Wesleyan Ecclesiology and the Bi-vocational Pastor

Wesleyan Ecclesiology and the Bi-vocational

Pastor


Pastor

Jeffrey T. BarkerFriday, June 21, 2013

9:00-10:00am

Jeffrey T. BarkerFriday, June 21, 2013

9:00-10:00am


Pastor


PastorThis workshop will describe the current climate of bi-vocational pastors, articulate current assumptions about the pastor’s job, and offer a Wesleyan ecclesiological framework for reconsidering the relationship and roles of pastor and congregation.

Complexity of the TopicComplexity of the Topic

•Absence of a standard model of bi-vocational

•An underdeveloped ecclesiology

•Economic realities (both church and personal)

•Rising health insurance costs

•Nazarene polity

•Other??

My Topic Says a lot about Me

My Topic Says a lot about Me

•My father served as a bi-vocational pastor for nearly 25 years.

•I serve as a bi-vocational pastor.

•Student debt and prospect of bi-vocational ministry

•Numerous bi-vocational pastors have shared their struggles with me.

Current Climate of Bi-Vocational Pastors


Nazarene Research Center has been tracking Nazarene Research Center has been tracking bi-bi-vocationalvocational ministry through purposeful sampling ministry through purposeful sampling over the last 15 years. The pattern has over the last 15 years. The pattern has remained steady. About 33 percent of pastors remained steady. About 33 percent of pastors identify as bi-vocational. identify as bi-vocational.

A couple characteristicsA couple characteristics: : The majority of bi-vocational pastors cite The majority of bi-vocational pastors cite finances as the primary reason for their status.finances as the primary reason for their status.

The vast majority of these bi-vocational pastors The vast majority of these bi-vocational pastors serve churches with a worship attendance under serve churches with a worship attendance under 100 persons. 100 persons.



Anecdotal evidence from my own district Anecdotal evidence from my own district (New England) suggests that nearly 3 of 4 (New England) suggests that nearly 3 of 4 pastors serve in a bi-vocational model of pastors serve in a bi-vocational model of ministry.ministry.



While the term While the term bi-vocationalbi-vocational is expressed is expressed through a myriad of ministry models the through a myriad of ministry models the basic premise is clear: basic premise is clear: the congregation the congregation is unable to financially support a full-is unable to financially support a full-time pastor.time pastor.

Is bi-vocational anything more than a “financial” marker placed upon

the pastor?

Is bi-vocational anything more than a “financial” marker placed upon

the pastor?

Clergy StudiesClergy Studies

Most of the literature in the field of clergy Most of the literature in the field of clergy studies and, in particular, studies exploring studies and, in particular, studies exploring clergy burnout and attrition focus on the clergy burnout and attrition focus on the pastor.pastor.

Clergy Studies Clergy Studies

PastorPastor

Assumptions about the pastor’s “job”


Core Pastoral Tasks Core Pastoral Tasks Administrative TasksAdministrative Tasks



Core duties of the pastor areCore duties of the pastor are: to pray; to preach the Word; to equip : to pray; to preach the Word; to equip the saints for the work of ministry; to administer the sacraments; to the saints for the work of ministry; to administer the sacraments; to care for the people by pastoral visitation, particularly the sick and care for the people by pastoral visitation, particularly the sick and needy; to comfort those who mourn; to correct, rebuke, and encourage needy; to comfort those who mourn; to correct, rebuke, and encourage [parishioners], with great patience and careful instruction; to seek, by [parishioners], with great patience and careful instruction; to seek, by all means, the conversions of sinners, the entire sanctification of the all means, the conversions of sinners, the entire sanctification of the converted, and the upbuilding of God’s people in the most holy faith; converted, and the upbuilding of God’s people in the most holy faith; to administer the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper at least once a to administer the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper at least once a quarter; to nurture the call that people feel toward Christian ministry quarter; to nurture the call that people feel toward Christian ministry and to mentor such persons as are called; to fulfill the expectations of and to mentor such persons as are called; to fulfill the expectations of God and the Church for a program of lifelong learning; to nurture his or God and the Church for a program of lifelong learning; to nurture his or her own call through the years of ministry, to maintain a life of her own call through the years of ministry, to maintain a life of personal devotion that enriches his or her own soul, and, if married, to personal devotion that enriches his or her own soul, and, if married, to guard the integrity and vitality of that marriage relationship. See guard the integrity and vitality of that marriage relationship. See Manual, Church of the Nazarene 2009-2013Manual, Church of the Nazarene 2009-2013, Kansas City: Nazarene , Kansas City: Nazarene Publishing House, 2009, p. 189-190. Publishing House, 2009, p. 189-190.

Wesley’s ChurchWesley’s Church

Article XIX of the Articles of Religion of the Article XIX of the Articles of Religion of the Church of England:Church of England:

““The visible Church of Christ is a The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men [sic], in which congregation of faithful men [sic], in which the pure word of God is preached, and the the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments are duly administered sacraments are duly administered according to Christ’s ordinances in all according to Christ’s ordinances in all those things that of necessity are requisite those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.”to the same.”

