The Minister’s ColleaguesMin. Yolanda Chambers

Agenda Overview Church Leaders Church Staff Other Ministers Other Churches Other Professionals Conclusion Questions

Overview In this Chapter we will see the importance

of the ministers relationships within the church

We will explore the concept of cooperating colleague versus competitor

We will discuss ministerial accountability to one another, to the ministerial profession and to God.

Church Leaders In a church, members are not only clients or

customers, but they are also colleagues.

Good relationships among ministers and church leaders are crucial◦ Trust is essential for these relationships to survive

Church Leaders Areas of Trust

◦ To be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leadership◦ To be concerned about their spiritual welfare

rather than his/hers ministerial reputation◦ To be a person of integrity◦ Example: Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1:16)

People believe in a minister’s program, project or preaching, because they first believe in him/her.

Church Leaders Statistics 1984

◦ 88 ministers were fired a month across the nation◦ Two primary causes

Disunity of the congregation Interpersonal skills of the minister

Statistics 1988◦ 88 to 116 average ministers were fired a month

across the nation◦ Two primary causes

Lack of communication between the ministers and church leaders

Immorality of the minister

Church Leaders Ministerial competence involves developing the

pastoral skills necessary to minister effectively.

No one ever arrives at total perfection in every area.

Ministers are ethically obligated to continue to develop their skills as long as they minister to others in God’s name.

Ministerial Competence also involves developing personal skills.

Church Leaders In churches, communication occurs on two

levels:◦ Formal Level◦ Informal Level

Clear communication is essential

Church Leaders Healthy wholeness as a person and a parson is

a goal for all ministers to avoid pitfalls of being terminated, “sat-down” or removed from leadership.

Faulkner indicates that being a healthy minister is essential to:◦ Self-preservation◦ Effectiveness◦ Personal Growth

Both Physical and Spiritual Health are necessary

Church Leaders From Titus 3:1-5, Faulkner derives the

characteristics of a healthy minister. Healthy ministers:◦ Respect authority◦ Are ready for every good deed◦ Malign no one◦ Are not contentious◦ Are gentle◦ Are kind

Church Leaders Faulkner also summarizes the evidence

shown from a healthy minister’s is:◦ Grow◦ Have a place for retreat◦ Have a sense of humor◦ Can live without knowing◦ Are not preoccupied with suspicion and

resentment◦ Have learned the art of forgiveness

Church Staff The practice of ministry is intrinsically involved

in one’s understanding of theological truth.

Relationships with staff members become theological action.

Relationships with staff members also become ethical actions.

Staff relationship Example: Moses and the selection of the judges found in Exodus 18:13-23.

Church Staff Concepts to glean from Moses experience

◦ Called - The people who served with Moses were called from among the congregation. All ministers are called from God.

◦ Collegiality – Ministers serve God together. They serve as colleagues in the Lord’s service. Team approach to ministry Responsibility, however, may not always be totally

equal Fits with Jesus’ teachings about servanthood (Mark

10:42-45)

Church Staff Additional Concepts

◦ Characteristics – Shown in Exodus 18:13-23. The people chosen to assist Moses had some basic characteristics: Capability – The person who serves in any ministering

task must be capable of doing the job. Capability comes through in: God-given spiritual gifts The natural gifts the person possesses The acquires skills the individual gains through education

and experience

Church Staff◦ Additional Characteristics

Commitment – Christian commitment is expected.

Competence – Trustworthy leaders. Competence is an ethical imperative for each person ministering with a church staff.

Character – An essential characteristic of a minister. People are more impressed by a preacher’s life than by

sermons.

Church Staff Consequences of ethical staff relationships

◦ Relates to the staff You will be able to stand the strain (Exodus 18:23) Ethical and fulfilling relationships on a church staff

enable the staff to work more effectively

◦ Relates to the church All these people will go home satisfied (v.23) Ethical relationships help staff members:

Perform the ministry Meet the needs of the people Exemplify the servant model of ministry Satisfy the congregation

Church Staff Ethical staff relationships

◦ Rules of the Road Respect one another as persons and ministers.

Give one another the gift of attention.

Recognize that every staff has problems and see these as opportunities for growth and not division.

Handle conflict fairly

Spend some time away from the pressures of the church and get to know one another as persons.

Remember that the stuff models relationships for the rest of the church.

Other Ministers Ministers all have predecessors and

successors.

Ministers all serve in areas with ministers of their own, as well as other denominations.

Ministers should honor and respect those who preceded them.

Above all, no effort should be made to discredit or dishonor the other minister.

Other Churches A ministers colleagues also include

ministers in churches of other denominations.

Ministers within a community should know one another personally.

Life is enriched and ministry is expanded when a minister knows, respects and appreciates ministers of other faith groups.

Other Professionals Ministers should be professionals without

becoming mere professionals.

Professional ministers should always be:◦ Competent in practicing their ministry◦ Exemplary in their personal conduct◦ Capable of meeting the demands placed on them◦ Responsive to calls for ministry

Professional should never mean a cold, calculating, uncaring person.

Other Professionals If ministers act in a manner that is

unbecoming to a minister, they are said to have behaved unprofessionally.

The spiritual ministry is an integral part of the healing process.

A minister is a part of a healing team and helps people of the church and community find and experience wholeness.

Other Professionals For ministers to relate properly to their professional

colleagues, they must be emotionally mature. An emotionally mature minister must have:◦ The capacity for healthy self-acceptance

◦ The capacity to maintain durable relationships

◦ The ability to work with people who hold different value orientations

◦ The capacity to delay present gratification for future and more permanent satisfactions

◦ The ability to cope with indecision or mental paralysis

Other Professionals Emotionally mature continued

◦ The ability to achieve a large measure of objectivity

◦ The ability to get along with other people, to tolerate their views and values without becoming dogmatic and defensive about one’s own

◦ A sense of humor

◦ Love

◦ The capacity to care

Conclusion The minister must learn to work together

with other ministers in a non-competitive manner as members of a team.

Communication is key to the relationships between ministers, church members and other leaders.

Ministers must be professional at all times when interacting with church members, staff and others within the community.

Questions