LIBRARY
Michigan State
University

 

 

 

PLACE IN RETURN BOX to remove this checkout from your record.
TO AVOID FINES return on or before date due.
MAY BE RECALLED with earlier due date if requested.

 

DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6/01 c:/C|RC/DateDue.965-p. 15

 

PASTORAL MINISTRY AS A DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS—

SUSTAINING EXCELLENCE THROUGHOUT THE CLERGY CAREER

By

Patricia Anne Kenney

A DISSERTATION
Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Educational Administration

2002

 

 

ABSTRACT

Ministry as a profession has changed significantly in recent years, suggesting that
clergy need increased professional support to sustain excellence in ministry. A
systematic approach to understanding how clergy learn the work of ministry throughout
their career span provided a lens through which this study addressed pastoral
development needs. The following questions framed this developmental approach:

1. What is the nature of the ministry as a career? Is it developmental in nature?

2. Are there differences in clergy professional development tasks and learning needs at
different times during their career paths?

3. What implications does considering the ministry as a developmental process have for
sustaining excellence throughout the clergy career?

Theories of vocation , career and life development, and literature on clergy
careers concur that people continue to learn and develop throughout their lives. In some
careers, there appear to be career stages, which may build on each other and recycle when
triggered by change. Until this study, this developmental perspective has not been
applied to clergy careers, which heretofore were described in functional and stylistic
terms.

Surveys of 378 American Baptist clergy and interviews with 17 clergy inform this
study’s findings. A number of key influences were found to profoundly impact pastors’
learning and development throughout their careers. Four developmental periods were

identified that include specific experiences and tasks.

 

The study found that ministry is a complex career requiring continuing learning
and development to address emerging needs in a rapidly changing world. Clergy need to
develop skills to address ministry tasks and to balance competing demands of an endless
workload, as well as to set appropriate boundaries on their work. Clergy rely on both
skill development and meaning making to shape their learning throughout their careers.
Pastors benefit greatly from interactions with other clergy in making sense of their work,
evaluating its effectiveness, and developing new strategies for addressing emerging
concerns. The drive to integrate intellect and spirit and the quest for creativity strongly
influence clergy learning and development. A discussion ofthe study’s findings includes
recommendations for theological training, for denominational bodies, and for pastors, as

well as suggestions for future research.

Copyright by
PAEERJCHALAUVDHEICEBHIEN?

2002

To my husband, Tom Fraser, my cheerleader and my hero.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There are a number of people I would like to thank for their support in my
completion of this work. First of all, I offer thanks to my family, who encouraged and
supported me through a long and at times all-consuming process. Thank you to my
husband Tom Fraser, daughter Emily Fraser, Takeshi Nagasaka, Vash, and Shadow, for
not only putting up with being ignored as I worked, but for chipping in and picking up,
cooking, and offering smiles, words of encouragement, hugs, licks and purrs. Thank you
and also my mother Ardiss Kenney, uncle Bill Kenney, son Jon Fraser, fiancee Lisa, and
brothers Jim and Bill Kenney, for the love and prayers, joy and humor that provided for
me a rock and a refiJge, encouraging me to press on. Thanks to my uncle, Rev. Arthur J.
Landwehr, who inspires me as a model of ministry, and who encouraged me to publish
my work. Thanks to my late grandmother Alice Landwehr, for the love, prayers, and
faithfulness that continue to enrich my life and inform my understanding of ministry.

I offer thanks to my advisor, Ann Austin, who took me under her wing and guided
me throughout my doctoral work. I am gratefiJl for the opportunity to learn the craft of
research from her, for her mentoring, encouragement, and wisdom, as well as her
fiiendship. Thank you to Ann and the other members of my dissertation committee——
Marilyn Amey, Roger Baldwin, Frank Fear and Michael Williams, for many hours of
carefiil listening, reading, and guiding as I framed my research questions and crafted the

writing of the findings. I also wish to thank Steve Weiland, for helping me to design and

vi

administer the survey, Anna Ortiz, for helping me to set up my SPSS data base to analyze
the survey, and John Dirkx for helping my build my literature review on vocation.

A number of fellow graduate students also served as special inspiration to me as I
did my work. Thanks to Joe Brocato for lending me boxes of books and paving my way
through the maze of the doctoral process, and for the rest of the cohort group that adopted
me—especially Kristin Anderson, Lucy Maillette, Steve Poulios and Jon Rohrer. Thanks
to Lisa Haston, with whom I had the opportunity to both teach and minister, and to Scott
Dixon, for organizing the comprehensive exam study group. And, thanks to the
“dissertation divas”——Andrea Beach, Pamela Eddy, and Nancy Schmitt, who inspired and
critiqued my writing, and to Cathy Fleck for getting us organized and spurring us on.

I am also grateful for significant funding support that I received to do this work.
Thanks to Michigan State University for the Dean’s Scholar Award, a number of College
of Education Scholarships, and the Dissertation Completion Grant. Thanks to MSU and
to the Spencer Foundation for the Small Research Grant. Thanks to the American Baptist
Churches USA for the Dissertation Fellowship. I could not have completed this work
without this support, and I am deeply gratefiil.

Then there are the pastors who graciously and even eagerly bared their souls to
me, that I might learn from them to help others “improve their serve.” There are no
words of adequate thanks for the privilege of being allowed in to such life-transforming
moments. I can only hope that this work captures the heart of who you have learned to

be, and inspires others along the same path.

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

Table of Figures _- _- - ............... - -- - xi
Chapter I—Statement of the Problem. ............. - ...... --1
Introduction ................................................................................................................. l
The “I” in this Research ............................................................................................... 5
The Research Questions .............................................................................................. 7
Theoretical Constructs ................................................................................................. 8
Overview of Methodology ........................................................................................... 9
Definition of Terms ................................................................................................... 10
American Baptist Churches in the USA (ABCUSA) .............................................. 10
Clergy .................................................................................................................... 11
Vocation ................................................................................................................ 12

The ministry .......................................................................................................... 13
Issues of denominational structure ......................................................................... l3
Delimitations and Limitations .................................................................................... l4
Significance of the Study ........................................................................................... 14
Overview of the Dissertation ..................................................................................... 16
Chapter II—Literature Review - ....... 17
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 17
Theories of Vocation ................................................................................................. 18
Life and Career Development Literature .................................................................... 20
Levinson’s Theory of Adult Development. ............................................................ 21
Super’s Theory of Career Stages ............................................................................ 23
Discussion of Lifespan Development Theories ...................................................... 25
Baldwin’s Career Stage Model for Faculty Career Development ................................ 27
Applying Vocation, Life and Career Stage Theories to Clergy Careers ...................... 32
The culture of ministry is changing ........................................................................ 33
There is a need for a new kind of clergy leadership. ............................................... 35
Ministry in America ............................................................................................... 36
Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 39
Chapter III—Methodology - -- -- 41
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 41
Qualitative Theoretical Framework ............................................................................ 41
Overview of Research Method ................................................................................... 45
The Survey ................................................................................................................ 46
Data Collection ...................................................................................................... 46
Sample .................................................................................................................. 47
Emerging Conceptual Framework .............................................................................. 52

viii

In-depth Interviews .................................................................................................... 53

 

 

Interview Protocol ................................................................................................. 56
Participants ............................................................................................................ 57
Data Analysis ........................................................................................................ 60
Chapter IV—Findings -- 63
Pastoral Ministry as a Developmental Process ........................................................... 63
Influences on Clergy Learning about their Vocation .................................................. 65
Image of the meaning of ministry .......................................................................... 65
Clergy interactions with other pastors .................................................................... 75
The quest for creativity .......................................................................................... 83
The drive for integration of intellect and spirit ....................................................... 88
Developmental Periods of Clergy Learning ............................................................... 92
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 92
Anticipatory Learning or Socialization ................................................................... 93
Learning in the Early Career ................................................................................ 116
Clergy Learning in the Middle Career .................................................................. 127
Late Career Learning for Clergy .......................................................................... 142
Discussion of Developmental Periods .................................................................. 147
Learning Needs Not Connected with Developmental Periods .................................. 148
Training and working with volunteer leaders ....................................................... 148
Learning new technology ..................................................................................... 148
Implementing change ........................................................................................... 149
Dealing with stress ............................................................................................... 149
The need to feel supported by their congregations ................................................ 151
The need for increased resources ......................................................................... 154
Demographic considerations .................................................................................... 156
Racial and ethnic distinctions ............................................................................... 157
Gender differences ............................................................................................... 159
Other demographic differences ............................................................................ 162
The Value of the Reflective Process ........................................................................ 164
How Pastors Leam—Conclusion ............................................................................. 165
Chapter V—Discussion .............. - -- - - -- 166
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 166
Themes .................................................................................................................... 170
Recommendations ................................................................................................... l 83
Recommendations for seminaries and theological training programs .................... 184
Recommendations for denominational bodies ...................................................... 185
Recommendations for pastors .............................................................................. 188
Suggestions for Future Research .............................................................................. 191
Expanding the sample of clergy studied ............................................................... 191
Follow-up interviews to expand on themes .......................................................... 193
Exploring the relationship between intellect, spirit and creativity ......................... 194
Studying the learning of pastors from the perspective of servant leadership ......... 194
Studying clergy mentoring ................................................................................... 194

ix

The link between skill development and meaning making .................................... 195

Trust-building and clergy self-care ....................................................................... 195
Appendix One
Interview Protocol ................................................................................................... 196
Appendix Two
Survey on Clergy and their Work ............................................................................ 199
Appendix Three
Participant Letter and Consent Form ........................................................................ 204
Letter of Invitation to Prospective Participants ..................................................... 205
Consent Form ...................................................................................................... 207
Appendix Four
Vignettes of Each Interview Participant ................................................................... 208
Appendix Five
Chart of Participants’ Developmental Tasks and Influences ..................................... 232
Bibliography -_ - 238

 

TABLE OF FIGURES

Levinson’s Stages of Adulthood .................................................................................... 21
Super’s Model of Vocational Life Stages ....................................................................... 23
Baldwin’s Faculty Career Stages and Questions They Suggest for Clergy Careers ......... 28
Ministry in America Study of Primary Ministry Roles ................................................... 37
Clergy Professional Development Themes Emerging from A Survey on Clergy and Their

Work ..................................................................................................................... 48
Emerging Conceptual Framework of American Baptist Clergy Career Development ..... 52
Key to Interview Participants ......................................................................................... 58
Interview Participants’ Demographic Sample Data ........................................................ 59
Pastoral Ministry as a Developmental Process ............................................................... 64

xi

CHAPTER I—STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Introduction

The nature of ministry as a profession in the United States has changed in recent
years in a number of significant ways. Ministers no longer enjoy the same status in the
community they once held. Congregational membership is on the decline. The world in
which clergy serve has changed dramatically, and the pace of change is continuing to
increase. There are indicators that clergy today are experiencing significant stress. In
spite of a continuing need for competent clergy, fewer people are hearing a call to
ministry, and many are leaving the ministry prior to retirement age. These changes
suggest that clergy are in need of increased professional support and development to
sustain excellence in ministry.

Ministers no longer enjoy the same status in the community they once held. Two
hundred years ago, clergy along with doctors, lawyers, and teachers were typically the
most educated in their communities. They were held in high regard, and commonly were
called upon to be community advisors. In fact, many of our colleges and institutions of
higher learning were funded through the vision of religious leaders and with the money of
great people of faith in order to train clergy (Rudolph, 1990). Currently, despite
significant training and a deep sense of calling, clergy are treated with much less respect.
A study conducted by the Association of Theological Schools suggests that while clergy
and clergy families are expected to maintain a high moral standard of living, clergy do

not enjoy the congregational authority of their forebearers (Schuller, Strommen, &

Brekke, 1980). Thus, the climate of professional service for clergy is not as appealing as
it has been in the past.

Congregational membership is on the decline. Even as late as the mid-20th
century, protestant mainline denominations in the United States enjoyed a tremendous
period of growth. Since the middle of the last century, however, the picture has changed.
Church membership has declined, a trend that continues into the new millennium
(Campolo, 1995). The decrease in membership has resulted in a number of stresses for
clergy. First, there is a smaller pool of volunteers to carry on the work of the church,
resulting in increased responsibility for the pastor. Second, there is typically a decline in
church income, which means fewer resources for carrying on the ministry. Finally, there
is often a church dynamic which seeks to place blame or responsibility on the pastor for
the lack of membership or money (Goetz, 1996; Howe, 2001; Seymour, 1995). Clergy
are expected to attract new members and new dollars to make up the deficit.

The world in which clergy serve has changed dramatically, and the pace of
change is continuing to increase. The advent of the information age has accomplished
two things: on the one hand, the ability to communicate and to gain access to information
is possible in ways never before experienced. = On the other hand, with so much
information, how does one decide what is right, and important, and true, and meaningful?
Both lay people and clergy have more and more decisions to make about which
information to pay attention to. For example, no longer is all America watching “Leave
it to Beaver.” People may choose between over a hundred channels, an increasing

number of books and magazines, and a practically limitless number of websites. This

inundation of information has resulted in a lack of common experiences and stories
(Apps, 1988).

The changing nature of culture in a postmodern society (Sweet, 1999a) has made
the need for spiritual connectedness and growth more pronounced and in the forefront of
awareness than in years past. There has been a recent burgeoning interest in issues of
spirituality in the workplace and other secular arenas (Conger, 1994; Gemignani, 2001; Houston,
1997; Moore, 1994; Morseth, 1998; Palmer, 1983). While people may not be as grounded in
scriptural literacy or church tradition as in generations past (Easum, 2000), one can in
fact observe a deep and growing interest in things of a spiritual nature, in questions of
meaning and purpose, and in genuine personal religious experience (Keck, 1992). This
makes it clear that, in spite of the decline in church membership, there remains a
perceived need for spiritual formation and connectedness.

There are indicators that clergy today are experiencing significant stress. In
recent years, many clergy professional journals and books on the ministry have addressed
stress in clergy lives, for example: the need for a drastic change in leadership style
(Easum, 2000), the dangers of ministry (Hansen, 1996), being asked to leave one’s place
of service (Goetz, 1996), dealing with anger in the church (Howe, 2001), needing
distance from the stresses of ministry (Jones, 2001), and healing from burnout (Seymour,
1995). Denominational bodies are also addressing the care and well-being of clergy with
increasing concern, as denominational leaders observe local church pastors encountering
stress-related health concerns, burnout, loneliness, family problems, and conflicts with

their parish leadership (Kennedy & Heckert, 1972). Within the American Baptist

Churches USA, for example, programs have been offered across the country on conflict
resolution, stress relief, and clergy and clergy spouse self-care (ABC-USA, 1999a).

In spite of a continuing need for competent clergy, fewer people are hearing a
call to ministry, and many are leaving the ministry prior to retirement age. While the
number of active members being served by clergy has lessened, the numbers of clergy
available to serve has declined even more rapidly. One study, conducted by Rowland
Croucher of John Mark Ministries, estimates that there is one ex-pastor for every pastor
currently serving a church in Australia (Croucher, 1999). In response to a critical and
growing need for ministerial leadership, the Fund for Theological Education reports that
many denominations have developed strategies for identifying and nurturing candidates
for the ministry (Fund for Theological Education, 1999).

Given the nature of the ministry as a helping profession, one might expect it to be
quite rewarding and fulfilling. Being part of a community of faith, serving the people
through life transitions such as birth, union; illness, and death, and serving as a spiritual
counselor and guide all suggest a quite meaningful life calling. Psychological studies
have found that there is a connection between commitment and happiness (Magen, 1998)
and between faith and healing (Strohl, 2001). Thus, it is surprising to find that more
people are not pursuing a call to ministry, or remaining in this profession through their
career span. While comprehensive records are not generally kept of seminary alumni,
deans and other seminary administrators have expressed concern about the numbers of
students who either do not find a ministry position or who do not remain in ministry
beyond the first few years following graduation (Fund for Theological Education, 1999;

ABC-USA, 1999a).

arr.-

 

Thus we see that the nature of ministry as a profession has changed in terms of
loss of status, declining congregational membership, an increasing pace of world change,
the presence of significant stress, and a smaller pool of colleagues in ministry. These
changes suggest that clergy require more professional support and development to sustain

excellence in ministry.

The “I” in this Research

This problem is of particular interest to me, because I am an American Baptist
minister. In the past eight years, I have dedicated a tremendous amount of time and
energy to the support and nurture of my clergy colleagues through a number of
professional services, both within my denomination and ecumenically. I served as a
member of the executive committee of a regional professional clergy group, the
American Baptist Churches of Michigan Ministers’ Council, for five years. In that role, I
helped plan two continuing education events for clergy each year. I also served on two
subcommittees: one that addressed the care, nurture, and afl'rnnation of professional
colleagues, and another that sought to give particular support to women in ministry. The
executive committee also instituted an annual recognition for clergy leadership in small,
medium and large churches as well as in specialized ministry contexts, and received
nominations from lay people and professional colleagues for candidates for these awards.

I represented the Michigan region on a national denominational committee, the
American Baptist Churches USA National Continuing Team. This group’s purpose was
to address the professional development needs of clergy through information sharing and

collaboration with colleagues, and through planning and implementing an annual

continuing education event for regional representatives which could then serve as a
model to be adapted for clergy needs in each region. I served on this team for four years,
and convened its executive committee for two years.

I also represented the Minister’s Council of Michigan as a member of the
Minister’s Council National Senate, the American Baptist Churches in the USA national
professional organization of clergy’s representative professional organization. Each
region sends representatives to address issues related to the practice of ministry. I served
on the committee that addresses the care and nurture of pastors. I also served as editor of
Minister, the professional journal that speaks to the practice of ministry, for two years.

As a campus minister, I was a member of the National Campus Minister’s
Association and planned an annual conference for campus ministers. I served on the
executive committee of the American Baptist Campus Minister’s Association for three
years, and was involved in conference planning and collegial support. In that role, I
strove to raise awareness of the importance of campus ministry as well as the particular
needs for support that campus ministers have, and to invite support from local church
pastors, congregations, and through denominational initiatives.

I served on the planning committee for the Michigan region’s annual gathering
committee, on the Michigan task force on ministry issues, and currently serve on the
American Baptist Churches in the USA’s general board and on the Educational Ministries
program board.

In these capacities I have interacted with other clergy across the country, and
thought deeply about the needs of the profession. I have come to know colleagues who I

deeply respect, who have tremendous gifts for ministry. I have become aware of a broad

 

range of clergy experiences and their professional development needs. It is my
conviction that current approaches to continuing education and professional development
are lacking, and that it is time to find a new framework for thinking about clergy work.
How might one approach a study of the ministry in order to gain new insight into
professional development needs and support strategies to sustain excellence in ministry?

This is the subject of the next section.

The Research Questions

The ministry has undergone a number of significant changes in recent years,
resulting not only in significant stress for clergy, but also in fewer numbers of clergy to
carry on the work of the ministry. This would suggest that the opportunities currently
available for professional development and support are inadequate to meet the challenges
that clergy are currently facing. How might one gain new insight into the lives of clergy,
in order to better support them in their career paths? A systematic approach to
understanding how clergy learn to do the work of ministry throughout their career span
may provide a lens through which to address their professional development needs in
new and helpfiJl ways.

The following questions fi’amed this developmental approach:
1. What is the nature of the ministry as a career? Is it developmental in nature?
2. Are there differences in clergy professional development tasks and learning needs at

different times during their career paths?

3. What implications does considering the ministry as a developmental process have for

sustaining excellence throughout the clergy career?

 

This way of stating the problem focuses on the experience of clergy as they move
through the course of their career, rather than simply on the needs suggested by a
particular ministry setting or external situation. It assumes that clergy careers, like other
careers, are developmental in nature; that is, clergy gain competencies over time and shift

focus depending on where they are in their career paths.

Theoretical Constructs

The study drew on three literature bases: theories of vocation, career development
theory, and literature on clergy careers.

There is quite a diverse literature on vocations. This study drew on theories of
vocation related to the engagement in and meaning of work as it relates to one’s life
history. Mihalyi Czikszentmihalyi’s studies of flow and creativity (Csikszentmihalyi,
1990, 1996) address engagement in one’s work. Parker Palmer’s work on vocation
(Palmer 1983, 1990, 1997a, 2000) address the meaning of work and its connection to
one’s inner life. Norman Denzin’s biographical method (Denzin 1989, 2000) suggests
that learning is imbedded in life history.

Theoretical models of career development have been grouped into four primary
approaches: developmental, personality, trait-factor, and sociological approaches.
(Osipow, 1983, 1990) The developmental approach to career development informed this
study. It is rooted in the following three assumptions: 1) individuals continue to develop
their self-images as they grow older; 2) people compare images of the occupational world
with their self-images as they make decisions about their careers; and 3) the adequacy of
a particular vocational choice depends on the match between the individual’s self-image

and the vocational concept of the chosen career.

Specifically, this study examined the life-stage theory of Daniel Levinson as
applied to both men (Levinson, Darrow, Klein, Levinson, & McKee, 1978) and women
(Levinson, 1996), as well as D. E. Super’s career stage theory (Super, 1957a; Super,
1957b; Super, 1984; Super, 1990; Super & Hall, 1978; Super, Savickas, & Super, 1996),
in order to gain insight into the range of issues which need to be considered in a study of
career development. Further, this study took note of the current literature related to
clergy careers, to learn what is already known, including current recommendations for
professional development and support. In particular, the study explored the work of
ministry experts Thomas Bandy (Bandy, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000), Bill Easum (Easum,
2000) and Leonard Sweet (Sweet, 1994, 1999a, 1999b). It also considered Ministry in
America, a comprehensive study on beginning clergy conducted by the Association of
Theological Schools and firnded by the Lilly Foundation (Schuller et al., 1980). This
study examined Roger Baldwin’s work on the career development of faculty (1984,
1990), which provideed a concrete example of how life and career development theories
have illuminated an understanding of professional development needs in a similarly

complex career setting.

Overview of Methodology
The research method involved two parts: a qualitative analysis of three open-
ended questions from a survey collected under the auspices of the American Baptist
Churches in the USA, and indepth interviews with a targeted number of clergy
representing demographic diversity as well as diversity in point of entry into the clergy

career.

 

The survey on Clergy and their Work was collected in 1998 and 1999. Three
hundred seventy eight clergy answered three open-ended questions about issues they
confronted in their professional development, their professional development needs, and
barriers they faced in their professional development. An examination of their responses
accomplished two goals: to identify a broad range of topics American Baptist clergy
thought about concerning their professional development, and second, to note specific
areas of concern that emerged at various times during their careers.

Semi-structured, in depth interviews were conducted with 17 local church pastors
representing diversity of demographics (age, gender, number of years in ministry,
ethnicity, context of ministry i.e., urban/rural) as well as point of entry (college to
seminary to ministry, second-career track, nontraditional training for ministry). These
provide rich description of learning and development imbedded deeply in the contexts of
individual lives of pastors. These stories serve to enrich and deepen an understanding of
the developmental nature of ministry as a vocation. In turn, these emerging
understandings of the developmental tasks clergy undergo during the course of their
careers provide insights into new approaches for professional development and support to

help them sustain excellence in ministry.

