MNO Synod Bishop's Message

Help Wanted
WANTED: Rostered leader to serve as circuit rider to multiple
congregations in partnership for the proclamation of the gospel.
Must love driving. Candidate must be willing to share ministry with
and challenge lay people to let God lead them in new directions and
new models for ministry, including lay ministry teams for preaching,
teaching and sacramental ministry. Qualified candidates will preach,
teach and administer the sacraments rightly as a model for the
“priesthood of all believers”.

WANTED: Congregations willing to take on the “priesthood of all
believers” as a model for ministry in the proclamation of the gospel.
Must be willing to give up viewpoint that the “professional, paid leader”
does all ministry tasks.

Now as silly and ridiculous as these want ads seem to be for some people, I am a firm believer that these are the kind of people we need doing the work of ministry in our church today.

In a conversation with a pastor recently, the individual indicated they used 40% of their time in administrative tasks such as designing and printing weekly worship bulletins, record keeping, designing congregational newsletters, etc. Now, maybe the minister has gifts for these tasks, but I wonder at this situation. Shouldn’t a person trained to preach, teach and administer the sacraments rightly be doing such that FOR A MINIMUM OF
40% OF THEIR TIME and leave the administrative tasks to others? Wouldn’t it be great if a rostered leader was doing what they are called to do rather than what no one else wants to do in the congregation? As facetious as that sounds, that is often the way it is perceived by some leaders and paid professionals in the church.

In another conversation with congregational members seeking to call a pastor, I asked them to list their main ministry needs for the congregation. They indicated visitation, worship leadership (preach, sacramental ministry; special services such as weddings and funerals). There were some minor additions but not one word about administrative tasks.

It occurred to me that these congregations had done their work. They knew what they needed in terms of rostered leadership and they knew what the lay leadership had to take ownership of in terms of ministry tasks.

This probably seems quite simplistic and naïve to think that ministry tasks would actually be done in such a way. If you reflect on the history of the rostered leadership in the church you can see how that evolved somewhat. Pastors were trained as professionals and with the changing environment in the world, the pastor became the professional who proclaimed the gospel and did the tasks necessary to act on that gospel message. The pastor became the “expert” in the field. Lay leaders were kept out of, encouraged not to, or been resistant to being involved in such tasks for ministry because they had an expert to do it for them.

I think the environment has changed and in some case there are lay people more theologically trained than some of our leaders and some who feel empowered to act out their faith through service in their faith communities in new and challenging ways.

Congregations and leaders alike need to look at the changing face of rostered ministry and adjust the tasks of ministry in the local congregations. It’s radical and it will cause dissatisfaction and conflict, but I think it’s worth the conversation.

There is a need to embrace the understanding of the “priesthood of all believers”, which was a cornerstone of Lutheran theology in the beginnings of the reformation. Perhaps the deterrent to moving in this direction is that there is not enough dissatisfaction with the status quo and not enough visioning for what we can truly be for change to take place. I see some places where change is occurring. What do you see?

To view Bishop Elaine's blog click on the link below:
mnosynod.wordpress.com