Archive for April 30th, 2008

Albert caused me to think more specifically about one of the questions I offered several posts ago …

Albert said …

Ellis, your questions are refreshing. I am not sure I have answers for these tough questions. Through our work at Buckner we are providing a platform for the next generation to get on mission to serve children and families who desparately need help. I am hoping to open up internships to provide the next generation to discover ways God might use them in non-traditional capacities. Hopefully out of this call, some youth might gain a sharper call to pastoral ministry to equip the membership for ministry. When I was at BUA, a theological university, we were surprised to learn that only about 40% of the students were there to study to be a pastor. The majority wanted to serve the church but not as a pastor or staff minister. God is calling our youth but as you asked: Do we have a place to plug them in? We are making a place at Buckner through internships and staff positions. Let’s keep pursuing these questions. Very few leaders are thinking this way.

The part that caught my attention was that more than 50% of his BUA students were NOT studying to become pastors (by this I assume he means traditional senior pastors of a church).  The reason that strikes me is that I was recently asked to go speak at chapel at Truett and spend some time with students in a class setting, as well as Q&A time.  Truett is bringing in different pastor practitioners who can give the student body a positive message about pastoring because so few of them are wanting to go into the pastorate.  So, Al, I think it’s probably a pretty big trend.  We need to pay close attention to what God is doing and completely rethink the way we do church.

We are looking at the possibility of doing satellite worship services at my church.  I’m not particulary fond of the idea, but it’s growing on me.  One of the things we will need are “pastors” who are not interested in a traditional model of pastoring, but in being “lead shepherds” at these satellite congregations, ministering to the needs of the people, under the umbrella of Calvary.  These shepherds would not be traditional “preaching pastors,” but rather “pastoral ministry” … “spritual development” … and “equipping” type of ministers.  It seems a great place to get a lot of experience on the “nuts and bolts” of ministering to people, without the overwhelming demands of being a lead pastor … and without being a “preacher” in the traditional sense.

We have also attempted a co-op ministry where we rent a building and have businesses use the facility during the day (coffee shop, t-shirt shop, art gallery, etc.), and at night and at different times we have worship and bible study there … it begins to get the church out into the community.  No sign anywhere that says “Calvary” or anything that would smack of a church.  It’s just a place where people come to drink coffee or buy a shirt … but the Christ Spirit is there … and there are plenty of flyers around that advertise a Thursday night Concert or a Tuesday night AA meeting or a Saturday Karaoke night.

Anyway … I would see these kinds of ministries as ways to connect an entire generation that seems to be saying … “Typical Senior Pastor? … No thanks.”

ellis