Definition of Terms
American Baptist Churches in the USA (ABC USA)
American Baptist Churches in the USA (ABCUSA) is the denominational name
for a group of approximately 5,800 congregations through the United States and Puerto
Rico. American Baptists hold the Bible to be authoritative for faith and practice. Each

congregation enjoys local church autonomy, as well as interdependence or cooperation

10

 

with the other 33 regional organizations and a number of national and international
agencies. American Baptists are committed to mission and evangelism, sharing their
faith with the community as well as engaging in ministries of healing; leader
development; justice; family, children and youth development; stewardship and renewal
(ABC-USA, 1999b).

Clergy

Within Baptist polity (practice rooted in a theological point of view), defining the
term clergy is a complicated issue (Bartlett, 1978). Baptists ascribe to a concept called
“the priesthood of all believers,” which declares the individual person capable of
approaching God directly without the need for a priest, pastor, or other intermediary. In
his book, The Authentic Pastor, Gene Bartlett (1978) connects pastoral ministry with the
laity: "Pastoral practice then rests on the same foundation as the practice of the Christian
life itself. Apart from the belief in an active, loving, redemptive God, intimately at work
in human experience, the whole Christian life loses its distinction and becomes a human
experience only" (p. 15-16).

Thus, clergy are not distinguished by a role that is qualitatively different from the
call of every Baptist person. At the same time, particular functions in the life of the
church are typically reserved for clergy, such as preaching, baptizing, marrying, and
burying. Clergy are set apart in American Baptist polity by an ordination process.
However, a church may call a pastor who is not ordained. Further, a local church may
ordain a pastor without that person having met the regional or denominational criteria for

ordination.

ll

For the purposes of this study, clergy will be considered people who are ordained
and/or who are engaged in professional ministry in a local congregation or American
Baptist related agency, whether full-time or part-time. Minister and pastor may be
interchangeably used to refer to an individual member of the clergy. It is important to
note that the effect of Baptist polity on defining the clergy may have implications for
clergy identity development and role enactment.

Vocation

Vocation refers to the nature of a particular career as having the property of a
calling; that is, it expresses a deeply imbedded sense of self, and that expression leads to
a sense of fulfillment and purpose. The idea of vocation is suitable for but not limited to
clergy (Coles, 1993; Corey & Corey, 1998; Fox, 1995; Hunt & Hunt, 1982; Niebuhr,
1956; Palmer, 2000; Sinetar, 1987).

Some people might argue that the nature of ministry as vocation precludes any
discussion of ministry in career terms. However, members of the clergy function in a
work world, and move in and out of ministry in pursuit of other careers. Other helping
professions, such as doctors, nurses, university professors, and teachers, identify with
their work as vocation, and career theory has been helpful in providing insight into those
professions (Reilly & Orsak, 1991). American Baptist clergy experience similar career
concerns as people in other professions, such as finding placement, negotiating salary,
receiving feedback and review on their work, balancing stresses of work and family life,
and planning for retirement. For American Baptist clergy, a lack of job security
(Kuhnert, Sims, & Lahey, 1989) is related to the American Baptist polity of the

autonomy of the local church. Each church calls and dismisses its own pastor. At least in

12

part because of the denominational differences in the calling and placement of clergy and
the possibility that these differences may have significance for clergy professional
development through the career, this study was limited to American Baptist clergy.
The ministry

The ministry refers to the work of a pastor (Kemper, 1979). The range of
responsibilities in the ministry traditionally include preaching, church administration,
worship planning, and pastoral care, though some people in specialized ministry contexts
may not engage in all of these activities. Current expectations of clergy have extended
far beyond these responsibilities to include such tasks as lay leader training and
motivation, fund raising, conflict management and resolution, cross-cultural
communication, and a multitude of specialized ministry skills.
Issues of denominational structure

The American Baptist Churches in the USA (national organization) is divided into
34 regions. Each region may be as small as a major metropolitan area (for example,
American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago) or as large as several states (for example,
American Baptist Churches of the South). Depending on the geographic and member-
church characteristics of a given region, it may in turn be divided into smaller groups
called areas. In the American Baptist Churches of Michigan region (which is equal to
the state of Michigan), for example, there are five areas. The southeast area encompasses
the major metropolitan Detroit area; and the other four areas group approximately 15 to
40 churches by geographical proximity. The Minister ’s Council is the national

organization for the professional development and support of American Baptist clergy.

13

Each region also has a regional Minister’s Council that associates with the national

council primarily through representation at an annual Senate meeting.

Delimitations and Limitations

The decision to involve only American Baptist clergy in this study potentially
limits the study’s transferability in a number of ways. American Baptist clergy have
constraints placed on them which are peculiar to their polity and practice of ministry.
Some of the findings, therefore, may not be transferable to clergy of other denominations
or faith traditions. Further, while the surveys included responses from clergy in a wide
variety of ministry settings, the interview portion of the study focused on the career
development of clergy serving in local church settings. This means that some of the
findings may not address the professional development experiences and needs of clergy
in other ministry contexts. The interviews also ineluded only clergy who are currently
working; that is, no interview participants were selected who are currently in seminary or
another form of ministry training, or who have retired from ministry. The sample does
include two clergy who had retired then returned to ministry as interim pastors. This is a

limitation of the study, and also a recommendation for further study.

Significance of the Study
The above limitations notwithstanding, this study provides tremendous common
ground for a deeper understanding of clergy careers of all faiths. Beyond that, it provides

a model for inquiry for other denominations to conduct their own explorations,

14

particularly in areas where polity or practice differences are anticipated to be significant
to clergy learning and development.

This study may be of interest to a number of audiences. First of all, clergy may
find it helpful, both within the American Baptist tradition and beyond, to provide new
perspectives on clergy careers and to aid them in their own self-evaluation and
professional development plans. Second, denominational leaders both at the regional and
national levels may find it helpfirl, providing insights into how to engage in the care and
nurture of clergy, as well as how to target helpful continuing education and professional
development initiatives for sustaining clergy excellence. Third, the academic community
may find it helpful, as it extends theories of vocation learning theory and career
development theory and their implications for professional support and development into
a new professional arena.

The study on Pastoral Ministry as a Developmental Process—Sustaining
Excellence throughout the Clergy Career is a research idea whose time has come. Not
only have clergy careers heretofore been conceived of in functional and stylistic terms
rather than developmental terms; the changing culture of clergy careers provides a
compelling motivation for finding a new framework for the professional support and
development of clergy. Pastors provide a vital function in the lives of individual church
members, congregations, as well as in the community and world more broadly. The
recent reemergence of spirituality as a key concern in a variety of professional and
personal arenas highlights the need for religious leadership, guidance and support. The

effective ongoing development of clergy will ensure the fixture of the ministry as a

15

profession, as well as contribute to the emergence of pastoral leadership capable of

guiding the church into a new millennium.

Overview of the Dissertation

The following chapter provides a more detailed review of the literature. Chapter
1H provides a comprehensive account of the methodology employed. Chapter IV
describes in detail the analysis of the findings. Chapter V presents a discussion of the
findings, the conclusions of the study, and implications for future research. The
appendices contain samples of research tools and documentation items, as well as a short

vignette of each pastor interviewed.

16

CHAPTER II—LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

The research questions addressed by the literature review are:
1. What is the nature of the ministry as a career? Is it developmental in nature?
2. Are there differences in clergy professional development tasks and learning needs at
different times during their career paths?
3. What implications does considering the ministry as a developmental process have for
sustaining excellence throughout the clergy career?

Three important areas of knowledge were necessary frames for this study of
pastoral ministry as a developmental process: an understanding of theories of vocation,
life and career development literature, and the particularity of clergy careers. This
chapter reviews the literature and research in each of these areas as it relates to and
informs the present study.

There is quite a diverse literature on theories of vocation. This study drew on
vocation theory related to the engagement in and meaning of work as it relates to one’s
life history. Mihalyi Czikszentmihalyi’s studies of creativity and flow (1990, 1996)
address engagement in one’s work. Parker Palmer’s work on vocation (Palmer, 1983;
Palmer, 1990, 1993, 1997a, 1997b, 2000) addresses the meaning of work and its
connection to one’s inner life. Norman Denzin’s biographical method (1989) explores

development as it is related to life history.

17

The existing literature about life and career development is disparate and fluid,
and studies using various theories have been found to only partially validate any given
theory. This suggests that, while a given theory may be helpful, a broader view of
principles behind the theories may provide clearer insight into the particular path a given
vocation may take. Therefore, this study examined the life stage theories of Levinson for
men and for women (Levinson, 1986, 1996; Levinson et al., 1978), and the career stage
theory of Super (Super, 1957a, 1957b, 1984, 1990; Super & Hall, 1978; Super et al.,
1996), in order to identify the key issues to be dealt with in a study of career paths.
Further, Baldwin’s application of life and career stage theories to the careers of faculty
(Baldwin, 1979, 1980, 1990b; Baldwin & Blackburn, 1981) provided an example of how
these theories have illuminated a similarly complex career.

In order to develop an understanding of clergy careers, two approaches were
taken. First, a review of key literature on ministry issues provided a framework of
current understanding of clergy careers. Second, an examination of a previous national

study of clergy careers provided context and content for the current study.

Theories of Vocation
There is quite a diverse literature on vocation theory. This study drew on theories
of vocation addressing the engagement in and meaning of work as it relates to one’s life
history. Both Csikszentmihalyi (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, 1996; Csikszentmihalyi &
LeFevre, 1989) and Palmer (Palmer, 1983, 1990, 2000) write about creativity as a key
element in finding meaning in one’s work. Both Palmer (1983, 1990, 2000) and Denzin
(Denzin, 1989a, 1989b) discuss the importance of understanding vocation in the context

of life history. Thus, a review of these authors provided a framework for discerning the

18

importance of creativity as a key learning process and how it is connected with one’s life
calling or vocation.

Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi’s studies of creativity and flow (1990, 1996) address
engagement in one’s work. Indepth studies of workers who are considered to be some of
the world’s greatest minds revealed that people who are most engaged in their work
experience flow, or optimal experience. Flow is characterized as those times when
people report feelings of concentration and enjoyment. The problems or activities in
which they are engaged become so consuming that time seems to stand still.
Surprisingly, the enjoyment comes not from relaxation or wealth, but from activities that
are often painful, risky, and even dangerous, that stretch a person’s capacity and involve
an element of novelty and discovery (Csikszentnrihalyi 1996, pp. 111-113).

Parker Palmer’s work on vocation (Palmer, 1983, 1990, 1997a, 1997b, 2000)
addresses the meaning of work and its connection to one’s inner life. Palmer suggests that
one’s vocation must flow out of a deep knowledge of one’s inner being. Thus, to be an
effective worker, one must cycle through periods of action and contemplation. Learning
is a spiritual journey, because ultimately learning is connected to knowing oneself more
firlly, and experiencing oneself as firlly known by the Creator. Palmer speaks of
education as spiritual formation, and of knowing as loving. Thus, one’s vocational
journey is inextricably linked to one’s development as a person, and as one knows
oneself more firlly, one receives clearer direction as to one’s vocation.

Norman Denzin’s biographical approach to research (Denzin, 1989a, 1989b;
Denzin & Lincoln, 2000) suggests that learning is imbedded in one’s life history. He

argues that a study of life history provides a rich means of connecting theory, method,

19

and interpretation. Human conduct, according to Denzin, must be studied and understood
from the perspectives of the persons involved. The sensitive observer relates the
individual perspective to social groups, as well as examines the variety of experience
within these groups.

Thus, a review of theories of vocation suggests that a life developmental
perspective is useful in understanding a person’s learning experiences, vocation, and the
meaning he or she finds in work. Seeking out moments of engagement or creativity in
work provides a particular key to understanding how people learn about their work and

discover new strategies for engaging in their work.

Life and Career Development Literature

Career development has been theorized and researched from numerous
disciplinary perspectives. Theoretical models of career development have been grouped
into four primary approaches: developmental, personality, trait-factor, and sociological
approaches (Osipow, 1983, 1990). The oldest of these is the trait-factor theory, from
social psychology, which assumes that it is possible to match an individual’s abilities and
interests with a career choice, and once that match is made, nothing more needs to be
done. The sociological view suggests that circumstances beyond an individual’s control
contribute most significantly to one’s career choice, and once the choice is made, a
person’s primary task is adjustment. Personality theory suggests that workers select their
jobs in order to satisfy their personal needs, and that over time the job molds the worker’s
personality to provide a closer match. The developmental approach to career

development is rooted in the following three assumptions: 1) individuals continue to

20

develop their self-images as they grow older; 2) people compare images of the
occupational world with their self-images as they make decisions about their careers; and
3) the adequacy of a particular vocational choice depends on the match between the
individual’s self-image and vocational conceptualization.

While the other theories provide useful insight to career choice (i.e., there needs
to be a match between one’s personality, abilities, and interests and one’s career choice,
and one needs to be able to adjust to change), the developmental approach offers the most
promise for developing a nuanced understanding of career development issues throughout
one’s work life. Because a developmental understanding of careers is founded on an
assumption that human beings continue to develop throughout their lifetimes, let us turn
to Levinson’s theory of adult development, as he described it in two studies: The Seasons
of a Man ’s Life (Levinson 1978), and The Seasons of a Woman ’s Life (Levinson 1996).
Levinson ’3 Theory of Adult Development.

Levinson divides the stages of adulthood into approximately five to seven year
periods, as follows (Levinson, 1996), p. 18ff:
Table I

Levinson ’s Stages of A dulthood

 

 

 

 

 

Era Ages Developmental Ages Description
Period
Pre- 0-22 Includes early childhood, mid-childhood
adulthood and adolescence
Early 17-45 EARLY 17- Represents the full maturity of
adulthood ADULT 22 childhood and the infancy of early
TRANSITION adulthood; modify family relationships,
develop adult identity
Entry life 22- Explore independence, learn about the
structure for 28 world, what one wants with regard to

 

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

early work, love, home, life structure
adulthood
Age 30 28- Apprise entry life structure, work further
transition 33 on individuation, explore new
possibilities, a difficult time for both
women and men
Culminating 33- Establish a more secure place for self in
life structure 40 society and accomplish youthfirl dreams
for early and goals
adulthood
Middle 40-65 MID-LIFE 40- Create a new way of being young-and
adulthood TRANSITION 45 old appropriate to middle adulthood
Entry life 45- Create an initial structure for the
structure for 50 launching of middle adulthood, often
middle dramatically different from late 305,
adulthood particularly in terms of relationships
Age 50 50- Time of reappraisal of entry life
transition 55 structure, developmental crises are
common
Culminating 55- This structure provides a vehicle for the
life structure 60 realization of the era’s major aspirations
for middle and goals
aduhhood
Late 60-? LATE ADULT 60- Requires a profound reappraisal of the
adulthood TRANSITION 65 past and a shift to late adulthood

 

Levinson notes stable and transitional periods in adulthood, which occur in a

cyclical fashion. The first major transitional period occurs around age 20, fiom

childhood to early adulthood. The second occurs around age 40, marking a movement

from early to middle adulthood, and the third around age 60, marking a movement into

late adulthood. Within each era, there exist periods of building and living within a life

structure, and periods of evaluating and changing those life structures, which Levinson

 

characterizes as minor transitional periods. Decisions about work life, life balance, and
relationships are revisited in this cyclical fashion throughout the lifespan, as one matures
and develops more differentiated ideas about one’s identity and life goals.

Levinson’s research suggests that both women and men go through the same
periods of adult life structure development. Within this framework, he found that
genders differ in life circumstances, life course, and ways of going through each
developmental period. Women form different life structures from men, and they work on
each developmental task with different internal and external resources and constraints (p.
36-37). Nevertheless, the periods of life structure development are the same for all
adults.

Super ’3 Theory of Career Stages

Related to Levinson’s studies of life development in adult men and women is
Super’s study of career stages. Super’s model of vocational life stages (Super, 1957b)
pp. 40-41 (see chart below) includes five major periods, some of which, as in Levinson’s
model, are divided into sub-stages.

Table 11

Super ’s Model of Vocational Life Stages

 

;.Stage. Ages SubStage ; Ages Description  :~:.; ‘5 7,5"! -'

 

 

Grth 0-14 Self-concept develops
Stage
Fantasy 4-10 Needs are dominant; role-playing in fantasy
is important

Interest 11- Likes are the major determinant of
12 aspirations and activities

Capacity 13- Abilities are given more weight, and job
14 requirements (including training) are
considered

 

 

 

 

 

 

23

 

 

Explora-
tion Stage

Establish-

ment
Stage

Mainte-
nance

Stage

Decline
Stage

 

15-
24

25-
44

45-
64

65-?

 

Tentative

Transi-
tion

Trial

Trial

Stabiliza-
tion

Decelera-
tion

Retire-
ment

 

15-
17

18-
21

22-
24

25-
30

31-
44

65-
70

71-?

 

Time of self-examination, role tryouts, and
occupational exploration

Needs, interests, capacities, values and
opportunities are all considered, tentative
choices are explored

Reality considerations are given more
weight, movement into professional training
or job market, implementation of self-
concept

A beginning job is found and is tried out as
life work

Effort is made to find a permanent place in
one’s field

The field may prove unsuitable, resulting in
changes before suitable work is found or
before one resolves oneself to a series of
unrelated jobs

As career pattern emerges, effort is made to
make a secure place in work world. For
most, these are the creative years.

The concern is to hold one’s place in the
world of work. Little new ground is broken.
Continuation along established lines

As physical and mental powers decline, work
activity changes and in due course ceases.
Roles move to selective participant, then
observer.

Pace of work changes to suit declining
capacities

Cessation of work comes, to some easily,
others with difficulty and disappointment,
and to some only with death

 

24

 

Super’s model, like Levinson’s, includes periods of transition and stability.
Unique to Super’s model is a primary focus on career, rather than on the life journey in
general. Super’s transitions are characterized by self-examination and firrther
development of one’s self-concept, and are triggered by job dissatisfaction. Super’s
periods of stability are characterized either as “trial,” “stabilization,” or “maintenance.”
He presents people as moving toward security, yet also having the possibility of great
creativity. Like Levinson, Super determines stability and transition to be cyclical
characteristics of the adult life, particularly as it relates to vocation. He perceives adult
periods to be more variable in length than Levinson, who sees each period as lasting
approximately five to seven years. For Super, the time frames of periods are seen to be
as short as three years (as in the trial period of the exploration stage), or as long as fifteen
years (as in the maintenance stage). Further, life stages interact with the personality, as in
Super’s notion of self-concept implementation (Osipow, 1990).

Discussion of Lifespan Development Theories

Among these theories, while there is agreement that adults move through life and
career stages, there is variance in ideas about how these stages are identified, and whether
they are linked primarily with chronological age or career level and experience.

Levinson (Levinson, 1986; Levinson et al., 1978) proposed a series of age-related life
stages in which unique activities and adjustments occur. Levinson’s “life eras” include
childhood (0-20), early adulthood (20-40), middle adulthood (40-60), and late adulthood
(over 60). Super, in contrast, roots his four stages of development in the nature of the
career path rather than in chronological age. His career stages include exploration,

establishment, maintenance, and decline. People move through these career stages not

25

chronologically, but rather based upon their perceptions and circumstances. Further,
Super suggests that any stage can occur at any age, and that major transitions trigger a
recycling through the stages.

The application of Super’s and Levinson’s theories to specific career-related
studies have revealed that significant interactions occur. Age differences occurred within
Super’s stages, and stage differences occurred within Levinson’s age groups (Swanson,
1992). There is some evidence that Super’s career stages may have racial and gender
limitations (Herbert, 1990). Further, Super’s early career stage was revealed to be the
most distinct of the career stages.

The career and life span theories have implications for researching clergy careers.
They suggest the possibility that learning in the clergy career may be impacted both by
age, and by career stage. They raise the question as to whether pastors pass through
distinct career stages, and whether clergy beginning ministry at different ages might
experience these distinct career stages or periods differently. They also suggest that some
career stages might be repeating, or cyclical in nature. Thus, in beginning the study,
questions arising fiom the literature and informing the interview protocol include: Are
there distinct career stages that are part of a clergy career? If so, what are they? How do
clergy learn differently during these career periods, that is, in what different
developmental tasks are pastors engaged at different times in their ministries? Do
pastors’ ages during these different career periods have any impact in how they learn at
these different times? Are there learning needs of clergy that are not developmental in

nature? What characterizes these needs? What implications does this knowledge about

26

pastors’ learning, developmental and otherwise, have for clergy professional

development and support?

Baldwin’s Career Stage Model for Faculty Career Development

There are a number of ways in which faculty careers are similar to clergy careers.
Both faculty and clergy engage in a variety of complex activities: they teach, work with
people, interpret culture, give counsel and advice, and put carefirlly crafted ideas into
written form, often for verbal delivery. They both work with committees and budgets,
evaluate programs and ideas, and envision and live out an articulated mission. Both
faculty and clergy careers involve active engagement, and require commitment beyond
the traditional 9:00-5:00 work week. They both have to make decisions about how to
balance complex vocational demands with personal interests and needs. Thus, an
examination of faculty careers can provide insight into crafting an understanding of
clergy careers as a developmental process.

Roger Baldwin (Baldwin, 1979, 1980, 1990a; Baldwin & Blackburn, 1981)
applied Levinson’s and Super’s theories to a careful study of faculty careers. He
proposed that faculty careers are comprised of five stages: assistant professor in the first
three years of firll-time college teaching, assistant professor with more than three years of
college teaching experience, associate professor, firll professor more than five years from
retirement, and full professor within five years of retirement. These stages combine
career markers with chronological age to provide a comprehensive picture of the faculty
career. At each career stage, Baldwin found that faculty engage in different

developmental tasks (see chart below) (Baldwin, 1990b; Baldwin & Blackburn, 1981)

27

These developmental tasks provide a catalyst for thinking about what developmental

tasks might occur in clergy careers. The key question is in what ways clergy careers

function like, or differently fiom, faculty careers. Key among the differences between

faculty and clergy careers is the lack of landmarks along the clergy career path. Once a

minister is ordained, there are no specific recognitions or achievements that are

embedded in the career path; though, for many, there are transitions from one ministry

context to another.

Table III

Baldwin ’s Faculty Career Stages and Questions They Sugest for Clergy Careers

 

 

 

 

i‘Baldwin’s Characteristics,Experiences, . Questions/Implications for Clergy V
Faculty Tasks .. ‘ , ' » . Careers '
Career-Stage .. : . » ,
(Process of Seen as containing formative What developmental tasks, if any,
education critical events, such as passing are part of the preparatory period
and prelims and receiving the PhD, of career development, i.e., during
socialization) but not labeled as a career stage seminary? How does socialization
by Baldwin. into the profession occur for
clergy?
Assistant Trying to get career established. What stresses do clergy face in
professor in Unstable employment their first ministry position? What
the first three environment. Experience concerns do they identify?
years of full— pressure and concern about Do clergy similarly face an early
time college their future. time of trying to learn many things
teaching Adjusting to novel demands, rapidly?

trying to learn rapidly, receptive
to help from others with more
experience. Oriented primarily
to teaching with limited
research commitments.
Concerned with improving
performance in both teaching
and research. Enthusiastic about
their careers. May have

 

What tasks do clergy focus on?
Do they exhibit enthusiasm about
their first three years? Are their
aspirations realistic or, like
faculty, idealistic?

Is their first ministry placement
where they experience the highest
degree of stress?

