and relationship health!  We expect too much of our senior leaders and often fail to provide the support they need in setting bou...

The pastor cares for the congregation, but who cares for the pastor? I often hear the phrase "a healthy pastor makes for a healthy church," but we will only have healthy pastors as well as other clergy leaders if we are intentional in providing the support they need.  Unfortunately, many churches do not yet see the need to invest in their ministers.   Whatever the church can do assure the health of the pastor and staff--spirituality, physically, emotionally--produces a great return on the investment. Every change of pastor or staff member challenges the smooth functioning of the congregation. When a pastor leaves, churches not only go through a time of transition, but members are called on to invest time and money in finding a new pastor.  The same is often true in replacing an effective staff minister. In most cases, a longer pastor or staff tenure benefits the congregation, providing continuity and assuring forward momentum. In a like ...

As I read the story of the Good Samaritan during my devotional today, I was reminded of the times that I have heard the story in the Christian education setting of the local church--as a youngster in primary and intermediate classes (old terminology), as a young adult in college classes, and then as an adult, often teaching the passage myself.     The characters and story line are very familiar due to these experiences of Christian education. These are challenging times for Christian education in the church.  Like so much of what is happening in the church today, the old forms do not seem to support present needs.  What once worked no longer seems to be effective.  Christian education or the formation of believers is in a state of flux. In an article on ethicsdaily.com , retired professor Colin Harris addresses this issue. He points out that the period of the 60’s and 70’s  “saw the beginnings of a loss of vitality within the educa...

Do you feel stuck?   You know what I mean.     You are overcome with responsibilities and find yourself in a type of paralysis.     Or perhaps you just have too much on your plate--a lot of good choices but no clear priorities.    Or maybe there is something that keeps you up at night and requires resolution. If you want to be proactive and get out of this situation, there are a number of options available to you. The International Coach Federation (ICF) has posted a decision chart that might be helpful in making a choice. The options are not limited to coaching. There are several paths you might take. Psychotherapy.   Therapy or counseling helps a person to deal with unresolved issues from the past or present such as grief, anger, or loss.  The therapist or counselor helps the client define the issues and develop coping strategies to deal with emotions and relationships in more productive ways. Mentor...

What are signs of hope in congregational life today?     Eddie Hammett, president of Transforming Solutions, LLC , was asked this question in an interview in the March/April issue of Nurturing Faith Journal.    Always looking for positive comments about the future, I found Hammett’s responses to be informative. First, “the perseverance of the few leaders who are open to the Spirit’s leading, innovative thinking and risk-taking leadership strategies.”  My only disagreement with Hammett is that I think there are more than a few congregational and denominational leaders who realize that the old approaches no longer work. Some have realized this too late, I am afraid, but others have caught the wind of the Spirit and are ready to engage in something new. Second, Hammett cites Christian coaching that offers hope to “individuals, teams, churches, and denominations that face steep learning curves” and “overwhelming challenges” but seek something that is...

A Mythic and Rich Legacy The life and accomplishments of the saint we call Patrick have certainly been embellished and enhanced by early hagiography and centuries of veneration.  Historians assume that some acts attributed to Patrick were either done by others or are simply good stories that have become part of his legend.  In death, Patrick is undoubtedly a much larger presence that he was in actual life.  This is true with so many religious and historical figures.  They may have been decisive, even heroic, figures but we can no longer separate the person from the legend. Not only is Patrick an iconic figure, he has also become linked with what we know call Celtic Christianity.  Thomas Cahill’s book  How the Irish Saved Civilization  introduced the rich tradition of the Celtic and specifically Irish contributions to a mass audience.  George Hunter drew on similar ideas for  The Celtic Way of Evan...

Parker Palmer is one of my favorite authors.   This quote from Palmer recently came to my attention: "The good news is that God loves us, and we’re all created in God’s image. And if you really believe that today, then that means staying grounded in that good news, being open to the world, taking creative risks and investing yourself and your resources." As I read this passage, I became aware that this provides a good theological basis for coaching. First, we are all created  in God’s image .  As I am involved in coaching my clients, I am aware they are individuals created in the image of God.  They are special and unique.  No matter where they are in their spiritual walk, they are important to God and to me. Second, my approach to coaching is  grounded in the good news .  For me that means everyone has the potential to be “transformed by the renewing of [the] mind” (Romans 12:2) and seeing life through the perspe...

Eliot and Emily Roberts are two of my ministry heroes.  When they started Neverfail Community Church on the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee about 20 years ago, they realized that the challenges were significant.  This area has one of the highest rates of production and use of methamphetamine in the nation.  At  least 33 percent of those in the area have not achieved a high school diploma or GED. Only a small proportion of families have heads of household with year-round full-time employment.  Early in the life of the church, Eliot told me a key part of their philosophy:  ministry must be done with people rather than to them.  Often, we assume what others need and seek to supply it, then we are disappointed when they do not embrace our generosity.  The rejection is not necessarily due to hostility but because we are not offering what they really need. Before we invest in helping others, we might first ask ...

A number of researchers and writers in recent years have addressed the subject of employee satisfaction and engagement.    There seems to be universal agreement that the more engaged an employee is the more likely that he or she will be productive, healthy, and stay with the organization. Mark Miller has written several books on developing a high-performance organization-- Chess Not Checkers (being strategic), Leaders Made Here (building a leadership culture), Talent Magnet (attracting and keeping the best people), and now Win the Heart on creating a culture of full engagement. Miller’s key question is, “if people see their work as just a job, why would they bring their full, best self to work?”  Using the familiar business fable approach, the author maps how business owner Blake Brown discovers the keys to creating a workplace where people are excited, engaged, and energized by what they do. Drawing on insights from Civil Rights leaders, Renaissan...