Wesleyan EcclesiologyWesleyan Ecclesiology

Wesley spent very little time on the Wesley spent very little time on the subject of ecclesiology, for he was not subject of ecclesiology, for he was not interested in setting up a new church. interested in setting up a new church.

Wesleyan EcclesiologyWesleyan EcclesiologyEarly Methodism became a means of Early Methodism became a means of grace, a religious community in which grace, a religious community in which people could experience the power and people could experience the power and presence of God’s love, the part of the presence of God’s love, the part of the Church that was experiencing what the Church that was experiencing what the Church was intended to be.Church was intended to be.

Heitzenrader notes that “the most basic Heitzenrader notes that “the most basic element in Wesley’s ecclesiology was a element in Wesley’s ecclesiology was a focus on God’s grace.” The Church is focus on God’s grace.” The Church is because of God’s grace.because of God’s grace.


Wesley’s ecclesiology, though on the one Wesley’s ecclesiology, though on the one hand traditional, was also flexible, hand traditional, was also flexible, functional, and pragmatic. The point was functional, and pragmatic. The point was that the church itself was to be a means that the church itself was to be a means of grace. If this wasn’t of grace. If this wasn’t actually actually happeninghappening then the form needed to be then the form needed to be adapted so that it does happen. adapted so that it does happen.


The starting point for a Wesleyan The starting point for a Wesleyan ecclesiology is that the purpose of the ecclesiology is that the purpose of the church is to be an instrument of God’s church is to be an instrument of God’s grace -- that it must in actual fact serve grace -- that it must in actual fact serve God’s mission in the world by being a God’s mission in the world by being a Spirit-filled community of God’s grace, Spirit-filled community of God’s grace, visibly embodying Jesus Christ.visibly embodying Jesus Christ.

Church of the Nazarene -- Article XI

Church of the Nazarene -- Article XIWe believe in the Church, the community that confesses Jesus Christ as We believe in the Church, the community that confesses Jesus Christ as

Lord, the covenant people of God made new in Christ, the Body of Christ Lord, the covenant people of God made new in Christ, the Body of Christ called together by the Holy Spirit through the Word.called together by the Holy Spirit through the Word.

God calls the Church to express its life in the unity and fellowship of the God calls the Church to express its life in the unity and fellowship of the Spirit; in worship through the preaching of the Word, observance of the Spirit; in worship through the preaching of the Word, observance of the sacraments, and ministry in His name; by obedience to Christ, holy sacraments, and ministry in His name; by obedience to Christ, holy living, and mutual accountability.living, and mutual accountability.

The mission of the Church in the world is to share in the redemptive and The mission of the Church in the world is to share in the redemptive and reconciling ministry of Christ in the power of the Spirit. The Church reconciling ministry of Christ in the power of the Spirit. The Church fulfills its mission by making disciples through evangelism, education, fulfills its mission by making disciples through evangelism, education, showing compassion, working for justice, and bearing witness to the showing compassion, working for justice, and bearing witness to the kingdom of God.kingdom of God.

The Church is a historical reality, which organizes itself in culturally The Church is a historical reality, which organizes itself in culturally conditioned forms; exists both as local congregations and as a universal conditioned forms; exists both as local congregations and as a universal body; sets apart persons called of God for specific ministries. God calls body; sets apart persons called of God for specific ministries. God calls the Church to live under His rule in anticipation of the consummation at the Church to live under His rule in anticipation of the consummation at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Contemporary Pastor/Church Relationship

Contemporary Pastor/Church Relationship

PastorPastor CongregationCongregation

New Way of Conceiving ofPastor/Church Relationship

New Way of Conceiving ofPastor/Church Relationship

Pastor - Congregation RelationshipPastor - Congregation Relationshipexists in the arena of God’s graceexists in the arena of God’s grace

Pastor-Congregation Relationship exists in the

arena of God’s grace

Pastor-Congregation Relationship exists in the

arena of God’s grace•The relationship between pastor and

congregation is to mirror the relationship between Christ and the Church; a visible expression of God’s grace in the world.

•Bi-vocational isn’t just the pastor’s concern.

•Pastors and congregations must to the hard work of discerning what is the most faithful model of ministry for their context.

•The relationship between pastor and congregation is to mirror the relationship between Christ and the Church; a visible expression of God’s grace in the world.

•Bi-vocational isn’t just the pastor’s concern.

•Pastors and congregations must to the hard work of discerning what is the most faithful model of ministry for their context.

First StepsFirst Steps

•Both the joy and challenge of bi-vocational ministry must be shared throughout the denominational structure.

•Pastors and congregations need to establish more honest means of communicating without suspecting the worse in the other.

• Pastors and congregations need to conceive of their relationship through the lens of covenant.

•Both the joy and challenge of bi-vocational ministry must be shared throughout the denominational structure.

•Pastors and congregations need to establish more honest means of communicating without suspecting the worse in the other.

• Pastors and congregations need to conceive of their relationship through the lens of covenant.


Pastor


Pastor

Jeffrey T. Barker

email: [email protected]: @jtbarker310

Jeffrey T. Barker

email: [email protected]: @jtbarker310

Wesleyan Ecclesiology and the Bi-vocational Pastor

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