What impact does one’s first

 

 

28

 

 

Assistant
professor
with more
than three
years of
college
teaching
experience

Associate
professor

Full
professor
more than
five years
from
retirement

 

idealistic and overly ambitious
career ambitions. Have much to
learn about the organization.
Perceived as the time of highest
stress. The initial placement
(finding placement, adjusting to
career demands) is seen as
having a significant impact on
their subsequent career
decisions.

More confident about their
abilities and performance. More
sophisticated knowledge of
institution’s operation. Seeking
recognition and advancement,
symbolized by the receipt of
tenure. Perceived as an easier
time, yet dissatisfaction may
result fi'om teaching, institution
or overall career achievements
not matching expectations. Fear
of upcoming tenure evaluation.
Assessment period likely to
occur here, to identify options
in case tenure is not
forthcoming.

Enigmatic, enjoy peer
recognition associated with
tenure and promotion,
becoming more integral part of
academic community, involved
in college-wide activities,
satisfied with progress, fear of
reaching a dead-end.

Assessment period likely to
occur here. Faced with a choice
between diversification and
stagnation. Enthusiasm for
teaching and research declined.
Seek diversity and new
challenges. Develop new
interests and roles, often
national. Faculty who fail to do

 

ministry placement have on future
career decisions?

In what areas do clergy first
develop a sense of confidence
about their abilities and
performance?

How do they exhibit learning
about the church as institution?
How do clergy seek/receive
recognition or advancement?

Is there emerging dissatisfaction?
If so, what forms does it take?

When do clergy feel confident that
they have “arrived,” or learned the
work of the ministry?

Does professional involvement
beyond the local church impact
clergy’s sense of satisfaction or
performance?

What are trigger points for clergy
self assessment periods?

How do clergy maintain energy for
their work?

Do clergy experience inertia,
disillusionment or depression?
How can these be avoided, or
addressed in productive ways?

”3‘” fl - "AH

 

 

 

 

29

 

 

Full
professor
within five
years of
retirement

(Retirement
stage not
addressed by
Baldwin, but
addressed by
Super)

Similar
characteris-
tics at all
career stages

 

so often experience inertia,
disillusionment, or depression.

High satisfaction, time to
pursue own interests. Lowest
stress. Less likely to participate
in formal professional
development activities.
Reflective, content with their
professional achievements.
Gradually are withdrawing from
professional responsibilities,
and have very limited future
goals. Decreased enthusiasm
for teaching, comfortable with
service to department or
college, fear their knowledge is
out-of-date, less comfortable
with research. Isolated at a time
when professional development
might be particularly beneficial.

Common career goals—such as
the intellectual and personal
development of students, and
the desire to contribute to one’s
academic field.

Enjoyment of aspects of the
profession—such as teaching,
the collegiate environment.
Opportunities for professional
growth (i.e. sabbaticals,
seminars, grants for research)
had a major impact on their
career direction and growth.
Status and role changes were
seen as significant career events
(e. g. becoming full professor;
chairing an academic

 

What periods in a clergy career are
most satisfying? Least stressful?
When are they less or more likely
to seek out professional
development activities?

As clergy approach retirement, do
they begin to withdraw fi'om
professional responsibilities?

Do they fear their knowledge is
out-of-date?

How do clergy deal with the idea
of transition out of ministry into
retirement?

What motivates many retired
clergy to continue to serve as
interim pastors?

What implications does this have
for identity development when the
clergy “role” is lost?

What common career goals do
clergy identify?

Are there common aspects of the
profession that clergy enjoy?
What opportunities for
professional growth do clergy seek
out?

What key events or experiences do
clergy identify as having a major
impact on their career direction
and growth?

 

30

 

 

 

Gradual
changes over
time

Periods of
reassessment

 

committee).

Interest in some roles (i.e.
research) declines.

Interest in other roles (i.e.
college-wide service) increases.
Time allocation shifts over
time. As they gain experience,
they perceive changes in their
professional strengths and
weaknesses. Stress appeared to
be greatest for beginning
faculty and least for retiring
professors.

Occur when failures,
disappointments, loss of
enthusiasm, or new interests
cause faculty to question their

careers’ purpose or direction (p.

17).

 

Do clergy demonstrate increasing
or decreasing interest in various
ministry roles over time? Does
clergy time allocation shift over
time? In what ways?

How do clergy perceive changes in
their professional strengths and
weaknesses as they gain
experience?

What are the periods of greatest
stress for clergy?

What causes clergy to question
their careers’ purpose or direction?
How can they be helped at these
times?

 

As the chart demonstrates, faculty move through significant stages in their

careers. Each stage is associated with developmental tasks. The process is fluid, and

some aspects of faculty careers remain consistent throughout their careers, while other

aspects seem to shift incrementally over time rather than moving through stages, such as

level of stress and level of satisfaction. There are periods of reassessment, which often

occur at certain stages, but may occur at any time, triggered by failures, disappointments,

or even new interests. Faculty career development is related to both life and career stage.

Times of stability and change are related to both career stage and self-discovery.

Baldwin has presented a complex matrix of faculty career development that seems

to capture the complexity of faculty careers as well as to leave room for individual

idiosyncratic grth and self-expression. This complex model of career development

suggests significant questions for a study of clergy careers. These questions (listed in the

31

 

above chart) provide focus for reflecting on clergy learning and developmental issues that
may occur during the course of clergy work life. Baldwin’s model integrates an
understanding of transitions and landmarks that are built into the structure of faculty
careers with developmental issues which are primarily associated with life stage, while
providing flexibility for issues that may emerge from the particularity of an individual’s
life journey. Thus, it is a tremendous resource for embarking upon a study of clergy
careers.

In summary, a review of the literature on life and career stages indicates that
adults continue to develop throughout their lifetimes, that there is a cyclical process of
stability and change, and that there are specific tasks associated with each period. Both
transitional periods and stable periods can be times of creativity and growth. Career-
related grth is a key aspect of the adult’s life development, and is one key influence

triggering movement through various life stages.

Applying Vocation, Life and Career Stage Theories to Clergy Careers
In order to apply vocation, life and career stage theories to clergy careers, it is
important to consider what is known about the nature of clergy careers. This section
considers the culture of ministry today and current thinking about clergy leadership.
There are a number of factors that contribute to making sense of the issues clergy
experience as they move through their career paths. The changing culture of ministry
provides both a context for this study (see Chapter I), as well as an understanding of the

way clergy careers are commonly understood.

32

The culture of ministry is changing

The time in which clergy are working is fraught with turbulence and change. The
information explosion (Apps, 1988; Perelman, 1992) bombards people with ever-
changing information they have to sort through to make decisions about what is
significant for their lives. This has impacts for careers in general, as people no longer
gain adequate preparation in early adulthood to sustain them through a lifetime of
ministry. Parishioners are spending longer hours at work, and thus have less time to
devote to volunteer church leadership (Jones, 2001). Finally, people find their faith to be
challenged by the idea that truth is relative, and that new knowledge is created all the
time (Easum, 2000).

Further, clergy often find that they are no longer more educated than most people
in their congregations (Rudolph, 1990). Thus, the perception of clergyperson as expert
has diminished. In addition, people are moving more frequently, resulting in a higher
turnover of church membership. Further, there is an ongoing decline in membership as
parishioners die. This places a great strain on budgets, and clergy are frequently expected
to singlehandedly draw newcomers into the congregation to make up the shortfall
(Campolo, 1995).

The role of clergy in the life of the congregation is more ambiguous than in the
past, and at the same time more demanding (Sweet, 1999b). Excellence in ministry is
both harder to define, and harder to achieve. Clergy are expected to solve more problems
with less support, as volunteer leadership diminishes. Clergy are expected to provide
visionary leadership, while their expertise is subject to question and doubt. Expectations

of clergy expertise include such disparate skills as preaching; worship leadership

33

(Berglund, 2001); teaching; leadership training; administration; pastoral care; conflict
management and resolution; marriage preparation and enrichment; social ministry;
ministry with children, youth, people in midlife, and the aging; cross-cultural ministry;
high-tech communication; music; and the ability to direct mission projects and be
effective fund-raisers (Hansen, 1996; Hunt & Hunt, 1982; Payne & Beazley, 2000;
Schuller et al., 1980; Stewart, 1974).

At the same time that expectations of clergy are high, resources for firnding and
supporting the ministry have diminished. An increasing number of clergy are being
forced into bivocational ministry because declining churches can no longer pay living
wages. Troubling theological issues threaten to divide congregations, denominations,
and even families. Clergy leadership skills now must include the ability to be a
“nonanxious presence,” a paradigm Rabbi Edwin Friedman used to describe the role
clergy must play to mediate conflict (Friedman, 1985).

Despite the strong faith and desire to help people that presumably has motivated
clergy to choose ministry as a profession, many clergy are suffering under the strain.
Burnout is an issue of concern in many helping professions, and clergy are no exception
(Edelwich, 1980).

Denominational leaders sadly report an increase of sexual misconduct among
practicing clergy, which Bill Easum has linked to the stressful nature of the ministry in
today’s changing world.

We can expect two things to occur in our churches over the next two decades. (1)

The anger level among church officials will increase, causing more conflict and

dysfunctional characteristics. New forms of leadership and worship will be the

34

lightning rods for this anger. (2) We can expect firrther moral decline and

inefficiency to increase among the older clergy (Easum, 2000) p.50.

Thus, we see that the changing culture of ministry includes decreased authority
and support as well as increasing and ambiguous expectations. The resulting stress is
leading to clergy burnout, moral decline, and ineffectiveness.

There is a need for a new kind of clergy leadership.

In response to this changing culture of ministry, some visionary pastors are
calling for an entirely new way of thinking about clergy vocations. Leonard Sweet, in
his book Aquachurch, argues for a fluid image of a transforming world which ministerial
leaders must embrace in order to keep abreast of changes in the midst of ministry (Sweet,
1999b). “If you’re doing church the same way you were a year ago,” Sweet claims,
“you’re falling behind and failing” (p. 16). Sweet links chaos with an organization’s
ability to adapt to change, and defines leadership in part as the ability to listen to
contradictory points of view. He calls on pastors to be trust-builders, collaborators, and
motivators of the laity, who are called by God to be engaged in ministry.

Bill Easum, in his book Leadership on the Other Side, also calls for a fluid
definition of ministerial leadership. Good leaders, he claims, must learn to “innovate on
the fly” (2000, p. 61). He pictures clergy as entering a worrnhole. They must embrace
the chaos of the moment and let go of the order of the past. Leaders must “feel
passionately about a few core issues and think paradoxically about most other things” (p.
32). The period of change in which we live, he asserts, is calling for a kind of ministerial
leadership which is qualitatively different from what effective ministry looked like in the

past.

35

Thomas Bandy joins Sweet and Easum in his assessment of clergy careers. He
likens clergy to coaches (Bandy, 2000) who must learn continuously in a chaotic world
(Bandy, 1999). He calls for qualities of imagination and embracing of diversity, and
invites pastors to err on the side of freedom in order to let new ideas emerge. Church
ministry teams should be let loose to do anything they envision to meet goals within
parameters set by the church leadership (proscriptive), rather than attempting to fill in the
blanks and do things the way they have always been done (prescriptive).

The review of literature about clergy issues suggests that this time of
unprecedented change is having a tremendous impact not only on ministers’ experiences
of stress, but is reshaping the very nature of ministry as a career. In such a climate, it is
no wonder that there is a need for a new way of thinking about the professional
development and support of clergy in order to sustain excellence.

Ministry in America

In 1980, an extensive study of ministry was undertaken in the United States
(Schuller et al., 1980). Funded by the Lilly Endowment, the Association of Theological
Schools with the help of Search Institute surveyed thousands of laypersons, clergy,
church leaders, seminary professors and students in 47 denominations to learn what
qualities churches expect of a beginning minister. [Other literature also addresses the
transition into ministry, along with skills needed to begin work as a pastor. (Best-Boss,
1999, 2000)]. Although this research was conducted over 20 years ago, it reflects ways
of thinking about clergy career development which are still prevalent today. Further, it
provides insight into career issues that are particularly relevant to American Baptist

clergy. The survey addressed the calling of people to ministry as a vocation as well as

36

the need for training. It identified disparities in expectations about ministry between
clergy and laity. It noted changes in the concept of ministry in recent years. Further, it
considered the multiple roles effective clergy must play in the life of the congregation.
The study results yielded a model of primary ministry roles consisting of eleven
areas under four headings: the functional content of ministry, ministry style,
denominational issues, and personal characteristics. The findings from the study are

reported below:

Table IV

Ministry in America Study of Primary Ministry Roles

 

Ministry Area Desired Ministry Roles

 

Functional Content of Ministry Ministry to Community and World

Ministry from Personal Commitment of Faith
Development of Fellowship and Worship
Congregational Leadership

Caring for Persons Under Stress

 

Ministry Style Open, Affirming Style
Theologian in Life and Thought
Not privatistic, legalistic style

 

Denominational Issues Denominational Awareness and Collegiality
Priestly-Sacramental Ministry '

 

 

Disqualifying Personal and Behavioral Not immoral
Characteristics

 

 

It is interesting to note that the issues defined here as salient to clergy careers are

functional rather than developmental. This approach is consistent with other literature on

37

 

the ministry, which addresses professional development in terms of discreet skills to be
mastered, or in terms of issues of style, but not developmentally.

Of particular interest to this study is the section of the report which addresses the
unique characteristics of the Canadian and American Baptist family. Leon Pacala, a
faculty member from an American Baptist institution, Colgate Rochester Divinity
School/Crozer Theological Seminary, prepared the report.

Pacala (Schuller et al., 1980) noted that Baptists are the most fragmented among
Protestant denominations, due to their beliefs about local church autonomy, soul liberty,
and the priesthood of all believers. Because every Baptist church, and individual, is free
to follow their own beliefs, no one theological or ecclesiastic tie unites all Baptists. This
emphasis on religious freedom has serious implications for clergy. The exercise of
ecclesiastic authority and power is problematic in Baptist settings, where the minister’s
personal commitment of faith forms the basis of a representational leadership, and
ministers serve as examples of how all believers should believe and live (p. 255).

Pacala further noted that American-Canadian Baptists perceive the minister’s
family life to be paradigmatic of the relationships that should exist within the local
congregation. Preaching is valued quite highly, and Baptists believe that it should be
both professional and charismatic. An emerging trend away from this emphasis on
preaching and toward a more interpersonal view of the pastor as congregational caregiver
was also noted.

Pacala pointed out differences between clergy and laity responses. Clergy valued
aggressively political leadership, theological reflection, emphasis on intellectual

understanding of issues, actively working on behalf of oppressed people, and keeping

38

abreast of the theological and political stance of the congregation. Laity, on the other
hand, placed a higher emphasis on the need for ministers to relate well to children and
youth, to concentrate on the congregation without involvement in social change, and to
relate God’s activity to personal experience. They took exception to clergy dominating
decision-making, and more readily accepted denominational directives and expectations.

One of the particular dangers of defining the ministry based on a firnctional
representative model is that clergy are in constant danger of “being measured only by
congregational consensus and confirmation and may lack the saving recourse of some
transcendent basis or means of evaluation” (p. 263).

Conclusions

Across the theories, there is agreement that people continue to learn and develop
ideas about themselves and their vocations throughout their lives. In some careers, there
appear to be career stages. These stages are developmental, not random, and they build
on each other. They also can be cyclical in nature. Recycling is often triggered by
substantive change, either externally, as in a new title or job responsibility, or internally,
as one’s self concept changes and no longer matches with one’s current career situation.

Until the current study, this developmental perspective has not been applied to
clergy careers, which have been described in functional and stylistic terms. The culture
of clergy careers is changing, which is causing unrest in the vocation as well as a call for
a new kind of clergy leadership. This new kind of leadership has been described as
visionary, flexible, and able to adapt to a rapidly changing world. It is able to empower

laity to develop new ideas for accomplishing goals and objectives.

39

A developmental perspective, then, provides new insight into clergy careers. It
offers the possibility of not only gaining insight into how clergy learn, but also of
learning how their developmental experiences and needs can be supported at a time when
ministry demands are changing and new leadership skills are required. This insight has
the benefit of aiding clergy directly in making sense of their career paths and identifying
their own professional development needs, as well as guiding denominational decisions

about how to better sustain excellence throughout the course of clergy careers.

4o

CHAPTER III—METHODOLOGY

Introduction
The methodology of this study seeks to answer the following research questions:
1. What is the nature of the ministry as a career? Is it developmental in nature?
2. Are there differences in clergy professional development tasks and learning needs at
different times during their career paths?
3. What implications does considering the ministry as a developmental process have for

sustaining excellence throughout the clergy career?

This chapter addresses the study design, and is organized in the following way.
The qualitative theoretical framework underpinning the research is presented. Then, the
first qualitative method of data collection is discussed: the analysis of three open-ended
questions on professional development from 378 surveys on clergy work. This is
followed by a presentation of an emerging conceptual framework of clergy career
development resulting from an analysis of these surveys. The second qualitative method
of data collection follows, which involved in-depth interviews with 17 clergy
representing demographic diversity as well as diversity in point of entry into the clergy
career. These interviews became the basis for testing and refining the conceptual
framework.

Qualitative Theoretical Framework

The research method chosen for this study is qualitative (Schwandt, 1997).

Qualitative research approaches data acquisition primarily through deep knowing about

the particularity of human lives. The means for gathering this data is relational, in that

41

the data is communicated in the voice or life of the person being questioned or observed,
and often in a personal exchange between two or more people. In order to learn about the
vocational lives of clergy, one must delve deeply into the voices and lived experiences of
clergy.

Primary qualitative researchers with whom this study shares elements of its
approach include Guba, Denzin, Lincoln, Palmer, Patton, and Tierney (Denzin, 1989a;
Denzin, 1989b; Denzin & Lincoln, 2000; Lincoln, 2001; Lincoln & Guba, 1985a; Lincoln
& Guba, 1985b; Lincoln, 1994; Lincoln, 1998; Lincoln & Guba, 1986; Lincoln & Guba,
1988; Palmer, 1990; Palmer, 1993; Palmer, 1997a; Palmer & Jacobsen, 1974; Palmer,
1997b; Palmer, 2000; Patton, 1997; Patton & Westby, 1992; Patton, 1987; Patton, 1996;
Tierney & Lincoln, 1994). In particular, Yvonne Lincoln’s approach to naturalistic
inquiry provides theoretical underpinning to this work.

Case studies, according to Lincoln (1988), should provide “déja vu,” or the
feeling that one’s own lived experience is present in the reporting about the other. They
should allow for use as a metaphor; that is, they should stand symbolically as an example
of shared experience. They should not only inform the researcher’s analysis, but also
allow for use as a basis for readers to build their own constructions, by providing data in
a form that allows for continuing interpretation. Product and process are both important.
Finally, case studies should empower, activate, and stimulate readers.

While the findings in this study are not presented strictly as case studies per se,
the voices of individual pastors are carried through images, metaphors and stories from
their lived experience. These voices are so important, and so compelling, that vignettes

of each interview participant were created, and are included in the appendix. These

42

voices also share common threads of experience. These threads are woven together in
the findings.

Metaphor is a particularly important way this study captures pastors’ experiences
of their vocations. Parker Palmer identifies metaphors as both powerful “raw data”
informing research, and as “antidotes” to theories of research that mask as well as
illumine lived experience:

Metaphors can make us available to ourselves, and to each other, in fresh and

surprising ways. They are antidotes, if you will, to our “theories” which--as

valuable as they are--are also subject to sophisticated self-deceptions that mask
who we really are and what we’re really up to. The gift of honest metaphor is that
it comes to us rough and raw and full of psychic energy, unedited by the
conventions of the rational mind. If I give you my metaphor, I am likely to be

speaking honestly about myself--in ways that even I do not understand until I

have listened carefully to what the metaphor is trying to teach me. (1993, p. 12)

Tierney & Lincoln (Tierney & Lincoln, 1994) discuss a number of key issues in
qualitative research that informed this researcher’s approach. These include the
importance of entre’e and building rapport, field notes and data management, adequacy
criteria, ethics in qualitative inquiry, site selection, and writing the case study. In order to
learn about the real lives of pastors, including their struggles, areas of inadequacy or need
for support, and passions, a trusting relationship must be created where rapport can be
built. As a pastor with high visibility in the American Baptist Churches USA, credibility
in terms of my commitment to the support and nurture of clergy, and extensive
relationships built with colleagues across the country, I was in a particularly
advantageous position for gaining entrée and building rapport with other pastors.

Disciplines of how to collect and manage data also became part of the study design.

43

Interviewing emerged as a key method for gathering data; particularly because
while the survey data was helpful, it did not provide the kind of depth desired in making
sense of clergy careers. According to Lincoln (2001), interviewing remains a primary
data collection technique, especially for gathering knowledge and understanding about
"lived experience." As a foundation for effective interviewing, "rapport," the researcher's
achievement of sufficient sympathy or empathy with the interviewee that he or she is
wiling to share critical or intimate data with the researcher, must be established. The
presence of conflict mitigates against rapport. The interaction between the mandate to
achieve rapport and the acknowledgement that conflict accompanies pluralism must be
taken into account in fieldwork. I was concerned about my ability to establish rapport
across the diversity of participants, particularly in terms of ethnic diversity and
theological or ideological diversity. This proved not to be problematic, to my relief and
delight. In fact, pastors were forthcoming beyond my expectations concerning their
vocational lives. This, in part, was aided by the use of metaphor (discussed above).

Patton (Patton, 1997; Patton & Westby, 1992; Patton, 1987; Patton, 1996)
discusses evaluation related to qualitative inquiry. His framework for evaluation rejects
the boundaries of traditional categories of formative and summative evaluation. Instead,
he proposes “empowerment evaluation,” (1997) whose purpose is to foster self-
detennination in the person being evaluated. He acknowledges that his definition of
evaluation shares elements in common with participatory, collaborative, stakeholder-
involving, and utilization-focused approaches to evaluation. His approach is particularly
useful when the knowledge generated is aimed at conceptual use, and when the

evaluation will be used to support intervention or empower participants (1996).

44

Patton also discusses depth interviewing (1987) as an effective technique for data
collection, an approach that shares much in common with Lincoln’s naturalistic
interviewing technique (discussed above). The purpose in this study of evaluating
pastors’ ministry preparedness is precisely in order to accomplish the goals Patton
describes for empowerment evaluation—to build a conceptual framework for clergy
career development, and to learn how to more effectively intervene or empower clergy

for the work of the ministry.

Overview of Research Method

In order to explore the concept of the clergy career as a developmental process, a
two-step method of inquiry was used. First, three questions from a 1998-1999 Survey of
Clergy and their Work were analyzed (Kenney, 1999). Those three questions focused on
clergy professional development, and the answers were used to develop a framework for
constructing an emerging understanding of the range of concerns clergy think about
relative to sustaining excellence throughout their careers. This framework in turn
informed the development of the protocol for in-depth interviews.

Second, in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 pastors, representing
demographic diversity as well as diversity in point of entry into the clergy career, in order
to deepen and strengthen our understanding of the ministry as a developmental process,
and the implications of this understanding for clergy professional development and

support.