Bob Tiede has observed, “Leadership is not as much about knowing the right answers but asking the right questions.”     In situations where the leader of an organization is chosen for his or her knowledge, knowledge can quickly become obsolete.     Rapid change and the proliferation of information require the ability to learn and grow.    One way to learn and grow is to ask good questions and obtain new knowledge. This begins with asking good questions of other members of your team.  Not only does this provide needed information but communicates the leader’s confidence in team members to be (or become) the people with the answers. They are on the front lines, so they should be engaged in assessing needs, discovering resources, and providing answers. Asking good questions of those you serve is also important.  The coach of one of my grandchildren’s basketball team pulled the kids aside at the end of a practice and said, “...

In a blog for the International Coach Federation, Diane Craig discussed leadership styles for aspiring leaders.  Some are suited for short-term situations where immediate impact is needed. Others are best when there is time and space to provide leadership over the long term.  Most pastors find themselves in situations where long term strategies of leadership can be implemented.  Craig identifies those as Visionary, Participative, and Coaching. According to Craig, a visionary style “establishes standards and monitors performance in relation to the larger vision.” This might be called an inspirational or aspirational style.  The participative leader “invites employees to participate in the development of decisions and actively seeks opportunities for consensus.” The goal here is to develop a smoothly functioning, cohesive team of people to accomplish something.  This often complements a visionary style. Participat...

In a recent conversation with a denominational leader, we both agreed very quickly that each church is unique.   Not only is a church situated in a particular geographic context, but it has people with different gifts and opinions and a history of past experiences that is formative.    When a church enters into a process of transformation, its uniqueness can make it difficult to “get all the ducks in a row.”  Getting everyone moving in the same direction can be a challenge.  This is what we call alignment.  In church transformation, two types of alignment are necessary.   First, we attempt to align the people to move in the same direction.  This begins with spiritual and relational vitality, but the next step is communication about the way forward.  This can only take place in face-to-face communication.  Surveys gather information, but they do not engage people.  Newsletters and so...

Wespath, the benefits and investment entity of United Methodists, recently published a report titled, “Clergy Health Factors--What Matters Most.”    The report states, “Healthy churches and congregations foster healthy clergy and church leaders--and vice-versa.” The report identified 13 factors that influence clergy health.  Some are specific to the Methodist system--“stressors of the appointment process” and “appointment changes and relocation” --but might be translated into similar challenges in other denominational contexts.  Some deal with issues that might be addressed through formal counseling--“personal centeredness” and “marital and family satisfaction.” The rest of the list reflects the concerns that I often see articulated by pastors in coaching conversations. For example, “relationship with congregation,” “work/life balance,” “existential burdens of ministry,” and “outside interests and social life.”   The study stresses ...

During a recent conversation with a pastor friend, we discovered that he had been the pastor 20 years ago of a church that I worked as a consultant last year.    As we talked about the church, we realized that very little had changed, including a major annual event that was still an important part of church life. Churches have a tendency to institutionalize events and other offerings that are successful the first time around. These events quickly become a tradition in the life of the church, whether the original purpose continues to be achieved.  One church I visited continued to have a Swedish luncheon annually even though few of the members were still Swedish and did not know any Swedish dishes to prepare! When is it time to pull the plug on activities that seem to have outlived their usefulness?  Here are some questions church leadership might consider in making that decision. First, does it still fulfill the purpose for which it was desig...

You’ve seen it happen.     A motivated, well-meaning group of leaders decides to provide a ministry, program, or outreach that will change the lives of a particular segment of the population. They gather the resources, train the providers, deliver the intervention . . . and it falls flat on its face.     What happened? There may be multiple causes for the failure, but one could be that those delivering the intervention never stopped to talk to those who were the designated recipients.  Perhaps the project failed to meet a real need, duplicated another service, was offered at the wrong time, or failed to understand the values of the recipients. There are times when the intervention might even be offensive. In recent years, several processes have been developed—total quality management, asset-based community development, and design thinking, for example—that begin with those who know more about the concern or problem than anyone else: ...

Theological education as we know it is a construct that is relatively new in Christian history. In a recent article in Christian Century , Ryan Bonfiglio points out that the first seminary for clerical training was established by the Roman Catholic Church in 1563.    Since then, other streams of influence--European and American, theological and sociological, ecclesiastical and educational--have shaped the models of theological education with which we are familiar today. In his article, Bonfiglio suggests that we rethink our assumptions about where theological education happens and reconsider the role of the church in ministerial formation.   Bonfiglio’s ideas stimulate us to consider other alternative models for equipping ministers. For example, if we take missional theology seriously, what would a missional seminary look like?  Missional theology challenges us in three ways. First, we should reconsider the context in which we live and r...

We cannot motivate others.     We can provide an environment in which people can become motivated, but real motivation comes from within.     In the same way, a leader cannot make people into innovators.  If this is true, then what is the role of the leader in innovation?  How much can a leader do to foster innovation among others?   Alec Horniman is the Killgallon Ohio Art Professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, teaching in the areas of ethics, strategy and leadership.  He suggests three actions that a leader can do to foster innovation.  First, invite people to join the process of innovation.  The innovative leader invites others along on the journey. He or she is not only a role model but a resource, sharing experiences and opportunities.  An innovative leader invites others to be part of the process and to learn together.  An innovative leader does...