Sustaining Pastoral Excellence

This week missionaries from the Latin America region of the Evangelical Covenant Church’s Department of World Mission are gathering in Mexico for a time of personal renewal, community building, and strategic planning. The first half of this gathering is designed as an SPE Caring Seminar, the first of the 2008-2009 competence cycle, geared specifically for missionaries. For more information about this gathering see the Covenant Newswire Story.

Religion in the News

A new report on the U.S. religious landscape from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life made headlines across the country. Below are two links for a series of demographic studies.

http://www.divinity.duke.edu/programs/spe/articles/200803/5.html

The Pew Forum: http://religions.pewforum.org/

The Pew Forum has some very valuable studies. There are good demographic breakdowns on a variety of topics of interest to pastoral leaders.

There are a growing number of books being written about “invisible” leadership - some backed by research. I have not yet worked may way through enough of these materials to have created a firm personal opinion. But I was intrigued that Duke University’s Sustaining Pastoral Excellence newsletter included an article on this topic for church leaders. Although there is much to challenge in this article, there is also much to consider. So the link is below if you would like to take a look!

http://www.divinity.duke.edu/programs/spe/articles/200802/1.html

Reflections On Excellence In Ministry

Faithful To The Call

A report on consultations by the Fund for Theological Education named 10 attributes of an excellent minister. These attributes highlight what was heard from ministers participating in the FTE consultations on Excellence in Ministry. The list is not intended to be exhaustive nor exclusive, but it does highlight attributes of excellence worth reflecting on.

1. Excellence ministers believe what they are proclaiming. Excellent ministers remain captivated by the story of the Gospel and cannot leave it alone.
2. Excellent ministers love their communities.
3. Excellent ministers display agility, flexibility and grace under pressure.
4. Excellent ministers know how to ask the right questions.
5. Excellent ministers are courageous.
6. Excellent ministers lead with strength and humility. Excellent ministers . . . are compelling people with a remarkabl capacity to turn attention away from themselves and lift up the work of Christ.
7. Excellent ministers know their limits. To be persuasive in their Christian witness, ministers must cultivate a strong sense of self-awareness.
8. Excellent ministers have thriving imagination.
9. Excellent ministers embrace lifelong learning.
10. Excellent ministers mentor.

This list did not provide precise definition for each of these attributes. However, the list does add to the dialog of excellence.

The complete text and streaming video of Bishop William H. Willimon’s sermon delivered February 5, 2007, at the Covenant Midwinter Conference, is available online. The theme of the conference was “Sustaining Pastoral Excellence: Pastoral Competence and Congregational Vitality.”