45

The Survey

In 1998, I designed A Survey on Clergy and their Work in consultation with Dr.
Steve Weiland of Michigan State University’s Department of Educational
Administration; Rev. Dr. Kate Harvey, the Executive Director of the Minister’s Council
of the American Baptist Churches USA; and Dr. Ed Lehman, an experienced American
Baptist researcher. After receiving approval to conduct this survey fiom Michigan State
University’s University Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (UCRIHS), I
administered the survey to American Baptist clergy across the United States and Puerto
Rico in 1998-1999.

Data Collection

Dr. Harvey and Dr. Jim Johnson, then president of American Baptist Churches in
the USA, planned to visit regional ministers’ councils across the United States and
Canada in order to discuss professional development needs. It was determined that they
would distribute the survey at their meetings and collect it on site. Those who wished
more time would be able to mail the survey back to the national office.

This method was chosen for a number of reasons. First, color-coding the surveys
distributed at different sites would enable identification of responses by region, capturing
any regional concerns which might emerge. Second, the ease to respondents of returning
surveys on-site would encourage response. This was a concern, because a previous
mailed American Baptist clergy study conducted by Rev. David Ludeker (Ludeker, 1997)
of the National Continuing Education Team yielded very few responses. Third, inviting
survey responses provided a catalyst for focus group discussions that followed. See

Appendix Two for the survey instrument.

46

Advantages to this method of data collection proved to be that a significant
number of surveys were received with wide geographical representation. Disadvantages
included that this method of data collection may have inadvertently included only clergy
who are more active in the denomination (by virtue of their attendance at the regional
event). Additionally, responses may have been lost from bivocational pastors or others
unable to leave their places of employment to attend a regional event. The limiting of
responses to clergy attending the gatherings was determined not to be a serious problem.
These clergy were considered to be the same group that would most likely respond to and
participate in any new national or regional strategies for enhancing professional
development. The loss of a group of clergy who do not have the flexibility to attend
regional events which occur during normal working hours is a problem that remains to be
addressed by agencies providing professional development and support to clergy.
Sample

During the 1998-1999, 378 surveys were collected, representing 24 regions and
nearly 5% of the approximately 8,000 American Baptist clergy recorded in the
professional registry. The pastors who responded represented the diversity of the
denomination in a number of significant ways. Respondents included a range of clergy,
from those in the very first years of ministry to retired clergy, men and women, serving
senior pastorates, associate pastorates, in specialized ministries, bivocational ministry,
and denominational leadership at the regional and national level. Although not every
ethnicity serving American Baptist churches was represented, surveys were received

from Asian-, Afiican-, European-, and Latin-American pastors.

47

The portion of the survey used in this study asked the clergy three open-ended
questions:

What issues are you confronted with as you engage in your professional growth?
What professional needs and interests do you currently have?
What barriers stand in the way of your professional development?

A content analysis of the survey responses focused on unitizing data. The answers
to these three questions were coded by theme, and each theme was probed for a further
understanding. Themes and subthemes were recorded in an SPSS file. The emerging
themes were analyzed, in order to inform the development of the interview questions.
The answers to these questions provided insight into the depth and breadth of issues
American Baptist clergy face professionally. Further, they pointed to specific issues
facing clergy at different times in their career development. Below is a chart listing
themes that emerged from an analysis of the survey questions.

Table V

Clergy Professional Development Themes Emerging fiom A Survey on Clergy and Their

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work
Themes Issues Needs Barriers
Career lymiv Distance
preparation ordination Availability
Money
Time
Early Finding Finding a good match
career placement Finding placement
Integration of Tools for assessment
theology
with the
practice of
ministry
Career Discernment Training for new context Lack of position availability
transition, of best place Bringing appropriate Being bivocational

 

4s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

middle to use gifts closure to present
career ministry
Ministerial direction
Themes Issues Needs Barriers
Late career Pre-retirement planning
Adequate pension
Relevance in retirement
Wellness, aging
Desire to pass experience
on to younger pastors
Remaining ‘alive’ in the
last years of ministry
Intellectual Sabbatical Need to exercise An older congregation who
developme leave creativity thinks pastor’s education is
nt and Desire for sabbatical over
creativity For example, Determining what kind of
creative ways to development is needed
incorporate counseling
practice with pastoral
work
Advanced degree
Spiritual Loneliness To be fed, personally, by Being divorced
and Apathy others Lack of assertiveness
personal Self-image Spiritual renewal Introverted personality
growth Personal To overcome dryness
immaturity Encouragement
Church Conflict Preaching Church refuses to consider
leadership resolution Contemporary worship new ideas for the 21St
issues Supervising Church growth century
staff Social justice Having a clearly developed
Lay leader Working with groups plan
training Diversity Theological conflict:
Worship Stewardship ‘Independent pastors who
Baptist Church administration keep churches isolated from
identity Conflict resolution the family’; ‘ABC-USA’s
Context Leadership development wimpy stand on clear Bible
issues Motivating others to tnrth and teaching’
Church serve
growth Baptist identity
Generational
issues
Role Age Pastoral role perceptions Lack of confidence
developme Sex Building authority Acceptance
nt/ Divorce Sexism
authority Cultural Agism
difference Long established biases and
49

 

1:5-1l'i 0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measuring rigid characteristics
success Not being yet ordained
Effectiveness Failure to see pastor as
Competence valuable
Being Time: “I am pastoring in a
affrrmed setting that is only slowly
appreciating my unique
gifts”
Themes Issues Needs Barriers
Relationshi Mentoring Peer relationships Not being able to connect
ps with Advice, Networking with other pastors
other support “Like-minded” Few role models for adding
clergy Isolation colleagues other professional roles to
Support that of pastor
Accountability Need for quality spiritual
Ecumenical relationships fellowship
Getting help from
colleagues, mentors and
others to move toward
growth
Mentoring
Need for Time Efficiency Living situation
life balance management Detail management Need time to pursue hobbies
Self-care Balancing development
Family life with family life
Personal Workaholism
fiiendships
Vacation
Rest
Change Neighborhoo Diversity training
d Need to understand new
21" century American culture
Discerning Chaos theory, set theory
where the and wave theory in
church relation to society
should go?
Need for Appropriate Access to education Time pressures from all
increased continuing pastoral responsibilities
resources education Not enough staff to cover
opportunities pastor’s absence
Funding Geography
Support for Distance
time off Transportation
Distance Access to intemet

 

 

 

Encouragement of the local
church

 

50

 

 

Car
Computer
Logistical support

 

Themes Issues Needs Barriers

 

Skill Counseling Specialization
developme Evangelism Language study

nt Technology Evangelism

Writing

Ministry to various age
groups
Neurolinguistic
programming

Retreat facilitation
Mission education
Staff supervision
Financial management
Business skills
Counseling
Commters

.TF‘M.” a"! " miéi—Hffq

 

 

Integration Integration of
of intellect theology and
and spirit education

 

 

 

 

 

Pastors identified a number of salient issues, needs, and barriers relative to their
professional development. These included concerns relating specifically to career
preparation, early career, middle career, and late career periods.

Career preparation concerns focused on the need for increased resources or access
to educational opportunities. Early career concerns included finding placement,
integrating theology with the practice of ministry, building tools to assess their ministry,
and role development. Middle career concerns focused primarily on transitions from one
ministry context to another. Late career concerns addressed retirement issues, including
finding meaning and the desire to pass knowledge on to the next generation of clergy.

Other themes emerged that did not appear to be linked with a particular

developmental period. Pastors desired to express creativity. They sought out

51

opportunities to learn from other pastors. They were concerned with developing skills for
ministry practice, and many issues relating to church leadership. There was a strong
drive toward creativity, some mention of the desire to integrate intellect and spirit, and
concern for their personal and spiritual growth. Of particular concern were issues related
to the increasing pace of change in the church and community/world, significant

problems with lack of resources, and the expressed need to live a more balanced life.

Emerging Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework below reflects the preliminary understanding that
emerged from the survey analysis of the developmental process clergy may experience as
they move through the course of their careers. This description was informed by an
examination of Super’s (1957, 1958, 1974, 1990) and Levinson’s (1978, 1986, 1996) life
and career stage theories, and Baldwin’s career stages of faculty (1979, 1980, 1981,
1990). It reflects both attention to life changes and natural landmarks which occur in

clergy careers.

Table VI

Emerging Conceptual Framework of American Baptist Clergy Career Development

1. Education and Professional Socialization—This includes college and seminary
education, as well as church experiences as a layperson, which inform one’s
understanding of the ministry as a profession, and often culminates in the ritual of

ordination.

52

2. Early Career—Locating first placement, adjusting to the demands of ministry. 5-7
years

3. Middle Career, characterized by periods of stability and change. Change typically
involves the period of time in which clergy near the end of a particular ministry and
actively pursue opportunities for new placement, through the first 1-2 years of
engagement in the new ministry context. The period of stability involves the time in
which the minister is settled in the new ministry context fi'om 1-2 years after
beginning the new ministry until- the next transitional period. The length of stable
periods varies widely among American Baptist clergy. Some stay in one placement
20 years or more. Many early career clergy find themselves changing positions every
three years, and may therefore not experience much stability at all. More typically,
clergy stay in one position 5-10 years.

4. Late Career—The last 5—7 years before retirement.

5. Retirement—Clergy who have retired from full-time ministry often have a period of

adjustment, and engage in interim ministry and pulpit supply.

In-depth Interviews
In-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with a
purposeful sample of 17 American Baptist clergy. Participants were sought representing
both a diversity of demographics and a diversity of point of entry. That is, there was an
intentional effort to recruit male and female pastors, pastors fi'om different ethnic groups,
pastors of different ages and with different numbers of years in ministry, and pastors in

different ministry contexts, such as urban and rural ministry contexts. Because the

53

American Baptist Churches USA is the most diverse Protestant denomination in the
country, and because there is a large population of African American, Asian American,
European American, and Latin American congregations, I sought participation from at
least one respondent in each ethnic group. Further, I sought diversity in point of entry;
that is, pastors who went directly to seminary from college and on to ministry, second
career clergy, and clergy who followed a non-traditional path of anticipatory training for
ministry. This demographic diversity was targeted in order to provide a rich description
of career development and learning imbedded deeply in the context of individual lives of
pastors, and to elicit wide-ranging examples of ways pastors learn how to engage in
effective ministry throughout the career span.

The interview protocol was informed both by the vocational and adult and career
development literatures (Baldwin, 1990a; Baldwin & Blackburn, 1981; Csikszentmihalyi,
1990; Csikszentmihalyi, 1996; Csikszentmihalyi & LeFevre, 1989; Levinson, 1986;
Levinson, 1996; Levinson et al., 1978; Palmer, 1990; Super, 1957a; Super, 1957b; Super,
1984; Super, 1990) and by the learning about clergy careers gleaned from the surveys
(Kenney, 1999) and the clergy literature (Bandy, 1997; Bandy, 1998; Bandy, 1999;
Bandy, 2000; Easum, 2000; Sweet, 1994; Sweet, 1998; Sweet, 1999a; Sweet, 1999b).
The sample protocol (see Appendix One) provided questions to begin the discussion.

The interviewer asked additional questions to probe responses, and to follow the flow of
conversation initiated by the participant, as well as to check meaning and invite deeper
reflection.

The career and lifespan literature led me to ask questions about pastors’

experiences prior to beginning ministry, their work history up until the present, and how

54

their experience in ministry has been like and different from their expectations.
Baldwin’s faculty career stage theory guided me particularly in probing whether any
formative events occurred prior to beginning ministry that impacted clergy learning, what
developmental tasks occupied clergy in their first ministry placement, what pastors find
satisfying in their work, and whether this changed during the course of their careers. The
vocational literature led me to probe how they understand the meaning of their work, and
how they express their creativity in their work. The literature on clergy work and the
survey on clergy and their work led me to ask questions specifically about their call to
ministry, their seminary education, and their transition into their first ministry placement.
In addition to forming specific questions, the review of the literature sensitized me to
look for shifts in focus or learning style, struggles with knowledge they were expected to
have but did not receive adequate training for, cyclical patterns of development, and
points of transition.

In addition to the primary literature informing this study, a secondary literature
focusing on vocational satisfaction and well-being informed the protocol development
(Agbo, Price, & Mueller, 1992; Aryee, Luk, Leung, & Lo, 1999; Brayfield & Rothe,
1951; Cook, Hepworth, Wall, & Warr, 1981; Diener, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985; Herzog,
House, & Morgan, 1991; Hill & Elias, 1990; Imel, 2000; Kuhnert & Palmer, 1991;
Kuhnert et al., 1989; McEnrue, 1989; Uris & Tarrant, 1983; Vasil, 1992; Woodd, 1999).
This literature informed the development of the survey used in this study, and suggests
that there may be a link between job satisfaction and personal well-being, as well as

between job satisfaction and performance. Thus, a look at issues of career satisfaction

55

 

and frustration was determined to be useful in building an understanding of the
developmental nature of clergy careers.
Interview Protocol

The interview protocol (see Appendix B) encompassed a number of important
topics. Background information questions focused on the participants’ current contexts
of ministry and preparation prior to beginning ministry, including formal education.
Career path questions elicited information about the participants’ calls to ministry, their
work experiences, and where they anticipated going with their work in the firture. Probes
explored ways in which ministry has been like or different from their expectations or
desires.

Participants were invited to reflect on their assets and limitations and on how they
spend their time. They were asked to share stories capturing best and worst moments of
ministry, as well as key events that have influenced their career paths. They also shared
rewards and coping techniques.

Later in the interview, they were invited to draw pictorial representations of their
career paths. Four pastors agreed readily to this activity. They were given about ten
minutes to make the drawing, and when the interview was continued, they were invited to
explain the drawing and reflect on it. The other 13 participants, who were either reticent
to draw or for whom time for the interview was tight, were invited instead to share
verbally a metaphor or story that captured their image of the meaning of ministry. They
were asked to reflect directly about their learning, about their professional development

needs, and what recommendations they would offer to colleagues, congregations, and

56

denominational bodies relative to professional development and support. Finally, they
were invited to share what it was like for them to be part of the interview process.

Before conducting interviews with American Baptist clergy, I conducted a pilot
study to check the protocol. I interviewed two clergy colleagues from a denomination
with similar polity to check the flow of questions in the protocol, and to see if the
resulting data were sufficient to answer the questions of my study. After those two
interviews, I made a few minor adjustments to the protocol.
Participants

I identified people to invite to be interviewed based on the criteria of demographic
and point—of-entry diversity described above in consultation with my region executive
minister and the national headquarters. I sent approximately 40 pastors a letter of
invitation, using the letter included in Appendix C. While clergy work in a number of
ministry contexts, I sought to limit my sample to clergy currently working in a local
church setting, or who had very recently worked in a local church setting. This is
because the local church is the primary context of ministry for the majority of clergy.
Further, while all ministry contexts share elements in common with local church
ministry, in specialized ministry contexts there are a great variety of primary
responsibilities that may differ in significant ways from local church ministries. While
this choice provides the best picture of learning for local church pastors, it also may limit
the applicability of the findings to pastors in other ministry settings. The targeted sample
was 12-16 pastors. Of the 40 pastors invited to participate, 20 volunteered to be
interviewed. Three were eliminated because their information sheets revealed that they

did not fit the criteria. I interviewed 17 pastors. A chart describing the diversity of the

57

interview sample appears below. The desired demographic diversity was achieved, with
the exception of Asian American pastors. I was able to interview two Native American
pastors, a demographic group not anticipated in the study design. Also, no pastors under
the age of 30 were interviewed, because no pastors could be identified in that age group
who had primary local church responsibility. The absence of Asian pastors and very
young pastors is a limit of this study, and also leads to a suggestion for future research.
Table VII

Key to Interview Participants

 

 

 

 

KEY YEARS IN PART or POINT OF CONGREGATION
CURRENT COUNTRY ENTRY TYPE
SETTING OF
CURRENT
SETTING
M=male <3=under 3 =east csp=college to Small=under 100
F=female years MW=midwest seminary to Medium=100—200
5, 10, 15, W=west pastorate Large=200-1000
20=rounded S=south or 2=2"d career Very large=over
to nearest 5 Puerto Rico pastor 1000
years nt=nontraditional
preparation for
ministry

 

 

 

 

 

58

Table VIII

Interview Participants’ Demographic Sample Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assign Ge Ethnicity Years Pt of Point Role Congregation
ed nde Current Coun of type
name r Setthg try entry
Bill M Caucasian 20+ MW csp Senior Large rural
pastor
Debor F Caucasian <3 MW 2 Interim Small rural and
oh pastor urban
Guille M Hispanic 15 W nt Pastor Medium urban
rmo
Hezeki M African <3 MW 2 Pastor Small urban
ah Am.
Joseph M Native <3 W csp Interim Small rural
Am. pastor
Juan M Hispanic 20+ S 2 Senior very large
pastor urban
Ker-in F Caucasian 5 MW 2 Associate Large urban
pastor
Mary F Caucasian 20+ E csp Pastor Small urban
Olivia F Native 5 W nt Copastor Small rural
Am. 1
Paul M Caucasian 15 MW csp Senior Medium urban
pastor
Peter M African 20+ E csp Pastor very large
Am. urban
Rita F Caucasian <3 MW 2 Pastor Small urban
Samso M Afi'ican <3 MW 2 Associate Large urban
n Am. Pastor
Sandi F Caucasian 10 MW 2 Copastor Medium rural
Tyler M African 10 MW csp Senior Large urban
Am. pastor
Walter M Caucasian 20+ MW csp Senior Large urban
pastor
Wand F Afiican 5 W nt Associate Large urban
a Am. minister

 

The sample included ten male pastors and seven female pastors. Five were

African American, eight were Caucasian, two were Hispanic, and two were Native

59

 

American. Five were in their current setting less than three years, seven were in their
current setting 4-18 years, and five were in their current setting 19 or more years. Ten
were from the midwest, four from the west, two from the east, and one from the south.

Seven went directly from college to seminary to the pastorate, seven were second
career pastors, and three received nontraditional training for the ministry; that is, they
lacked the standard formal education of four years of college and three years of seminary,
but may have attended Bible college or a Bible school certificate program. Five were
senior pastors (with supervisory responsibilities for other professional staff), five were
pastors (working in churches with no other professional staff), two were copastors
(sharing primary ministry responsibility with another pastor), two were interim pastors,
two were associate pastors (serving in paid positions supervised by a senior pastor), and
one was a bivocational pastor, serving as an institutional chaplain, a pastoral counselor,
and an associate minister (a volunteer minister supervised by a senior pastor). Ages (not
reported for individuals in order to protect confidentiality) ranged from mid 30’s to mid
70’s. Contexts of ministry included about 1/3 rural and 2/3 urban, with churches ranging
in size from 50 to over 1,000 members.

Due to limited time and resources, no Asian-American pastors or pastors under
the age of 30 were identified who could be interviewed. This is a limit of this research,
and also a suggestion for future research.

Data Analysis
The face-to-face interviews were audiotaped, and I took notes during each

interview. I selectively transcribed portions of each interview, focusing on salient

60

information and representative quotes. As I engaged in a content analysis of the notes
and transcriptions, I looked for information regarding:

a) Background information (seminary training, call to ministry, personal data);

b) Ministry path (dates, locations of ministry, time in each setting);

c) Characteristics of the learning process;

(1) Characteristics which are continuous throughout the career, noting whether they shift
at different times in the career development process;

e) Key events in ministry career, both positive and negative;

f) Career transitions;

g) Professional development (issues, needs, barriers); and

h) Recommendations for professional support.

I made charts for each participant, and then compared the responses across
participants to identify emerging themes. I noted emerging patterns concerning clergy
learning and professional development needs, and the extent to which these patterns were
related to career periods. I also noted how clergy described their experience in ministry
and their needs for professional development and support. Using these findings, I revised
and extended my initial developmental fi'amework of clergy learning, which is described
in Chapter 4.

Using this research as well as my knowledge of American Baptist denominational
structure, I identified recommendations for professional development strategies with
attention to the following audiences: the clergy themselves, congregations, and regional

and national denominational staff responsible for clergy support. These

61

recommendations include specific attention to differing developmental needs of clergy,
and appear in Chapter 5.

Based on the analysis of the survey data in preparing the interview protocol, there
were a number of issues I anticipated finding and thus looked for in my analysis of the
interviews regarding clergy professional development and support. I believed there
would be a need for mentoring for clergy early in their careers. I also anticipated a need
for mentoring for clergy in times of transition, particularly when their new context of
ministry was significantly different from their previous experience. I expected to find
that clergy would have a lower perceived need for continuing education and professional
development later in their careers, which might not necessarily correspond to their level
of knowledge. I also expected to see significant differences in the experiences and needs
of clergy, depending on whether they were in a stable or transitional time vocationally.
The mentoring needs of clergy were found to be even greater than anticipated.
Surprisingly, late career pastors in the interviews indicated high levels of perceived need
for professional development and support, and there appeared no contrast between late
career pastors and other clergy in the study. Finally, the anticipated difference between
the needs of middle career clergy in stable and transition periods turned out be a very
significant finding in the interview data.

This study is credible because it presents rich description of how clergy
experience their career paths. Clergy and others who read the results will be able to
recognize many areas of transferability of the data to their own experiences as well as

their perceptions of other pastors.

62

CHAPTER IV—FINDINGS

The following questions framed this developmental approach:
1. What is the nature of the ministry as a career? Is it developmental in nature?
2. Are there differences in clergy professional development tasks and learning needs at
different times during their career paths?
3. What implications does considering the ministry as a developmental process have for
sustaining excellence throughout the clergy career?

This way of stating the problem led the research to focus on the experiences of
clergy as they move through the course of their careers, rather than on needs suggested by
a particular ministry setting or external situation. The findings fi'om the study affirm that
clergy learn in a number of different ways, that developmental differences exist in their
learning, and that these have interesting and compelling implications for their

professional development and support.

Pastoral Ministry as a Developmental Process
The chart below summarizes this study’s findings on the nature of the pastoral
ministry as a developmental process. In addition to addressing experiences and
developmental tasks pastors undergo at different periods, the findings indicate that there
are a number of significant influences on the learning of pastors about their vocations that

transcend developmental periods. These include pastors’ internal images of the meaning

63

of ministry; interaction with other clergy as guides, whether as mentors, role models, or

colleagues; the quest for creativity; and the drive for integration of intellect and spirit.

Table IX

Pastoral Ministry as a Developmental Process

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pastoral Ministry as a Developmental Process
Influences on Clergy Learning about their Vocation
0 Image of the meaning of ministry
0 Interaction with other clergy as guides: mentors, role models, colleagues
0 Quest for creativity
0 Drive for integration of intellect and spirit
Period Experiences Developmental Tasks
Anticipatory Early experiences 0 Conscious awareness and nurturing
Learning or and observations of of one’s own spiritual life
Career pastors and Church 0 Building an initial understanding of
Socialization call to ministry, and the meaning of ministry
theological training 0 Acceptance of the call to service
Early Career Finding first 0 Developing one’s identity and
ministry placement, authority as a pastor
ordination, and 0 Integrating theoretical knowledge
beginning one’s and ministry practice
ministry 0 Coming to terms with the nature of
the church as system
Middle Career Ongoing ministry in Discerning a call to move
a given context, and Facing new leadership needs and
times of transition problems
from one ministry Maintaining balance
context to another Establishing and maintaining
boundaries
Late Career Preparation for Letting go of ministry context.
retirement, including Relinquishing or reframing pastoral
preparing the church identity
for new leadership 0 Building an identity outside of
ministry

 

64

 

Influences on Clergy Learning about their Vocation

This section addresses the four influences on clergy learning about their vocation
identified by this study. First, the meaning of ministry is discussed, and how pastors’
images of this meaning function as operational lenses or fi'ames affecting pastors’
perceptions, their processes of learning, and their decision-making. Second is a
discussion of how clergy are influenced by their interactions with other pastors—as
mentors, as role models, and as colleagues. Third, the internal quest for creativity is
presented as a strong influence for pastors. The drive for integration of intellect and spirit
is discussed as a fourth key influence impacting clergy learning.
Image of the meaning of ministry

In order to understand how pastors learn about their work, it is imperative to
understand how they make sense of the role of pastor. It became apparent in the course
of the interviews that pastors had an internal understanding of what it means to be a
minister that informed their perceptions, their processes of learning, and their decision-
making. Pastors expressed understanding of the meaning of ministry through metaphors,
symbols, and stories. Although pastors were not asked to think metaphorically about the
meaning of ministry until the end of the interview, it became clear in analyzing the
interviews that these images of ministry firnctioned as operational frames or lenses
through which pastors interpreted the ministry, and that influenced how they learn.
These frames both helped pastors develop their strengths and functioned as blinders to
their weak areas. An adequate understanding of how pastors learn must give attention to

how pastors understand the meaning of their ministry.

65

Pastors communicated the meaning of ministry through a variety of images,
metaphors and stories. A pastor is a papa, caretaker of the church family. A pastor is
Mount Fuji, taking a strong stand for God. A pastor is “amigo de Jesus,” walking with all
the people in all the situations of life. A pastor is a shepherd, leading by encouragement
and example. A pastor is a midwife, mentoring people and community systems into
many new births. A pastor is a catalyst of transformation, helping people become who
they are truly meant to be, a butterfly and not a chameleon. A pastor travels to the well
of Christ’s presence to receive and share a flowing and deepening spirituality. A pastor
is the eternal presence of God for people in crisis, sacrificially touching others with
forgiveness, hope and newness of life. A pastor is walking the peaks and valleys, seeking
clarity on the mountaintop of learning, in order to provide guidance to others.

Images of the meaning of ministry were reflected in a variety of ways. These
images reflected pastors’ beliefs about the nature of God, and consequently their
perceptions of their pastoral roles. These images might be static or fluid. Guillermo, for
example, reflected his perception of the ministry through the image of Mount Fuji. His
role as a pastor was to “stand firm,” reflecting his belief about the nature of God as solid,
utterly reliable, and immovable.

My image of myself as pastor is of Mount Fuji, with a cloud in back. The sky

light is coming from behind. The light is filtering through. This is the glory of

God. It reminds me of how I want to be, with a strong powerful stand. I believe a

pastor has to be strong... I believe I have to stand firm doctrinally, with my

Baptist distinctions.
Guillermo values highly his sense of standing firm in the face of trials. He sees

this firmness as a witness to the power of God, the authority of Scripture, and the

66

promised return of Christ. His uncle’s statement before he died, “I have seen the light,”
has stuck with him. He strives as a pastor to be ready himself, to hold the light before

him, and to always be inviting others to the light of faith.

My uncle told me to be ready. He said, “I’m ready, I’ve seen the light.” Later that
day a car killed him. He was 99 years old and strong. Twelve people came to

Christ at my uncle’s funeral.

Even when Guillermo went through a personal crisis of faith when his daughter
died, he did not allow himself to shift his theological frame. At her funeral, he held his
emotions firmly in check. He felt he must stand firm as an example of faith for the others
as a pastor. It took him almost a year to break down and cry, and at the other side of his
grief, he clung to his understanding of God as in control and unchangeable. Even though
he could not conceive of why God would not spare the life of his daughter, he declared,
“I strongly believe the Lord has every step. I believe in the sovereignty of God.”

Other pastors expressed the meaning of their ministry through stories rather than
metaphors. These stories capture for these pastors their understandings of the dynamic
nature of ministry. Deborah, for example, drew a picture of herself sitting on a rock
under a tree by a cornfield, near a well fed by an underground stream. Her journey is
one of venturing out, and returning to the center, her life of prayer.

My picture focuses on prayer and healing, how prayer shapes ministry . . . I sit on

a rock under a tree by a cornfield. The wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing through

the cornfield. The well represents going into my own well, the underground

stream, the source of living water, go there and meet Jesus by the stream by the

rosebush. Learning to go there through many different paths... There is water,

knowledge, monks chanting. I can always go and find a place to be with Jesus.

67

Deborah related these images to her experience studying the underground
railroad. She remembered a farmer’s wife who helped a man with a mangled hand across
the lake into Canada. She likened this memory to the story of Jesus and the disciples
going through the grain field on the Sabbath and healing the man with the withered hand.
The field of grain, the comfield, also captured for her a memory of visiting a cemetery of
nuns, which was next to a cornfield. She remembered the phrase on a tombstone “amid
the alien corn,” and realized that difficulties are part of the journey. She related another
incident at a storytelling workshop, where she was the only white woman among black
“sisters.” She became the foreign girl in the Bible story who was allowed to glean in
their field. She finds these images’strengthen her and give her guidance, and a sense of

God’s presence.

This image makes me realize the Spirit has been there all along calling. It’s a
lifelong journey. “I knew you before you were born.” [quote from a Psalm] God
has given me strength through these images. I can’t drive through the country
without noticing the fields of corn. I am frightened by them and attracted to them.
These fields, nature, are healing for me... I thank God for the story. I need it

sometimes.

Out of her sense of God’s presence emerges her desire to carry the presence of
God to others. She wants to always be available, just as God is always available to her.
This desire at times interferes with her setting limits on her ministry, and she finds that
ministry intrudes on her personal life and, in particular, her relationship with her spouse.

Joseph, like Guillermo, identified with the image of a mountain. But in his case,
instead of being the mountain, he described himself as climbing the mountain, and

striving for the higher path. His journey story up the mountain reflects his perception of

68

the nature of God as forgiving and guiding. In tum, Joseph perceives the pastoral role

from the perspective of one who has been forgiven.

My journey is climbing a mountain. There are downgrades, a lower path,
downhill. But I keep looking ahead. The higher path leads me to God. I keep
striving for that. When you take a journey, sometimes you take side trips. The

road map is the Bible. . .This is a spiritual journey, and Christ is with you.

Joseph is always looking ahead, trying to learn everything he can about each
ministry situation he is in, and over time has developed a “broader” concept of God, who
is ever present to lead him and others along the higher path. In his story, Joseph spoke of
the journey, the higher path and the gathering. These images, important in Native
American culture, define a way of being and experiencing the world, both in solitude and
in community. Joseph did not see himself as having arrived, but always striving toward
God. He appeared to be patient both with himself and others, and saw God to be the most
patient of all, gently guiding all the way.

In addition to informing their perceptions, pastors’ images of the meaning of
ministry inform their processes of learning. Peter, for example, chose a cross with a heart
on it as his image of the meaning of ministry. Imbedded in this image is the idea that
pain and suffering are a necessary component of learning. He embraces a theology of
liberation, which offers ultimate hope and redemption for those who suffer. He expects
to suffer as a minister, and sees his role in part to model faithfulness in the midst of
suffering to his congregation.

The heart of God is giving out rays. I am receiving the energy. It’s so

contagious, in order for me to be infectious, I must go to them, yet demonstrating,

carrying my own cross. When I was installed as pastor, I was accepting the

pastorate as Christ accepted the cross. It requires a willingness to be self-

69

sacrificing. The way is not a cross-less way. There are obstacles, conflict, pain,
they are all part of the cross. It goes with the package. But with the cross comes
the fact of the resurrection. That’s a lifestyle of hope, a theology of liberation.
The cross is what you endure on behalf of others. To be willing to suffer,

demonstrate that one can endure. A minister also has personal pain and suffering.

Peter’s approach to learning is to face his own suffering, and to use that self-
knowledge to help others. He believes that learning is rooted in transcending pain. Peter
found both pain and sustenance in the symbol of the cross. He saw God giving him
energy through the cross. At the same time, he pictured his identification with the cross
as a key to being real to others. The people must see him carrying his cross in order to
know that God’s grace is sufficient for them, too. A pastor must acknowledge his or her
pain, and allow God’s healing to penetrate, in order to embody the healing presence of
God for others.

Finally, pastors’ images of the meaning of ministry inform their decision-making.
Bill chose the metaphor of “papa” to capture his sense of the meaning of ministry. He
chose this metaphor because “My congregation needs to be able to trust me, and feel like
family. I need to have the attributes God has of love, truth and reliability.” As the
“papa” of his congregation, Bill seeks to care for everyone. He has a hard time letting go
of ministry, resting, or leaving the “family” in the care of others, to the extent that he
describes himself as a workaholic. He wants his church to open its arms to the
community and embrace the community as family as well. The roots of the idea of papa
come from his childhood. He grew up as a Catholic in a largely Jewish community after
World War II. He felt excluded and isolated, but found a family, a community, in his
church. Now as the “papa” of his church community, he wants to see that the welcome

extends to everyone, and no one will feel excluded as he once did. Bill’s image of

70

“papa” is clearly at the forefront as he makes decisions about setting priorities. He
focuses his work intentionally on reaching out to both congregation and community in
order to build a sense of family, and of being cared for. He sacrifices his time and his
effort, because that’s what a “papa” does for his family.

Mary began her journey story by recalling an image of sitting in the back of an
ambulance holding someone’s hand, “telling them I’m not gonna leave them. Being the

eternal presence of God for people. Wherever you go that’s where Christ is going.” She

'm-'v

went on to relate the time in her life that was the most challenging for her to be that

 

presence of God. It involved responding to someone who did grave harm to her own

1."_n.—_’TL. ~. . 9

child.

A real learning experience for me was [emotional pause] when my daughter was
raped by a young man in our congregation. I had to ask the question, “If I can’t
forgive this, then what does my faith mean?” I’m not saying forgiveness came
immediately. But I am saying that the cross of Christ can bring forgiveness and

healing.

Mary’s image of being the presence of God in crisis informed her decision-
making relative to her daughter’s rape. She decided that forgiveness and healing were
necessary for her, for her daughter, and also for the perpetrator. She held the young man
accountable for his actions, and also prayed that he as well as her daughter might know
healing. Under her guidance, he went before the congregation and confessed his rape. It
was in the context of community, Mary believed, that real “accountability and
forgiveness could take place for him, and ultimately my daughter’s healing could happen,
as well as my own.” Mary related the transformation that took place over many years’

time:

71

This young man joined the church, got married in the church, and is now an
officer in the congregation. I work very closely with him. There is no way you
can tell me God’s grace can’t do the impossible. It took a lot longer for my
daughter. Finally, she forgave him. But she was unable to come back to worship
and participate in the life of the church for years. This was a source of deep
sadness for me. This story is an example of what we’re about. God forgave me.

If we don’t have forgiveness we don’t have anything.

Mary’s image of ministry, of being the presence of God to people in crisis, hit
home for her when the crisis invaded her own family. She was called to be both pastor to
a young man in need of forgiveness and accountability, and mother to a young woman
who had been raped. She was appalled by what had happened. The crux of it for her was
to face the realization that if her faith couldn’t guide her through her own crisis, then it
was no good for anyone else either. She had to find forgiveness in her own heart for this
young man, if her own sense of being forgiven and proclaiming the forgiveness of God
were to ring true in her ministry. Ultimately, this struggle led to healing, and to the
manifestation of God’s continuing presence and healing in the life of the man who
committed the rape.

Even though pastors presented differing understandings of their role as pastors
through their images, metaphors and stories, their level of agreement about their best
moments as a pastor was striking. Virtually every pastor chose the experience of being
with people who were dealing with moments of crisis and transformation as their
example of the epitome of when they were at their best as a pastor. This suggests that
pastors’ understandings of the meaning of ministry are best captured at moments of
transcendence, when they help people to come to terms with the mysteries of the meaning

of life and death. Bill remembered a funeral service he performed for a couple who died

72

in a car accident. They were from two faith traditions with different ways of expressing
their grief and their hope. Bill worked carefirlly to craft a service that was sensitive to
their differing needs. His ability to comfort both families was very satisfying for him.

I once did a Jewish Methodist funeral, a vehicle had broken down and killed
them both. The families said it was perfect. For them both.

Juan recalled the transformational moments when his father and stepmother made
a confession of faith, and when his former girlfriend and her husband came to him for
marital counseling. These were significant to him both because he helped people
encounter God’s grace in a transforming way, and because the people involved were
close to him personally, and they responded to him in the role of pastor.
I have become my best as a pastor, because of an experience in my pueblo
[hometown]. I arrived at being able to see myself as a pastor, when my own
father accepted Christ in response to my preaching, his wife also. I was at my
best when my ex-girlfriend came to me for marital counseling. When I can be
involved in healing relationships. I helped them save their marriage... My
greatest satisfactions are when someone accepts Jesus, when I can see changed
life, family, country, community. I enjoy counseling, and helping people in

trouble, repairing marriages, or helping a marriage break up with “amistad”
[friendship].

Mary’s moment of transcendence was being called upon to preach God’s word in
response to the September 11 World Trade Center attack. The world had changed, and
needed a response that Mary felt unable to give. Yet, she experienced God’s grace and
felt God’s leading when she preached and the people were “cleansed,” and the healing

process began through her words.

73

I was at my best when I preached after the World Trade Center collapsed... I
really fought with God over a text. I said to God, “This isn’t fair. People want
words of wisdom and comfort. How can I say anything?” God reminded me
that... the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and comfort will be sufficient not only for the
congregation but for me... I knew immediately [after I preached] that it was
perfect... It cleansed people, enabled them to cry, to heal... The second week,
was the text, to love your enemies. I was uncomfortable delivering it, but after
the service, a fighter pilot in Vietnam, said, “What you said was very
counterintuitive for an old fighter pilot like me. (pause) But I want to learn.”
“So do I Stan.” He leaned over and put his head on my shoulder. It means the
world to me when I can be the transmitter of God’s word in such a way that
someone’s life is transformed because of it. This man will be a new person with
God because of it. When you can be lost and only God can be seen, that has to be

the ultimate height as a pastor.

Transcendence is the common thread that unites pastors’ images of the meaning
of ministry. Thus, while their particular understandings of the meaning of ministry are
nuanced and captured in unique images, there is a deeper common understanding of the
meaning of ministry that is shared among pastors.

We have just seen that images of the meaning of ministry influence pastors’
perceptions of ministry as well as their learning and their decision-making. Additionally,
these images both help pastors develop their strengths and firnction as blinders to their
weak areas. Bill’s image of “papa” captures his strength of being welcoming and
inclusive. It also reinforces his weakness of being a workaholic and not setting limits—a
good “papa” would never abandon the needs of his family. Guillermo’s image of “Mount
Fuji” highlights his tenacity and strength as a pastor to stand firm no matter what. It also
mitigates against his considering new ideas relative to the nature of God or ministry, even

in the face of devastating loss. Mary’s image of being the presence of God for people in

74

crisis gave her the strength to face the man who raped her daughter and hold him
accountable, resulting in his healing as well as her own. At the same time, like Bill, her
desire to always be present to others has resulted in problems with limit-setting. She
reports having several weeks of vacation to take, but is afraid that the congregation can’t
function in her absence. Pastors’ images of ministry are powerful influences in their
learning. An adequate understanding of how pastors learn must give attention to how
pastors imagine the meaning of their ministry.

The metaphors that were so evident in the lives of pastors informing the meaning
of their ministry reflected characteristics of metaphors described by Parker Palmer.
(Palmer, 1993 p. 12) They reflected pastors’ honest and unfiltered images of their
identities and their work. According to Palmer, these metaphors also have the capability
of making pastors available to themselves, and to each other, in “fresh and surprising
ways” (p. 12). The exploration of life metaphors, says Palmer, can reveal our inner being
to us, if we take the time to listen to them. This suggests that it would be valuable for
pastors’ professional development to look deeply at their metaphors of the meaning of
their ministry, and what it reveals to them about their inner life.

Clergy interactions with other pastors

Clergy interactions with other pastors emerged as a second key influence on
clergy learning. Other pastors influence clergy learning as role models, as mentors, and
as colleagues. The term “role model” refers to pastors fiom whom clergy primarily learn
through observation, whether in their own local churches or in key societal roles, such as

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mentors are people who involve themselves in clergy

75

lives, in a training or advisory capacity. Colleagues are peers who provide feedback and
support to clergy as they evaluate and think critically about their ministry.

The knowledge of and reverence for significant role models in the profession
influenced the learning of some clergy, by modeling inspirational and courageous
leadership. Samson, for example, mentioned a great number of Afiican American leaders
who provided inspiration to him as he followed his career path. In his childhood, he
admired the local doctor and the minister. Additionally, his heroes included Willie Mays,
Jackie Robinson, and George Washington Carver. These were people who surmounted
incredible obstacles to establish themselves as leaders in a society that did not encourage
black leadership. Samson ultimately chose the ministry because he wanted to make a
difference in the same tradition as his heroes.

While role models were able to provide examples of inspirational and courageous
leadership, their function in helping pastors learn the practical aspects of ministry was
limited. Peter described a number of role models in his life, but felt that if he had been
“let in” to the day-to-day struggles of ministry, that would have been more helpful to his
learning.

I observed ministers at a young age. I was on the outside looking in. I saw

worship styles form... but I didn’t know Monday to Saturday night. I didn’t

know what was demanded of a minister.

For those pastors able to find one, their mentors played a critical role in their
professional development and support, not only as they began the practice of ministry,
but often throughout their careers. In a number of cases, their home church pastors
mentored clergy from the beginning—inviting them to consider a call to ministry,

providing guidance and support while they were in seminary, and continuing to be

76

available for consultation as they began ministry and beyond. In other cases, mentors
emerged for clergy during college, through seminary contacts, or during the early years
of ministry. These mentors helped clergy learn in a number of significant ways. They
helped them discover their gifts and calling for the ministry. They gave them specific
feedback to help them develop their gifts and abilities in the ministry. They provided
links with the greater community, by referring them to other pastors, resources, or even
suggesting placement opportunities. Some mentors remained in contact with clergy
beyond their early years, serving as sounding boards and advisors throughout their
careers.

Juan had a very close relationship with his mentor, who led him to Christ,
encouraged him to consider ministry, preached the sermon that led to his decision to go
into the ministry, and provided an associate minister position for him with ongoing
guidance and training while he studied: Further, Juan continued to consult with his
mentor throughout his lifetime of ministry. Initially, as a young pastor, he admired the
stability of his mentor and appreciated his guidance in providing opportunities for him to
work with all types of people early in his ministry. As Juan went on to serve in two
large, conflicted congregations, his mentor provided a listening ear and practical
guidance for dealing with conflict with integrity and vision. Later in his life, Juan was
able to provide an opportunity to his mentor’s son, giving him an associate position in his
church. He said, “I was so gratefirl to be able to pay back his mentoring of me.”

The pastor with whom she worked during her field education placement in
seminary was a mentor for Kerin. She provided opportunities for Kerin to grow and gain

experience in every area of pastoral ministry.

77

I got confidence in what I learned fi'om [my mentor]... I learned from watching
her, being forced into new roles. She would help me write my sermons. Also

from being ordained there, after being there two years.

Kerin said she continues to talk with this pastor regularly. She also mentioned a
woman colleague in ministry as an informal mentor. She described her ability to talk
with her about anything as the thing she values most about that relationship. Further,
Kerin mentioned regular time with a spiritual director as a key element in her ongoing
self-examination and learning.

While mentors provided an important advisory function for pastors, clergy often
examined their mentors’ approaches to ministry with a critical eye. Samson was
mentored directly in the ministry by two pastors under whom he worked as an associate:
“I called my first pastor my spiritual father in ministry. Sitting under both pastors, I
thought to myself, ‘I think I could do better than them.”’

Samson respected his pastor mentors, and at the same time saw ways of doing
ministry that extended beyond what they could teach him by word or example.
Reflecting on how they handled church conflicts, he found guidance for dealing with
conflicts he encountered as a pastor.

Tyler identified the senior pastor in his first ministry position out of theological
school as his mentor. His mentor gave him a number of opportunities for ministry in
many settings in the church, let him know he was among the “brightest and best,” and
also set the expectation that he would move on quickly into a senior pastorate. Like
Samson, however, Tyler was critical of his mentor’s approach to ministry.

Dr. Kane tries to bring in the best and brightest. He believes if he finds the right

person, they won’t stay long. He considers his church to be a “finishing school for

78

seminary graduates.” I had the expectation that I would not stay long. I had ego
and ability. I was critical of the things I saw, and often thought to myself, “I
wouldn’t have done it this way.” I had a desire to move on. But in the Baptist
church it’s a two-fold process. The challenge was, I was ready before someone

was ready to take me.

Tyler did move on after a little over two years to pastor another church. Several
years into that ministry, his mentor approached him and invited him to consider pastoring
a large African American congregation in another state. He was looking out for him, and
considered it to be a good match. Tyler candidated and moved to that church a short time
later. His mentor provided referrals for resources, and even for ministry placement.

Like Kerin, Wanda had a spiritual director. Her mentor was a minister, who
helped her discern and follow her call to ministry.

I met with my spiritual direction mentor weekly for eight years, every Monday,

for personal spiritual development. We are still good friends. She drove me to

Atlanta when it was time to go to seminary. We had Bible study, and did personal

spiritual autobiography, where I looked at how I thought personally. I also had

monthly meetings with other women. There were opportunities to present my

thinking to the support group. It was a way of being. .. At this time in my life, I

would like to have a different type of mentor, could be male or female, who’s

been through many things in ministry, who would be willing to give me advice

and not sweeten it, be honest. Someone with vision, to help me see beyond, and

push me a little bit.

Wanda’s mentor helped her make the move into ministry, and develop her
personal spiritual life. Now that she has been in ministry for a while, she wishes she
could have a mentor who would give her specific, critical feedback and counsel related to

her ministry.

79

Mentors help pastors learn what it means to be a pastor by embodying the
integrity, wisdom, leadership, and compassion of ministry. They help pastors discover
and develop their gifts, and to learn to think critically about their work. Particularly
valued was their ability to help pastors deal with problematic church relationships and
church conflict. They affirm pastors’ work, and encourage them to step out beyond their
comfort zones and do new things. They help pastors see their potential, and at times
even refer them for advanced ministry positions. Pastors in this study respected their
mentors highly. At the same time, they often saw beyond their mentors’ ministry styles,
and felt a desire to do things differently, to stretch their wings, so to speak.

While mentoring occurred across the demographic differences among
participants, it is notable that certain ethnic settings were particularly conducive to
mentoring relationships. Within African American and Puerto Rican churches, there
appeared to be an expectation that the senior pastor would actively seek people with gifts
for ministry, call them forth, and provide opportunities for them to develop their gifts
within the local church. Church structures, particularly within African American
churches, commonly provided for a variety of ministry positions. These roles, while
usually volunteer, involved training, testing, church recognition of leadership gifts, and
titles of honor. Some volunteer associate ministers would then go on to seminary or other
formal ministry training, receive a local or sometimes national ordination, and eventually
move into professional paid positions, either in their local church or in another ministry
context. Others would continue through their lifetimes in their volunteer ministry roles.
Within Puerto Rican churches, salaries were often given to associate pastors while they

attended seminary. In both settings, the senior pastor’s involvement was crucial to the

80

successful development of future pastoral leadership. It is possible that the tendency
toward long pastorates in these ethnic settings contributed to this process. Some African
American pastors stayed in a single church for their entire ministry career. They might
preach until they died, or retire at a very late age, when unable to continue preaching. It
was not uncommon for such pastors to seek young promising pastors to be their
successors, and mentor them toward that end. Churches did not always, however, concur
with the retiring pastor’s choice of successor. After the retiring pastor’s death, the
successor might discover that the church had other intentions concerning their pastoral
leadership.

Even pastors who were unable to find a mentor for themselves recommended it to
other pastors. Guillermo had a professor at school as his mentor, but that man died
before Guillermo finished school. Even though he himself hasn’t found someone else he
could trust, he suggested, “If you can, find a well-educated older spiritual director to
mentor you. Find those older than you to give you wisdom. We can be saved a lot of
trouble by listening to the older.”

Participants in the study also highly valued collegial relationships with other
clergy. They sought opportunities to process issues and ideas related to the practice of
ministry through relationships with clergy colleagues. These opportunities could be
formal: “I’m the founder of two local minister’s councils. I find them enriching,
nourishing, nurturing,” or informal: “A lot gets accomplished in swimming pools and hot
tubs.” Access was an issue, as pastors expressed a yearning for the opportunity to
interact more frequently and more deeply with their colleagues. Some clergy were able to

develop close personal relationships with one or a small group of clergy. This allowed

81

for increased accountability as clergy felt free to share issues and concerns about ministry
that made them feel vulnerable. A number of clergy found ecumenical clergy groups to
provide both more freedom and more intellectual stimulation than clergy clusters within
their own denomination.

On the other hand, some clergy felt isolated from their colleagues. They
attributed this to a number of different factors: geographical distance, the perception that
there was an “inner circle” from which they were excluded, or the belief that a clergy
group was not a safe environment for revealing one’s true concerns and vulnerabilities.
Olivia, for example, would like to have support from other women pastors. Too often,
she feels like she’s “got the only problem.” But for her, the closest woman colleague is a
five-hour drive away. Kerin expressed an interest in being involved in leadership in her
regional Ministers’ Council, but received the message that the current leadership is not
open to newcomers. Mary observed in her interactions with other clergy that
“everybody’s too busy being careful of everybody else.”

The development of trust is a significant issue for learning in collegial
relationships. Peter lamented the lack of trust among pastors, and saw it as a roadblock
for learning.

Ministers ought to be of mutual support to one another. The trust level should be

higher, there should be less competition. We could pool our strengths and profit

from each other’s strengths in an attempt to perfect ministry.

In summary, clergy both desired and benefited from interaction with other
pastors, as role models, mentors, and colleagues. Trust was an issue; where pastors felt
vulnerable, they were unable to build the kind of deep relationships that would allow for

honest and helpful sharing. Pastors expressed an interest in finding ways to increase and

82

deepen collegial relationships. These findings corroborate existing literature on the value
of such relationships in career development, particularly in the helping professions
(Chao, 1997; Crow & Matthews, 1998; Haines, Hurlbert, & Zimmer, 1991; Koberg,
Boxx, & Goodman, 1998; Mills, 1973; Scanlon, 1997).

The quest for creativity

The quest for creativity emerged as a key driving force in clergy learning. Pastors
emphasized the importance of being able to exercise their gifts, to be challenged to think
about things in new ways, to create something new, whether an idea, a vision, a
curriculum, or a program. Creative work energized them, and sustained them through the
more boring but necessary aspects of ministerial work. Pastors experienced creativity in
their work as a consuming process, requiring all their attention, and blocking out other
concerns. Creativity brought them to the center of what they believed to be important
about their work, and allowed them to express fully who they saw themselves to be as
pastors. Pastors perceived that the church sometimes rejected creative expression. Such
lack of opportunity to express their creativity resulted in pastors being discontent, and
ultimately seeking new ministry placement.

Pastors emphasized the importance of being able to exercise their gifts, to be
challenged to think about things in new ways, to create something new, whether an idea,
a vision, a curriculum, or a program. Walter values the process of leadership as a creative
process. He enjoys everything from envisioning the future to sharing it with the people to
living it out, evaluating it, and rethinking it all over again. Guillermo uses his
imagination to find illustrations that illuminate the Bible in such a way that it touches

people’s lives. Kerin finds special services to be a particular venue for expressing her

83

.r Jl

 

.f'ann‘.‘ 9 J 4

creativity, such as weddings and baby dedications. Olivia remembers fondly her
experience building community by taking key leaders from her congregation on a trip to a
national Baptist gathering, and sees that creative experience continuing to energize the
church. Mary finds writing Bible study materials for a large immigrant community to be
a venue for her creativity.

Like Mary, Paul also likes to write his own Bible study materials. For him, they
provide an active link between the Scriptures and his ministry context.

I create my own materials for Bible study. That’s really rewarding; I learn a lot.

The men’s study meets for supper. The goal is for each one to meet with

someone else and disciple them . . . The group process is really rewarding . . .

Writing these booklets provides an outlet for my creativity. I have loads of

booklets I’ve created. I keep changing and improving them with each generation

of usage.

Paul works at finding venues for creativity in his work, to keep himself engaged.
This approach to ministry is so rewarding, he can’t imagine living without it, even in
retirement.

I have to keep it fresh, keep reinventing the wheel, doing things differently, to

keep continually changing, growing, empowering. I get bored easily. I always

have to have some challenges. I couldn’t do it if it meant just doing the same

thing over and over again. There has to be a purpose and renewed vision that’s

continually changing. It keeps me excited and refreshed about ministry. I

imagine in retirement I will continue to pastor.
Deborah finds creative expression in her approach to ministry through thinking
about the church as system, and linking the teachings of the Bible to the needs of her

ministry context. She recognizes that it involves taking risks, and even making mistakes.

84

The systems approach allows me to be creative. Ministry is very contextual.
There are lots of categories. Creativity is taking the Word and making it relevant
in this time and place with these people. This is not a cookbook approach. The
Holy Spirit is doing new things; that’s where the energy comes from. The Spirit

will bring energy. We have to be willing to make mistakes.

Some ministry contexts allow for more creativity than others. Deborah finds
working two interim pastorates sometimes stifles her creativity.

I want to get into a ministry position that’s MY ministry... I want my own church.

There are so many limitations. I ‘m not developing and growing a congregation.

I’m doing two interims at the same time.

Pastors experienced creativity in their work as a consuming process, requiring all
their attention, and blocking out other concerns. Creativity brought them to the center of
what they believed to be important about their work, and allowed them to express fully
who they saw themselves to be as pastors. Wanda finds that a new idea consumes her and
affects every area of her ministry. She has to let it run its course, to find time to be quiet
to think it through, and to allow it to emerge firlly.

When you get an idea that works, it’s about listening; it affects every area of your

life. It affects my job, in my sermon I work in the idea. Once it comes, it has to

be developed, make the creative juices flow. I have to dig deeper and get quiet.

Everything I do has to do with that particular idea until I’ve worked it through.

Creative expression is especially consuming when pastors’ attention is directed
toward solving problems or dealing with issues of consequence. For example, the
challenge of puzzling his way toward a new vision for ministry energizes Paul, even in

trying times.

85

I like solving issues, figuring out how to get there. For example, our church had
lost its focus. I developed a way to state our main focus as a congregation. It

helped us get back on track after restructuring.

Like Paul, Sandi also enjoys solving problems. For her, a collaborative approach
to problem-solving is particularly energizing.

I love to have a problem to solve, and a group to bounce ideas off of. It draws out

my creativity. I am so satisfied when something that I am working on with a

group comes to fruition. And I can see the change. I love when I finish writing a

sermon on Friday and look at and think, that was from God. I feel satisfied when

a whole set of steps in a project are finished.

Sandi has to work to balance her creativity and her need to relax and take time
off. She says that in ministry, there’s always more that could be done. She works at
disciplining herself to stop, and to note steps or landmarks of accomplishment. This
helps her to be able to take her days off and really let go.

Pastors perceived that the church sometimes rejects creative expression. Bill
exercises creativity when working with young people, particularly in encouraging them to
consider ministry as a career. His choice to be creative, however, comes with a price—he
has learned fiom observing the experience of his ministerial colleagues that churches
sometimes reject creative approaches to ministry, and ultimately, the pastors who initiate
such approaches. Three of his four closest colleagues have lost ministry jobs due to a
conflict over their creative approaches to ministry. In turn, he keeps waiting for “the axe
to fall” on him.

One of the things I love to do is to try to identify young people conring into the

ministry. Even with all its problems, I am utterly convinced that the ministry is

the best career a person can have. I hold it in the highest regard. We need to help

86

hold the career of ministry up to young people. In seminary, I learned to be
creative. But my creative colleagues have been shot out of the saddle [fired from
their jobs]... I do not go through ministry one day without thinking of one of

them. There are five of us, and they are a rock for me.

Lack of opportunity to express their creativity resulted in pastors being discontent,
and ultimately seeking new ministry placements. Hezekiah brought innovative ideas to
his ministry, and was recognized nationally for his approach to supervised ministry
training. His ministry context did not value his creativity, however, and after he left, they
“ let that program die.”

We have just seen ways the quest for creativity emerged as a key driving force in
clergy learning. Pastors exercise creativity through expressing particular talents or gifts,
through thinking about problems in new ways, creating something new, whether an idea,
a vision, a curriculum, or a program. Creative work energizes them, and sustains them
through the more tedious aspects of ministerial work, such as committee meetings.
Pastors’ experienced creativity in their work as a consuming process, requiring all their
attention, and blocking out other concerns. Creativity connects them with what is
meaningfirl to them about their work, and allows them to fulfill their sense of who they
see themselves to be as pastor. Pastors perceive that the church may resist or reject
creative expression. A lack of opportunity to express their creativity resulted in pastors
becoming unhappy, and ultimately seeking a new context of ministry.

The literature on creativity concurs with the findings of this study that creativity is
a key factor in vocational excellence. Csikszentmihalyi’s study of some of the most
successfirl people in the world identifies flow, or intense engagement in one’s work, as a

key element in the creative process. His findings that creativity was present even in cases

87

of adversity or hardship, and that it continued to energize people and engage them deeply
despite significant problems or struggles is corroborated by the findings about pastors in
this study, as well as other writings about creativity. (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990;
Csikszentrrrihalyi, 1996; Csikszentmihalyi & LeFevre, 1989; Houston, 1982, 1997 second
edition; Houston, 1997; Sinetar, 1987 ; Wakefield, 2001)
The drive for integration of intellect and spirit

The integration of spirit and intellect is of particular significance to a number of
clergy in their learning. Pastors identified both spiritual depth and intellectual challenge
as criteria for effective and engaging continuing education experiences. In terms of
intellectual challenge, a number of clergy identified academically challenging courses or
programs of study in which they engaged to develop their practice of ministry. Some
clergy particularly valued intellectual freedom, the ability to think in new ways without
worrying about the constraints of theological dogrnatism. In addition to intellectual
challenge, clergy sought out continuing education experiences that allowed them to
deepen themselves spiritually. Not only did clergy value spiritual depth and intellectual
challenge, they were compelled to make sense of their spiritual experience, to feel the
spiritual truth of their thinking. This need to integrate intellect and spirit permeated their
learning as they moved through their careers

Pastors strove to integrate their thinking and spiritual being through a number of
avenues of study. Mary kept up with “the latest approaches” in psychological studies, as
well as taking classes at a nearby Jewish seminary. Wanda worked on her intellect and
spirit through a disciplined mentoring program.

I’m a good thinker. I’m not limited to tradition in how I see things... Having a

mentor encouraged me to look at all kinds of ways of thinking about ministry.

88

Several participants in the study sought out opportunities to teach in university or
seminary settings. They found that teaching helped them to hone and deepen their own
learning. Peter taught in college as well as seminary. He said, “One cannot teach
without further developing oneself and being enriched.” Bill enjoyed teaching
workshops and leading marriage enrichment weekends.

In addition to intellectual challenge, clergy sought out continuing education
experiences that allowed them to deepen themselves spiritually. Olivia’s support is
“personal quiet time alone with the Lord. I pray for uninterrupted alone time, quiet time.
Books, teaching tapes, I take them in like a sponge.” Paul wants to “learn more about
hearing the voice of God and being able to communicate that.”

For a few participants, a Doctor of Ministry program provided an opportunity to
think deeply about their learning as pastors and to evaluate their practice of ministry. Bill
recommends a D. Min. for every pastor, once they have been in ministry 10 years. He
enjoyed his program so much, he was “sad to see my classes end.” Other pastors, like
Kerin, expressed a desire to go on for a Doctor of Ministry.

A number of participants were critical of the continuing education opportunities
that were offered to them by their denomination. They found them to be too simplistic,
and without enough intellectual or theological depth Mary wants to be challenged
deeply in her thinking and being as she engages in her learning. She has been
disappointed not to have that happen in the continuing education experiences she has
attended that were sponsored by her region.

I’m not the kind of person who wants to go just to hear a well-known speaker. I

want substance, that takes me beyond where I am, that stretches me, gets me to

89

think, to go in new directions. I just don’t find that in anything that’s offered

[denominationally]. It’s simplistic, the same old thing.

About half of the participants indicated that they did not take out enough time for
engaging in continuing education and professional development. Yet, when they did take
time away, at the forefront was the integration of intellect and spirit.

I do not read and study as much as I should and would, to my own detriment.

There are periods when I read a lot—periodicals, study related to a specific task.

I enjoy the process of thinking through new ideas... I take a prayer retreat every

quarter, either camp or go to a hotel. I focus on where God wants to take the

church, I pray about directions for my sermons, I deal with personal issues...

Other pastors, particularly in large urban areas, had many opportunities for
professional development available to them, and took advantage of these opportunities.
Paul, for example, lives “near three seminaries and two libraries. I have a weekly
minister’s conference, and a bimonthly minister’s council meeting. I am able to hear
special lectures, attend special events.”

Walter described himself as a pastor who has vision, who has a sense of God’s
presence, and who loves an intellectual challenge. He has a well-developed approach to
ministry that incorporates a mixture of spiritual depth and intellectual challenge. He
speaks of the openness of worship to all God’s people, the centrality of the local church
as the center of ministry, the need for intellectual growth, and an emphasis on unity as
core values for his ministry.

For me there are certain non-negotiables: First of all, worship must be open to all

of God’s people. Soul freedom is the core. I’ll fight for your right to disagree.

Don’t take away my freedom to disagree. This is vitally important to the life of

the church. Second, the local church is the core of ministry. I waste little time

90

with denominations. I’m not interested in whether they survive or not. Where
they do work, I will be supportive. . .My third non-negotiable is intellectual
growth. For me the importance of good thoughtful work is paramount. I do
demand it of my colleagues. I can’t stand canned programs. People need to
subject any program they use to thoughtful, critical work for it to be effective in
their setting. Fourth, the John 17 prayer of Jesus, focusing on the unity of the

Body in love.

As we have seen, pastors were driven to integrate intellect and spirit in their
learning. They were particularly energized when a given continuing education experience
engaged them both intellectually and spiritually. Pastors sometimes neglected their
professional development because of a lack of meaningful opportunities, or their own
busy schedules. They often found denominational offerings to lack intellectual and
spiritual depth. Pastors exhibited high motivation for continuing their spiritual and
intellectual learning systematically throughout their career.

This finding is corroborated by recent literature on spirituality in the workplace
(Bartlett, 1978; Gemignani, 2001; Gould, 1978; Hall & Mirvis, 1995; Hines & DeYoung,
2000; Houston, 1997; Moore, 1994; Morseth, 1998; Nouwen, 2001; Palmer, 1983;
Palmer, 1990; Palmer, 2000; Stewart, 1974; Wagner, 1998; Watkins, 1999; Whitcomb,
2002; Whyte, 1994; Wicks, 2000). In particular, Palmer’s writings on the active life
(Palmer, 1990) describe the necessity of vocation or action to flow out of a deep
knowledge of one’s inner being. According to Palmer, not only pastors, but all people
are able to sustain excellence in their work to the extent that their work flows out of a
deep knowledge of themselves, their Creator, and their calling.

In summary, this section of the paper addressed four influences on clergy

learning: their image of the meaning of ministry; interaction with other clergy as role

91

models, mentors, and colleagues; their quest for creativity; and the drive for integration
of intellect and spirit. These influences were present for clergy throughout the course of
their vocation, as they engaged in the various developmental tasks at different times in

their ministries. Next, we will turn to the developmental periods of clergy learning.

Developmental Periods of Clergy Learning

Introduction

The developmental periods of clergy learning that will be discussed in this section
include the periods of anticipatory learning or socialization, early career, middle career,
and late career. The anticipatory learning period includes experiences occurring before
beginning ministry, particularly early experiences and observations of pastors and church,
the call to ministry, and theological training. The tasks of the anticipatory period or
socialization for ministry include developing a conscious awareness and nurturing of
one’s own spiritual life, building an initial understanding of the meaning of ministry, and
acceptance of the call to service. Early clergy career learning involves finding one’s first
ministry placement, ordination, and beginning one’s ministry. Developmental tasks
include integrating theoretical knowledge and ministry practice, developing one’s identity
and authority as a pastor, and coming to terms with the nature of the church as system.
Middle career experiences include ongoing ministry in a given context, and transition
from one ministry context to another. Developmental tasks include discerning a call to
move, facing new leadership needs and problems, the struggle to maintain a balanced life,
and the need to establish and maintain appropriate boundaries. Late career learning

involves preparation for retirement, including preparing the church for new leadership.

92

Developmental tasks of the late career include letting go of one’s ministry context,
reframing pastoral identity, and building an identity outside of ministry.
Anticipatory Learning or Socialization

The study revealed that clergy learned how to be effective ministers in a variety of
different ways. Pastors’ learning about the ministry actually began long before they
entered a career in ministry, with their early childhood memories of pastors and church,
as well as religious education at home. Particularly salient to pastors’ learning was their
call to ministry; the circumstances around which the call emerged, and what implications
the sense of call had for enacting their ministerial careers. Theological education
impacted clergy learning in profound but sometimes mixed ways. The tasks of the
anticipatory period included conscious awareness and nurturing of one’s own spiritual
life, building an initial understanding of the meaning of ministry, and acceptance of the
call to service.

Early experiences of pastors and church

The Baptist ministers in this study came fi'om diverse religious backgrounds, and
arrived in the American Baptist church in a variety of ways. In a couple of cases, they
grew up in Catholic families, and looked to Catholic religious leaders as early models for
ministry. For Bill, senior pastor of a 400-member rural Caucasian church, his priest
growing up was a key role model. He remembers . . .

In third grade, I decided I wanted to be a truck driver or a minister. I was a

Catholic living in a Jewish neighborhood five years after the holocaust. I felt

excluded from the community, and so I found refuge in my family and in the

church.

93

Bill’s feelings of exclusion as a child from his community, and inclusion in the
community of faith, has influenced him to work very hard as a pastor at including others.
He does this both through creating a church atmosphere that is welcoming and “family,”
and through building ecumenical relationships with people in the community from other
faith traditions. This commitment to including people finds its roots in his learning about
ministry as a child.

Deborah grew up in a Polish family in the inner city. As a child, she looked to
both the priests and sisters as role models. She “loved going into the convent where the
sisters lived. I was fascinated with the mystique. I loved to see the chapel. . . .” She
carried her experience of the mystery of God that she learned as a child in the Catholic
faith into her vocation as a Baptist minister. She expresses it through personal devotion
to God as well as creating symbolically-rich meditative experiences for her parishioners.

Sometimes early childhood experiences informed pastors’ calls to minister in
ways that were different than what they had experienced. Olivia spoke of wanting to be a
foreign missionary since she was little. She grew up in an Indian Baptist church run by
white missionaries. As a pastor, she wants to encourage Indian lay leadership in the
church, instead of having all the work done by missionary pastors, as she observed when
she was growing up. Joseph, also a Native American pastor, remembers how he lost his
Indian identity when he went to church as a child. Now, as a pastoral leader, he is
committed to helping to find a way to integrate Indian culture into the life of the church,
because God is God of the “whole person.”

In some cases, negative memories of how pastors were treated became roadblocks

against their considering ministry as a profession. Hezekiah, an African American pastor

94

of a mixed urban congregation, grew up in a family where his father was pastor. His
experience as a pastor’s kid influenced him to seek alternative ways of living out ministry
than being a local church pastor. He did not feel he would be secure in such an
environment, because of how church members treated their pastor.
So I wanted to be a psychologist and preach, but I didn’t want to be a pastor of a
church. After seeing all my dad had been through, it was too restrictive, you’re
too much at the mercy of the people. I didn’t want to put myself into people’s

hands to that degree... So I went into pastoral care and... I pastored two small

churches, then became an associate at a larger church.

Two other pastors mentioned similar negative perceptions of how pastors were
treated. Guillermo did not want to become a pastor, because of the way he saw lay
leaders treat his pastor growing up. Joseph did not want to become a pastor because of
seeing how much his father suffered as a lay pastor. These early messages about the
ministry became obstacles these pastors had to overcome in order to pursue a career in
the ministry.

Thus, the research reveals that many pastors formed early ideas about the ministry
from their childhood experiences. Some of these ideas became paradigms for adult
ministry, such as inclusivity for Bill and mystery for Deborah. Other ideas became
challenges to overcome in accepting or living out their calls, such as the lack of Native
American heritage and leadership in the worship experience of the Indian people for
Olivia and Joseph, and the observation that pastors lead difficult lives for Guillermo and

Joseph.

95

The call to ministry as a paradigm for learning

Particularly salient to pastors’ learning was their call to ministry; the
circumstances around which the call emerged, and the implications that sense of call had
for their ministerial careers. Pastors’ calls to ministry were found to be a key factor
informing their learning.

It is interesting to note that virtually all the pastors interviewed spoke of their calls
to ministry as significant to their understandings of ministry as vocation. This was true
whether they noted a distinct moment when they knew they were called, they always felt
called, or they gradually grew into a sense of call. About half of the clergy spoke
specifically about awe or unworthiness as a component of this call. They found their
calling to be bigger than who they understood themselves to be, and therefore it was
something worthy of great honor, and also something they needed to respect quite highly.

While the clergy themselves spoke highly of the respect they felt for the pastorate,
many spoke of stnrggling, of reticence in responding to the call. This was rooted at least
in part in their awareness of the lack of respect clergy received, and in the vulnerability
and lack of security they perceived were part of the clergy career. There was a lack of
congruency between the high regard they felt for the ministry and the observations of the
poor way pastors were sometimes treated, which created mixed messages about the value
of the profession.

The pastors referred to an internal sense or ownership of call, as well as an
external confirmation of call. In some cases, pastors were invited into ministerial roles
before they recognized a call to ministry or gifts for ministry in themselves. In other

cases, pastors felt a call to ministry, and sought external confirmation of that call. Often,

96

they did not even consider a call to ministry until a pastor, family member, or church
leader presented the possibility of ministry to them. Some pastors spoke quite
passionately about the significance the confirmation of their call had in informing their
ability to act with ministerial authority. For several women, the lack of confirmation
delayed not only their ability to act with authority, but often their ability to perceive a call
which in retrospect they understood to have been there for a long time. Conversely, the
presence of a sense of call enabled both female and male pastors to act with authority,
despite a lack of confidence or experience.

Finally, a sense of call was related to one’s sense of priorities. Pastors
relinquished comfort and opportunity in choosing a call to ministry. The sense of having
their priorities in order allowed pastors to make such a sacrifice. It was this sense of
priority that allowed pastors to put themselves and their families through sometimes very
difficult circumstances in order to follow their calls.

Bill is senior pastor of a 400—member rural Caucasian church. His experience of
call is rooted in a sense of awe before God. That awe both motivates him and makes him
feel inadequate to his task, so much so that he will feel relieved of a burden when he
retires.

By the time I got to my senior year of college, I had this image of who a pastor

should be and it was too great for me. It was more than I felt I could measure up

to, even as a Christian person. But another pastor said, “You need to do this”. ..

He painted a picture of the ghost of Christmas past. Even your sense of

inadequacy, I learned from him, is part of the call. How do you work for God,

represent God, deal with the fact that someone’s first impression of God is you?

The day when I retire I will have some relief.

97

Deborah is a Caucasian pastor of two small congregations, one rural and one
urban. She is in her 503, and currently in her first ministry placement, having just
graduated fi'om seminary and been ordained. Deborah traced her call back to her
childhood, when she thought about being a nun, but it took her many years to claim it.
The call informs her courage to act with authority, in spite of a lack of confidence. The
presence of other women following their call provides sustenance for her as she lives out
her call.

Soon after starting [as a Christian Education Director in my local church] I

learned about seminary. I wanted to go, but family circumstances prevented me

for almost 6 years In seminary, meeting all these other women in seminary,

I’m finding God is doing this amazing thing. It became a real sustenance for me.

I do not regret being in ministry. I didn’t do it sooner because I couldn’t assert

that call, until I embraced it myself. I was trained as a woman and a Catholic to

seek approval. You cannot be a leader and live that way. I escaped to seminary,
latched on to the call. Had a chance to explore it, embrace it, grow in it. Learning
about the ministry, I realized this is who I have to be, and bring that to my

personal life. I had to grow in it... I have to claim my call; that’s the authority, I

have no choice. IfI say on the one hand I am called to ministry and I don’t bring

it forth, what does that mean? You have no choice but to proclaim Jesus Christ.

People have a hunger for authentic teaching, integrity in ministry. My call

compels me to do things I may not feel confident doing.

Guillermo is a Mexican American pastor serving a bilingual congregation in the
city. Initially, his parents urged him to pursue a call to ministry because of his miraculous
healing as a child. His calling wasn’t complete, though, until he owned it for himself, as
his own recognition of God’s call in his life and the presence in his life of gifts for
ministry. He struggled with the call, because of his awareness of the negative ways

pastors can be treated, and because of their vulnerability.

98

I didn’t hear a call to ministry because I wanted to. When I was 6-7 years old, I
had asthma. My mom prayed for healing and offered me to God. Immediately
my asthma left. When I was 14 I was almost drowned. I lost consciousness. Our
dog pulled me out by the hair. Mom said to me, “You don’t belong to me, you
belong to God.” This made me realize the Lord wants something out of my life. I
began helping the pastor, going out to visit people. We saw patients in a
tuberculosis sanitarium. .. I saw the pastor suffer when the deacons cut off his
pay. He had started the ministry there! I said, “If the Lord wants me, it has to be
in another field.” I couldn’t stand how the pastor suffered... One time I visited a
church 350 miles away. I was just a visitor, but when the pastor was late, I
decided to lead the singing. My New Testament was bulky in my pocket. A man
came up to the front, and said to me, “Young man, have you ever thought of
ministry?” The Lord gave me clearance through his words. It was not just to
fulfill my parents’ wants. It had to be my own personal decision. The proof of the
calling was the supply. God always supplied my needs. People provided me with
everything, even money for a car. The proof of the call was the fact that I could
see parents, pastors, asking about my commitment. I saw that I had a conviction

and desire to serve the Lord.

Hezekiah’s call to ministry came on the heels of an unusual “conversion

experience.” While he grew up in the church, under the thumb of a very conservative

preacher father, and had even preached as a youth, as a young adult Hezekiah sought to

find his own way in the world. While he was in the army, an experience of compassion

challenged him to reexamine the judgmental messages of his youth. His consequent

development of a “theology of love” has informed his practice of ministry throughout his

My experience in France changed my theology... The “business women”
[prostitutes] that serviced the GI’s were very religious, very honest, would take
care of the GI’s. Let them spend the night on the couch. Buy them a ticket back

99

to base. If they were drunk, they’d keep their wallet so their “buddies” wouldn’t
steal their money. They were “missionary sisters.” Better than some of the
missionary sisters back at home. It messed up my theology. Wine drinkers, I had
been told, were going to hell. I had a kind of conversion. .. I had to build my
theology all over from scratch when I came home. My theology became built on
a foundation of a theology of love. Anything I believed had to be reconciled with

love... I dealt with all the judgmental messages from my past.

Joseph also struggled with his call, because of the negative way he saw his lay
pastor father treated. He spoke of striving to work harder, like his mother taught him, to
be true to his call.

My father was a Choktau, but we lived in the white man’s world, in Oklahoma,

where the iron road [railroad] was built. My mother was a small person, a

Cherokee. She taught me because you were an Indian, you had to strive harder...

I felt the call to ministry after my freshman year of college. I heard someone

speak at the Indian assembly. Actually, I felt the call before that, but my dad was

a lay pastor. I didn’t want to be treated like that kind of second class citizen.

Juan is a Hispanic pastor who gave up a career as a businessman because of his
call to ministry. He is an example of someone who had a definite moment when he knew
he was called to ministry. He responded to God’s call, manifested in the words of his
pastor, and in the tug of his heart because of a sermon he heard. His response involved
great sacrifice for his family, and a radical change in life direction. His great respect for
the call has continued to sustain him through many struggles and situations.

Before knowing the Lord, I was a playboy. My first experience with God was in

my pueblo [hometown]. At the age of 30 I accepted Christ. My pastor told me,

“You should think about being a pastor.” I didn’t want to. It was too high a

calling for me. I respected the pastorate very much... One night in church I made

the decision. The message was for me. The pastor only made one altar call.

100

“Who would like to be a pastor?” I went to the front, crying. I couldn’t sleep. I
had a wife and three children, one of whom was extremely ill. Still, I resigned my
work and went to seminary immediately. In the next three months God opened
doors. The pastor of the church made me associate pastor. We left our home and
sold it so I could afford to study... During those two years, I slept one hour a
night. I got up at 4 or 5 every morning... I feel it is a privilege to be called by
God. The church is the greatest institution in the world. The people are the most

important, the congregation is even more important than the US Congress.

In contrast to Juan, Kerin heard her call to ministry little by little. She described
being held back by perceptual barriers of what a woman could do, which she gradually
transcended. Kerin was encouraged toward the pastorate through three pastors who saw
her gifts and encouraged her to pursue the ministry. She believed getting a Masters of
Divinity degree and preaching were aspects of ministry reserved for men only, because of
what she had been taught in her Southern Baptist background. Nevertheless, when a
Master of Arts degree wasn’t available, she pursued the Master of Divinity. And, when
her pastor asked her to preach, she rose to the challenge. It was in doing ministry that she
finally accepted and owned her call to ministry.

I attended church all my life, but never thought about ministry. Youth group was

my social life. After college, our church had a woman minister to preschool

children. I started to work with her as a volunteer, as nursery coordinator,

Vacation Bible School coordinator. When I told her my husband and I were

moving to [a major city], she said, “Oh, good, now you can go to seminary.” I

looked at her like she was nuts... but that started a 5-year process considering

what did she mean by that. Finally I decided if God provided me an opportunity I

would go to seminary... The scenario is, throw me in a position where I have no

choice. The pastor in our new church told me about the possibility of going to

seminary part-time. That church sponsored me. But at the extension center, the

only degree offered was an M Div. So that took away the guilt of having been

101

taught women don’t get those... When I found my internship church, I told the
pastor there I would do anything but preach. Three months later, she was going

on vacation and said, “You’re preaching.” Another step in being pushed.

Mary, like Kerin, gradually grew into an understanding of a call to ministry. She
talked about her call to ministry as a “winding path.” Her desire had always been to help
people. Out of that desire emerged a call to the ministry.

Right after finishing college, I prayed to be able to help people, to be of service,

to have a ministry. Was that what God wanted me to do? Surely not the ministry.

I talked to a professor. “What do you think about me going to seminary?” He

said, “If you sign the papers tomorrow, you’re enrolled.” I had no desire until that

night... I’ve been learning to accept the fact that the call comes from God, even

though it’s not always recognized by the church.

Mary has gone through a number of struggles in responding to and living out her
call. For example, a number of conservative churches threatened to oppose her
ordination because she was a woman. A “divine” blizzard prevented them from attending
her ordination. She understood that to be God clearing the way for her.

Olivia left a full-time permanent construction job to follow God’s call to ministry.
For her, it was a matter of choosing the right priorities, of placing God first in her life.
She heard an Indian woman preach at a national gathering about her vision for Indian
women ministers, and it stuck with her. Ultimately she quit her job and began to attend
Bible school to prepare herself for ministry.

The speaker preached from H Chronicles, “If my people, who are called by my

name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their

wicked ways, I will forgive their sin and heal their land.” So I asked myself, “Am

I where I’m supposed to be?” The Indian ministries director, a woman, said, “I

want you to know that my vision is in every Indian church there will be an Indian

102

pastor and not only an Indian but a woman pastor.” Ithought, “This is
impossible, all the Indian churches are filled with white missionaries.” But, it
kept coming to my mind. Two weeks later, while I was fixing coffee, a voice
came to me and said, “Take up thy cross and follow me.” I knew that was the
answer... I put my resignation in, the boss thought I was crazy. “Well, I got my

priorities straight, “ I told him.

Tyler is an African American pastor who heard his call to ministry while in

college, when his social life took a dive. Like Olivia, reordering his priorities opened

him up to the possibility of a call to ministry. He talked with his pastor to explore this

option. Later, a special speaker pulled it all together for him. His intellectual reasoning

in sorting out his call is one of the strengths he brings to his approach to ministry.

I was enjoying my social life as a single young man. But then my relationship fell
apart. This gave me room to see things differently. My train was derailed. I had
to look at other options. In a Parade magazine, I read an interview about Billy
Graham being called to ministry on the heels of a breakup with his girlfriend. I
also was called to ministry on the heels of a secular event. I was disillusioned
about the govemment—I had envisioned myself being someone who put together
laws. I was idealistic. I was 20 years old. I had a conversation with my pastor
about what is a call... I was at a church firnction, and the speaker spoke about
ministry as a career. I felt like he was there to speak to me. I talked with him for
hours. “What is calling? What is ministry?” He wrote me a letter, which I still

have.

Peter, an African American pastor, could not identify a time before he felt a call

to ministry. His understanding of the evolving nature of ministry finds its roots in his

evolving sense of call. Further, the call for Peter involves sacrifice and endurance. Peter

in fact has endured a lot as a minister. He was very near burn-out at the time of the

interview. He had been pastoring a congregation of over 1,000 members without any

103

support staff for a number of years. The congregation had been through a search process
for an associate minister twice without finding the right person. Peter’s sense of call

spurs him on when he gets tired, and keeps him going when times get rough.

I always knew I was called to ministry, even in high school. I accepted the call
my senior year in college. Then I went to seminary. I became a pastor in answer
to God’s call, firlfilling my vocation. It’s not an occupation. It’s a lifestyle. I’m
still learning, it’s a continuous process... So much about ministry is not written,
not calculated, not scientific. There is an element of surprise, it always evolves. I
strive to live my sense of call. I love what I’m doing. I love my parishioners.

One can endure when one loves.

Walter, a Caucasian pastor, spoke about “inching his way” to a call to ministry.
His call was informed by his commitment to social justice, to civil rights. His own
intellectual journey away from southern fimdamentalism to a liberation theology became
a catalyst for a lifetime career of ministry, which has focused on openness and building

bridges across racial and theological boundaries.

I grew up immersed in the church. I never really first knew that I was called to
ministry. I inched my way to it. I remember in high school, I was either going
into law or the pastorate... I had my first encounter with God on my way to
college. I had this awareness, it’s OK to ask questions now, it’s OK to step
forward and learn as much as I could... I was voted out of my home church over
civil rights. I was a firebrand. I had a black roommate my junior year of
college... I demonstrated, called a press conference and to my surprise all the
press showed up. I called for the unseating of all the delegates in my
denomination with policies in their home churches of racial segregation For
me the way out of southern firndamentalism was through my head, in intellectual
thoughts. Seminary professors helped me get out... I was introduced to liberation

theology. My intellectual journey forms my identity.

104

As we have seen, pastors consider their calls to ministry as significant to their
understandings of their ministry as vocation, regardless of whether they noted a distinct
moment when they knew they were called, they always felt called, or they gradually grew
into a sense of call. They brought to their understandings of call a sense of awe,
reverence, as well as unworthiness, which they observed not to be shared by those who
sometimes treated clergy with disrespect or a lack of consideration. Because of this,
many clergy resisted responding to the call to ministry. They perceived the clergy career
would make them vulnerable, and would not provide adequate security. There was a lack
of congruency between the high regard they felt for the ministry and the observations of
the poor way pastors were sometimes treated, which created mixed messages about the
value of the profession.

Pastors must both acknowledge the call internally, as well as receive external
confirmation of the call. Some pastors were invited into ministerial roles before they
recognized a call to ministry or gifts for ministry in themselves. Other pastors felt a call
to ministry internally first, and sought external confirmation of that call. Pastor, family
members, and church leaders played a significant role in the call by presenting the
possibility of ministry to pastors. Some pastors spoke quite passionately about the
significance of the confirmation of their call informing their ability to act with ministerial
authority. Some women struggled with accepting their calls or being able to act with
authority as pastors because of the lack of confirmation of their calls. Conversely, the
presence of a sense of call enabled both female and male pastors to act with authority,

despite a lack of confidence or experience.

105

Finally, a sense of call was related to pastors’ priorities. They relinquished
comfort and opportunity when they accepted a call to ministry. Olivia, for example, gave
up the security of a job in construction. Sandi gave up an opportunity to pursue 3 Ph. D.
and teach. Juan gave up a well-paying career in business. The sense of having one’s
priorities in order allowed pastors to make such a sacrifice. It was this sense of priority
that allowed pastors to put themselves and their families through sometimes very difficult
circumstances in order to follow their calls.

In summary, the call to ministry became a paradigm informing the learning and
development of pastors throughout their careers. The honor of the call and its demand
for faithfirl service, the need for both internal and external confirmation of the call to help
them exercise authority, and the presence of the call acting as a framework for priority-
setting were among the manifestations of the call as paradigm.

Theological education and clergy learning

The study showed that theological education in preparation for ministry impacted
clergy learning in profound but sometimes mixed ways. Clergy in the study followed a
variety of paths in preparation for their careers as pastors. The interview participants
included people who went to seminary before beginning their practice of ministry
(whether as first or second career clergy); people who began their practice of ministry
concurrently with or prior to their formal ministry training; and people who were
practicing ministry without ever having received a Master of Divinity, but who may have
attended Bible college or some other non-accredited training program.

Pastors did not view their theological education in a completely positive light.

They found it to be helpful in terms of learning to think critically and deeply about the

106

Scripture and in terms of developing a more complex and helpful theology. Several cited
the value of a diverse theological environment in encouraging them to think critically
about their own faith and develop more helpful and complex learning paradigms. Some
pastors found role models and mentors among their seminary professors, who sometimes
took quite a significant role in their career development. They specifically cited ministry
hands-on training experiences such as clinical pastoral education and field education as
helpful for testing their readiness for ministry and developing their ministry skills,
although supervision was not always adequate and the supervised ministry setting was
not always ideal. The intellectual journey was a key part of both pastors’ spiritual
formation and their preparation for ministry.

Surprisingly, some pastors found the seminary environment to be detrimental to
their professional development. In particular, they were discouraged by the presence of
students and sometimes faculty who seemed to lack a personal faith. Further, a number
of pastors felt that the theological education they received was inadequate. The
connection of their learning to the practical aspects of ministry seemed lacking. For
example, pastors cited the need for more attention to administration, volunteer leadership
training and development, and how to deal with the church as a political system. They
pointed to other paths of learning how to be a pastor as more helpfirl and more essential
than theological education, including having a pastor as their mentor and cultivating a
deep reliance on the Holy Spirit as their guide.

Women pastors seemed to regard seminary in an overall more positive light than
their male counterparts. Seminary education gave them theological tools for

understanding and clarifying their calls to ministry. Additionally, the presence of women

107

colleagues provided a community of encouragement and support. Deborah, for example,
found seminary to be an overwhelmingly positive experience, and key to helping her
embrace her call and live it out. Her ability to associate with other women experiencing a
call to ministry as well as to study in a diverse theological environment were key

elements of the value of this experience for her.

In seminary, meeting all these other women in seminary, I’m finding God is doing
this amazing thing. It became a real sustenance for me... I escaped to seminary,
latched on to the call. Had a chance to explore it, embrace it, grow in it. Learning
about the ministry, I realized this is who I have to be, and bring that to my
personal life. I had to grow into it. I had a theologically diverse experience. I

thrived in the ecumenical environment...

Mary also talked about seminary in positive terms. “In my first seminary class, I
was hooked, I came alive,” she asserted. Her seminary professor gave her counsel about
how to document her work in a way that ultimately helped her become ordained, despite
obstacles from people opposing women in ministry. A woman classmate helped her
come to theological terms with women’s call to ministry in the Bible. Yet another
classmate encouraged her to seek ordination.

A number of pastors went right from college into seminary. Bill went to seminary
after completing a college degree at a research university. He had a mixed assessment of
his seminary training. On the one hand, he found it practically shattered his faith, at least
in part because of the lack of genuine spiritual commitment in people attending seminary
at the time he studied. On the other hand, his education prepared him to be able to deal
with complex problems of our time.

My faith was growing, but I damn near lost it at seminary. A lot of incoming

seminarians at the time were draft dodgers . . . The church is human, faddish.

108

These days there’s a worship fad, a spiritual formation fad. But the issues we have
to deal with today are a lot more complex than fads or simplistic theology can
address. Hey, I have a woman in the church who used to be a man 25 years ago.
It takes incredible effort to get the church to deal with complex issues. The church
has what I like to call a bipolar argument disorder. They tend to take one extreme
or the other. And the extremes are bullshit. Freedom makes people energized.
They learn to hold onto God. Education has prepared me to deal with people in
an enlightened age. Fear and ignorance are still motivators, that have to be

dismantled.

Paul, a pastor of a multi-staff congregation in a small town community, had
mixed feelings about seminary. He also attended seminary out of college, having some
experience during college of doing youth ministry. He objected to the lack of personal
faith and integrity in the lives of his classmates. He also found the political atmosphere
to be disconcerting, especially when he found himself being influenced by it.

In seminary, I’m sorry to say, I learned how to play political games. It was good

in some ways, but by the time I graduated, I had backtracked spiritually and lost

my focus.

It was after seminary, Paul related, that he began to recall lessons from his college days
as a youth minister, and return to a stronger personal faith, and a stronger connection with
the real, day-to-day lives of the people.

Tyler found his experience studying at an Ivy League divinity school to be
intellectually challenging, but, like Paul, struggled with the apparent lack of faith of many
of his counterparts:

At the divinity school I was able to interact with other intelligent people, and gain

a strong intellectual and academic foundation. The experience challenged my

beliefs, and allowed me to bring an academic regimen to ministry. I was

109

unprepared for the seminary experience where students and professors had no
profession of faith. “Why are you all here?” I wondered. I asked God a lot of

questions during that time.

Peter also went right from college into seminary. He spoke about seminary as
being very helpfirl, for testing one’s gifts for ministry, for expanding one’s theological
framework. His experience in clinical pastoral education was critical in his learning to be
a pastor. At the same time, he resented having to do an internship, though he admitted
that “field education is an opportunity to determine one’s readiness, to put theory into
practice.”

In contrast to the others who went right from college into seminary, Walter found
it be an overall positive experience. Walter found his intellectual journey to be key in his
own spiritual and personal formation. Seminary was a place where he built an entirely
new world view, leaving southern fundamentalism for liberation theology.

I’ve always enjoyed learning. For me the way out of southern firndamentalism

was through my head, in intellectual thoughts. Seminary professors helped me

out. So did reading theologians like Reinhold Niebuhr. .. I went at an accelerated

pace. I was introduced to liberation theology... My intellectual journey forms my

identity.

Other pastors chose ministry as a second career, and so began their theological
training later in life. Juan attended seminary immediately after receiving his call to
ministry, leaving a career in business. He went forward in a church service, and the next
week quit his job and began seminary, with a wife and three children. He was hired by
his mentor pastor as an associate pastor, and so worked in his first ministry context
concurrently with attending seminary. He had gone to school for business administration

and been an accountant prior to this career shift in his early 303. Like Bill, Juan found

110

seminary of limited value in his preparation for ministry. While he valued his theological
development and increased Bible knowledge, he felt that practical aspects of ministry
were not well addressed. The hands-on experience of working with his mentor pastor

was overall more valuable than seminary.

I did my associate pastorate during seminary. I developed a strong theology, and
learned the Bible, but didn’t learn much about administration. In some ways my
experience studying was a bad experience. The pastor who I worked under,
though, was a very good pastor. Very stable. He gave me the opportunity to
work with all kinds of people—government people, office workers. Counseling I

learned later.

Rita entered ministry as a second career after working in counseling and mental
health administration. She did her seminary training while serving as an associate pastor
of an urban congregation. She found seminary to be helpful in making the transition into
a new disciplinary framework:

In seminary I discovered that theology is a different discipline from psychology.

Ministry is more subjective—it helped me to get away from an instrumental

model of learning. You don’t do Bible studies to teach the nuance of the literary

form. The experience of the Word is not limited by what we can study... I had a

strong focus on experiential theology... did a lot of reflective papers.

Her seminary training was valuable to her in part because it opened up new
paradigms of learning for her, paradigms which helped her to integrate her personal
experience with her theology, and her ministry with her own identity development. She
also mentioned that she valued working in an ecumenical, diverse theological setting.

Sandi wrestled with God for a long time before deciding to go to seminary. In

fact, she had started a master’s degree in another field and switched mid-track. She

111

Ilvlll

remembers vividly three people in her life who confirmed the call. Her call to serve in a
local church setting became clearer while she was in seminary, though her advisor
encouraged her to go on for a Ph. D. She understood her calling to be “to teach lay
people to understand the Bible as a life source,” as well as to be an advocate for social
justice, not to teach seminary students New Testament Greek. She described that

decision as a moment in which she had real clarity:
Giving up the chance for a Ph. D. for a call to the local church was a very freeing
experience. I know that God keeps on being faithful. Not to compromise my
sense of what God is calling me to do... In seminary I worked in a support group,
of people who love people with AIDS. I came to understand that I’m called to be
a prophet, to see what’s happening now, and how we need to relate to God to go

in the right direction... Seminary confronted me to articulate what I believed. I

became drawn to the issue of justice, standing for people unjustly treated.

Still other pastors followed a nontraditional path into ministry. That is, they did
not complete four years of college and three years of seminary prior to beginning
ministry. Among those was Guillermo, who studied at a Bible college along the way as
he ministered. His best experience was how one of his professors modeled knowledge of
and dedication to Scripture. Overall, though, Guillermo expressed disdain for higher

education.

I don’t care for degrees. I have a master’s degree from the Master. I study, I am
aware, and I become proficient. If I were to take a course today, it would be in

botany. I love flowers. I lead people by the simple things.
Olivia talked about learning to be a pastor “partly through life experience and
partly through school.” She attended a Bible School certificate program to prepare for

ministry as a second career. She spoke often of loving to learn and soaking it up “like a

112

sponge.” Nevertheless, she felt her training did not help her adequately deal with
“different personalities or church administration.” She and her copastor husband also
didn’t learn enough about practical aspects of ministry, such as how to put together a
firneral service.

While Joseph began ministry prior to attending seminary, he spoke of a strong
belief in education. He not only was the first person in his family to get a college degree,
he went on for several additional degrees, including seminary training. He described
himself as a lifelong learner. At the same time, he felt that people relied too much on
theological training as an adequate or necessary component of ministry preparation. He
sees many paths to learning, and the most important learning for a pastor, in his view, is
reliance on the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, 3 learning which cannot be
“taught” in school. Further, some things can only be learned by doing. Experience in
ministry is itself part of the training.

There is too strong an emphasis on theological education. You have to have the

empowerment of the Holy Spirit to speak to people. My dad had a tenth grade

education, but he started five missions. When I was a minister with a Bachelors

degree fiom a Bible college, I was looked on as a second class citizen. I felt I

needed to have that perspective, so I got the seminary training. But some become

pastors without formal education and do exceptionally well. There’s too much

emphasis on the theological training. That’s not what’s essential for ministry.

Samson began a career in ministry concurrently with working as a businessman,
and later an educator. He studied in seminary along the way, and encountered a
Paradigm shift while there. His heart opened to women in ministry.

I had been exposed to two firndamentalist preachers. I didn’t have the heart for

women in ministry. That conversion took place in seminary. A great man of God

113

preached, “How dare those of you who have been oppressed participate in the
oppression of someone else?” And, a woman colleague from seminary knew I
wanted an associate position and called me when she learned of an opening... I
applied and got the position. A woman pastor from my area also referred me for

the position I have now.

Samson worked through the teaching he had received from two conservative
pastors while in seminary, and ultimately came to affirm women in ministry. This
occurred partly because he heard a great preacher liken the oppression of women to the
oppression of black people, and partly because of getting to know women colleagues who
became advocates for him.

In summary, pastors’ experiences of seminary education were mixed. They found
it helped them hone critical thinking skills related to the interpretation of Scripture and
theological development. Being in a diverse theological environment encouraged them to
think critically about their own faith and develop more helpful and complex learning
paradigms. A number of pastors found role models and mentors among their seminary
professors. Clinical pastoral education and field education were identified as helpful
experiences, though supervision was not always adequate. The intellectual journey was a
key part of both pastors’ spiritual formation and their preparation for ministry.

On the other hand, quite a number of pastors described the seminary environment
as detrimental to their professional development. They became discouraged by the
presence of students and even faculty who seemed to lack a personal faith. Pastors felt
that the theological education they received was inadequate for helping them connect
their learning to the practice of ministry. They particularly would have liked more
training in administration, working with volunteers, and dealing with the church as a

political system. Other paths of learning how to be a pastor were cited as more helpfirl

114

and more essential than theological education. Particularly noted were having a pastor as
their mentor and cultivating a deep reliance on the Holy Spirit as their guide.

Women pastors reported a more positive experience in seminary than their male
counterparts, and found in it a sense of empowerment, confirmation, and intellectual and
spiritual validation that male pastors did not (or did not need). Seminary education gave
them theological tools for understanding and clarifying their calls to ministry.
Additionally, the presence of women colleagues provided a community of
encouragement and support women did not find elsewhere.

The tasks of the anticipatory period included conscious awareness and nurturing
of one’s own spiritual life, building an initial understanding of the meaning of ministry,
and acceptance of the call to service. Pastors engaged in these tasks during their
childhood, through observing pastors and participating in church experiences, as well as
through personal experiences of spiritual transformation and nurture as young, or even
older, adults. Their call to ministry was a key experience informing their learning about
ministry. This was true whether there was a moment when they experienced a call, or
whether their knowledge of or acceptance of the call came gradually. Finally, their
theological education helped them to develop an initial understanding of the meaning of
ministry, but most pastors found that initial understanding to be inadequate. This was
true whether they followed a path of college to seminary to ministry, were second career
pastors, or followed a nontraditional path of preparation for ministry.

Literature on anticipatory learning or socialization identifies the period before
beginning a career as an important time for learning about and making sense of the

career, a finding which is clearly borne out in this study of pastors. (Baldwin, 1990a;

115

Baldwin & Blackburn, 1981; Cullinan, 1999; Dubois, 2000; Gottfredson, 1981; Hackett,
Lent, & Greenjaus, 1991; Kenney, 1999; Levinson, 1986; Levinson, 1996; Levinson et
al., 1978; Marty & DeWire, 1966; Mathis, 1980; Melamed, 1996; Omstein, Cron, & J.
W. Slocum, 1989; Osipow, 1983; Osipow, 1990; Sheehy, 1976; Sherwood, 1986; Sinetar,
1987; Smart & Peterson, 1997; Stanley, 1985; Stewart, 1974; Super, 1957a; Super,
1957b; Super, 1984; Super, 1990; Super & Hall, 1978; Super et al., 1996; Swanson,
1992; Uris & Tarrant, 1983; Vondracek, 1992; Vondracek, Lerner, & Schulenberg, 1986;
Winebrenner & Frazier, 1993)

This time period is often underutilized as a fertile training ground for workers,
and clergy are no exception. While clergy acquired both information and misinformation
related to the pastorate, this information did not give them an adequate picture of the
nature of ministry as a career. The call to ministry among American Baptist clergy was a
particularly powerful continuing influence in their work, resonating well with Palmer’s
reflection on vocation (Palmer, 1990; Palmer, 2000).

Learning in the Early Career

The early clergy career is marked by the activities of finding first ministry
placement, ordination, and beginning the practice of ministry. Ordination is the process
clergy go through to receive formal affirmation of their call to and readiness for ministry
by the church and the denomination, and usually occurs shortly after beginning work in
one’s first ministry context. Pastors described a number of skills they needed to develop
as they began the practice of ministry, including how to conduct weddings and firnerals
and other special services, how to train volunteers, how to deal with boards and

committees, and how to preach a sermon. Beyond the discrete tasks they needed to

116

learn, pastors mentioned concerns with being able to find time to do everything well.
Further, it appeared that clergy needed to put the tasks of ministry in the context of a
framework that allowed them to make decisions about how to balance their time, and

how to direct their energy.

I work at finding a place to put everything—I have to have a framework. I see
pastoral ministry as a whole, and when I am preaching, hopefully the fruit of

pastoral care will come into that... I use a system approach. It allows me to be
creative... Preaching delivery is still a growing edge for me. How do I balance

my time? I don’t know how to put boundaries on my call.

In order to build this framework for ministry, early career pastors engaged in a
number of developmental tasks, including integrating theoretical knowledge and ministry
practice, developing their identities and authority as pastors, and coming to terms with
the nature of the church as system.

Integration of theoretical Imowledge to ministry practice

Among the developmental tasks which were of particular concern to early career
clergy was the integration of theoretical knowledge and ministry practice, a challenge
which was usually problematic and included surprises along the way. Most pastors
reported that they felt seminary education inadequately prepared them for the practical
aspects of ministry. Ideas that made sense in seminary had implications that did not
emerge until pastors began to engage in the practice of ministry. Pastors generally
expressed surprise at the amount of work involved in ministry. They didn’t realize the
amount of time, energy, or sacrifice ministry would require. They didn’t realize how
difficult it would be to maintain a personal identity beyond ministry—that ministry would

be all-consuming. Deborah, for example, struggled with how to get a theological

117

perspective on suffering that would not require her to lose her identity as a person in

order to follow God’s call into the ministry:

I’ve had some surprises. It’s relentless. I pour myself into it. It takes over your
life. Part of me was expecting it to be an identity. I’m questioning it now. When
are you ever just mom, Deborah, spouse, me? I think it’s very important that I
have to develop myself as a person. God is calling that person to minister again
and again and again. The role can be a way of snuffrng out other things. I still
want to be me. I haven’t got much time for that. I have to make some time for
that... I began to realize that Jesus had a whole beautifirl healthy life with all the
dimensions. He chose to devote it to the point that someone chose to kill him for
it. Atonement theology was not adequate. I needed to understand reconciliation
as well as salvation. Suffering was not for its own sake, but for healing and
wholeness. I can’t give my whole self to ministry. I have to keep a life myself
with all my faults and failings. Ministry can’t be so sacrificial to the point where

it’s burnout. I have to resist that.

Pastors recognized the need to connect theological study with the practical needs
of the congregation. Tyler found that his theological studies were too theoretical for
direct application to church ministry. He had to find a way to distill the teaching into a

more practical form for the benefit of the people.

Much of what the congregation needed [during my first ministry placement] had

little to do with seminary. They needed less theoretical, more practical teaching.
Olivia, who prepared for ministry in Bible school, found that while she learned
the mechanics of Bible study in school, the ability to connect Bible study with the lives of
the people emerged while she engaged in ministry. Over time, she developed her own
style of ministry, a style that included personal sharing of her own journey of faith as an

example to encourage her congregation in their struggles.

118

In school I learned how to give Bible studies and preach. In church I learned to
make teaching, Bible studies, sermons and workshop to zero in to what the need
was and to the people without letting them think I was getting after them. I
addressed behavior, communication skills, choices you make in life. I always talk
about myself first, use myself as an example. I believe it’s important to be
transparent. You find out the other person is going through the same thing. I’m

honest, open, real.

In summary, the integration of theoretical knowledge and ministry practice
involved a number of factors: adjusting to the practical demands of the vocation, finding
language for communicating ideas in ways that connected with the practical lives of the
people, and making adjustments to one’s theological frameworks in order to incorporate
one’s experiences in ministry.

Development of pastoral identity and authority

Another of the key tasks for clergy in their first ministry placements was to
develop their pastoral identity and authority. This included their ability to present
themselves with confidence and competency in a number of key skill areas. But it went
further than that; it involved recognizing one’s unique place as a spokesperson for God,
and reconciling that with the reality that one is only human, “no different from anybody
else.” This ability to claim and project pastoral identity and authority was seen as critical
to success in ministry; so much so that one pastor said that because she was not prepared
adequately for her role as a leader, she had to resign her first ministry position.

Clergy brought to their first ministry positions perceptions and misperceptions
about what it would be like to be a pastor. Misperceptions that had to be dismantled
among the participants in this study included the belief that ministers are perfect, or on a

plane above the rest of humanity, and the belief that pastors can or should have all the

119

answers. Kerin expected being a pastor would transform her into a special kind of
person, different from others. In reality, she found she needed to adjust her perceptions
of what being a pastor was like, and accept the fallible humanity of the people engaged in

the pastoral role.

I expected being in ministry would be like being on a pedestal, a lofty feeling. I

realize now ministers are people; I call it “depedestalizing” the pastor.

Before she started ministry, Deborah had a high expectation of pastors’ ability to
speak to issues as the voice of God. She feared that as a pastor she might lose her
authority if she encountered a situation she didn’t know how to address. As she began
her work as a pastor, she began to understand that she was capable of building trust, even
though she didn’t have all the answers.

Trust grows if you are following the call, the leading of the Spirit. It is God who

we serve. The pastor doesn’t have all the answers.

Tyler expected to be different from others, once he became a pastor. Once he
began preaching, he learned he wasn’t different after all. This was disillusioning for him.
He was also disappointed by colleagues who didn’t live up to his expectations of how a
pastor should be. Even though he doesn’t see himself as internally different from others,
he still believes he must hold himself to a high standard of professional and moral
conduct.

Ministers are lifted up because they are perceived as being different from us. In

the pulpit I learned that I’m not that different; it was an eye-opening, enlightening

experience. Also disillusioning. The more I got to know ministers, hearing their

conversation, watching their behaviors, they are very much like everybody else. I

challenge myself not to stoop to that level. I can’t compromise myself in order to

belong.

120

Tyler also described his struggle with exercising his authority in a system where
he worked with volunteers. He wished it were easier to motivate people to take
responsibility. He contrasted it with his experience as a naval officer: “I like being in the
navy reserve, I have the capacity to give orders rather than requests.”

Related to developing pastoral identity and authority is developing the ability to
take a stand, and to take risks. Hezekiah spoke of three learning experiences that helped
him “come into his own” as a pastor: standing up for his own convictions, taking risks,
and focusing on the needs of the people.

There are a few things that have been helpfirl in my learning. First, facing up to

my father. That helped me face any authority. I had to break away. I never got

his blessing until I broke away from him. You don’t get the blessing being a

model son. I have to take seriously, that this is my life, I’ve got to lead it my way.

My father sees I can stand on my own two feet—then I can get the blessing...

Second, risk taking. Ifyou don’t risk anything, you don’t win anything. I cannot

fail to learn if I risk. Third, being . . . focused on the persons I am ministering to.

What’s best for them is what determines my decision, to empower them. People

surprise you, once you give people freedom to be who they are, boy do they teach

you a lot. Finally, you can’t learn if you don’t trust. God is in charge of the

process.

It should be noted that, while developing pastoral authority was a key issue at the
beginning of the clergy career, authority continued to be an issue throughout the career.
Bill, for example, finds that he keeps having to rebuild relationships with people over
time so that he will have the authority to make difficult decisions when they are needed.
Even though he is in a long-term pastorate and is highly respected, he still doesn’t trust

that the people will respect his authority. He still feels vulnerable.

121

You have to build tremendous people equity in the church so you can act with
authority in times of crisis. I keep wondering, will I get kicked out? I keep

waiting for the axe to fall. Even after [over 20] years.

In summary, developing pastoral identity and authority was seen to be a key task
for pastors entering the ministry. It involved reconciling the role of being God’s
representative with the knowledge of one’s own limitations. Further, it involved dealing
with disappointment in others, both other clergy who didn’t seem to live up to the
standard, and lay people who didn’t take their volunteer responsibilities seriously.
Maintaining pastoral authority continued to be an issue that needed attention throughout
the clergy career.

The nature of the church and the pastor’s role

Participants noted having to make major adjustments in their understanding of the
nature of the church as they moved into the role of pastor. These changes included an
enhanced understanding of the church as community and its relationship to the larger
community. Participants also began to recognize the church as a fallible and problem-
ridden system filled with imperfect people. Finally, participants noted the changing
nature of the church, including its conflictual nature, and struggles to make sense of the
same.

Pastors found they needed to expand their understanding of the church as a
community. As such, it requires nurture and relationship-building. Further, the church
exists in the context of a wider community with which it interacts and to which it
ministers. These ideas were among blind spots pastors came to terms with in their first
pastorates. Olivia, for example, struggled with helping her church recognize its presence

and participation in the life of the community. “It’s taken a lot of work to change the

122

focus of the church body to the community, to make the new ones comfortable we had to
make the old ones uncomfortable.” Juan felt he didn’t spend enough time nurturing the

life of the church as a community in his first pastorate.

I was sad to leave my first pastorate. Perhaps I could have prepared better. I
spent too much emphasis on grth [in numbers]. I should have spent more time

on the life of the community.

New pastors discovered that their churches were systems that functioned
imperfectly, with peOple who often acted in disappointing ways. Juan found the
“defects” of the people to be jolting. He learned to respond to these problems by loving
the people. “I had a romantic idea of the church; I was shocked... You have to love the
people with their defects. You have to be willing to give your life for them.”

Before he started ministry, Paul expected change to come easy and quickly. In
actuality, he learned that change takes place very slowly, requires a tremendous amount
of effort, and is thwarted time and time again by people who act in challenging or
inappropriate ways.

Before I started ministry, I had a dream that I would go to churches and bring

renewal, not necessarily from a charismatic point of view, but to renew churches

that were complacent and not alive with the Spirit. I thought I would travel, not
stay in one place a great length of time. I wasn’t aware of the amount of

committee work, or some of the petty stuff church members do. I wasn’t aware of

the sheer amount of work. It seemed like it would be easier than it is.

Pastors also are adjusting to a career that has changed in the past generation in
significant ways, and that is continuing to change. The very nature of the church is
changing, creating new challenges for pastors to face. Bill described the church of today

as “in a shambles.” He is dealing with life realities that he never envisioned dealing with

123

in seminary, including young people who are troubled to the point of suicide, and a
church that does not want to welcome the young people because they pose a threat.
I bury a suicide every year, a young person. We don’t know what church or
denomination looks like anymore. The church is going to outlive seminary.
We’re in a shambles—the old is falling apart, and it’s hard to figure out what the
new is going to look like... My training did not prepare me for praying kids into

the church. Not when the kids that are in church are the ones parents are telling

their kids to stay away from in school.

Bill was frustrated with the congregation’s unwillingness to open their hearts to troubled
young people. He perceived the church choosing to isolate itself fiom the problems in
society crying out to be addressed with the love of God.

Related to the changing nature of the church is the presence of increased conflict
with which pastors have to deal. The one area virtually every participant mentioned
struggling with was learning how to deal productively with conflict. Pastors did not like
conflict, they avoided it when possible, and even when they were able to handle it well, it
left them with a bad feeling. Juan wishes that he didn’t need to have “enemies” in his
ministry. While he works collaboratively with his volunteer leadership in decision-
making, he finds that in cases of conflict, he hears the responsibility alone.

I am frustrated by the idea that I could do more. I don’t like to have enemies. I

have to confront and expose their operations. I work with leaders to make joint

decisions, but I end up taking the blame alone. Others don’t accept responsibility.

This is a major preoccupation of mine.

Pastors sometimes dealt with conflict among the pastoral leadership. Kerin had a
serious conflict with her senior pastor, but as an associate pastor, she felt she had no

recourse. “The fact we don’t get along affects everybody. How do you confiont your

124

boss? In dealing with the “good old boys” system there’s nowhere to go. I tried taking
something to the leadership team. It was turned against me.” She persisted in seeking
appropriate means for dealing with the situation, including discussing it with
denominational leadership. Ultimately, a conflict resolution team was consulted, and the
senior pastor resigned.

Living out an ecumenical ideal sometimes created conflict for pastors. For
example, Mary reported struggling with a conflict between her earnest desire to be
inclusive of others whose beliefs differ from hers and her effectiveness as a Christian
minister. She would like help with discovering ways of genuinely sharing her faith
without feeling like she is discounting the perspectives of others. “I struggle with people
with different faith traditions. I don’t want to offend anybody, step on anyone’s toes.
Sometimes, though, in avoiding that, I find that I didn’t minister at all.”

As Peter evaluates his ministry, he finds that he has put up with problems in the
church in order to avoid conflict that he should have addressed. He also finds it difficult
to advocate for himself when it comes to salary and benefit issues.

I do not like to have to manage conflict. I’m rarely confrontational, only when

pushed. Much of what I have tolerated I have done so in order to avoid conflict...

1 do not like being my own advocate in terms of raises—this relates to my

problem with conflict.

Olivia tends to keep her anger inside. She said she is like most Native Americans
and tends to hold her peace and process things internally. Sometimes, however, she
recognizes that it is necessary to express her anger in appropriate ways. She has not yet

learned to do that. She says, “I’m not good at showing anger.”

125

As we have seen, the new pastor must come to terms with the nature of the church
as system. It is a system that is not always firnctional, with individuals who often create
problems. It is a changing system, requiring new strategies and skills of pastors that were
not demanded as recently as a generation ago. It is a system fraught with conflict, with
which pastors are inadequately equipped to cope.

In summary, early career pastors engaged in a number of developmental tasks that
helped them build a framework for engaging in ministry. These included integrating
theoretical knowledge and ministry practice, developing their identity and authority as
pastors, and coming to terms with the nature of the church as system.

Early career literature addresses the transition fi'om training to practice, and
acknowledges the presence of significant adjustments for early career workers. Workers
must adjust to the systemic structure of their place of employment, and learn their place
in the “pecking order.” Workers must also assume the characteristics demanded of the
role they are performing. Every profession, however, does not have the significant role
adjustments evident in clergy in this study. The need to build identity and authority,
particularly spiritual authority, is particular to the lives of pastors. (ABC-USA, 1994;
Allen, McManus, & Russell, 1999; Baldwin, 1979; Baldwin, 1980; Baldwin, 1990a;
Baldwin & Blackburn, 1981; Baldwin & Blackburn, 1983; Baldwin & Chronister, 2001a;
Baldwin & Krotseng, 1985; Cherniss, 1991; Fox, 1995; Fugate & Amey, 2000; Fund for
Theological Education, 1999; Gottfredson, 1981; Hall & Nougiam, 1968; Hamilton,
2001; Hansen, 1996; Hesketh, Elmslie, & Kaldor, 1990; Hunt & Hunt, 1982; Johnsrud &
Wunsch, 1991; Kenney, 1999; Levinson, 1986; Levinson, 1996; Levinson et al., 1978;

Ludeker, 1997; Poole, Langan-Fox, Ciavarella, & Omodei, 1991; Rouch, 1971; Sheehy,

126

1976; Sherwood, 1986; Stewart, 1974; Super, 1957a; Super, 1957b; Super, 1984; Super,
1990; Super & Hall, 1978; Super et al., 1996; Swanson, 1992; Switzer, 1979; Uris &

Tarrant, 1983; Vondracek, 1992; Vondracek et al., 1986; Woods, 2001)

Clergy Learning in the Middle Career

The middle career of clergy did not contain particular landmarks or rites of
passage, such as tenure in the case of faculty. Pastors experienced ongoing ministry over
time in a given context, as well as times of transition, when they were in the process of
moving from one ministry context to another. A number of salient developmental
learning tasks emerged as important to clergy learning after becoming established in
ministry and prior to thinking about retirement. These included learning related to the
process of transition from one ministry context to another, the struggle to maintain a
balanced life, and the need to establish and maintain appropriate boundaries.

Transition Learning Issues for Middle Career Clergy

The most prominent learning issues for middle career clergy occurred during
transition from one ministry context to another. Transition involved the following tasks:
discernment of a call to move both by the pastor and the calling congregation, coming to
an internal sense of closure, completion, and relinquishing one’s call in a given context,
making the transition, and reframing pastoral identity and authority in a new context.

Awareness that it was time to open oneself up to a process of discernment
emerged in a variety of ways. Sometimes a pastor became dissatisfied with aspects of the
current ministry context; a disconnect might become apparent between the gifts the pastor

could bring and the emerging needs of the church or between the visions for ministry of

127

the pastor and congregation. This occurred with Paul, who learned that his
congregation’s theological views were much more conservative than his views. “We had
a moment of discovery, when I brought out my guitar, and they regarded it to be the
devil’s instrument. There was quite a box they had for the pastor.” It occurred more
gradually with Tyler, who has been working with his congregation for a decade to lead
the church into change. His growing sense of frustration at the lack of response to his
efforts is leading him to consider whether to seek a new ministry placement.
1 am pastor of a congregation whose high point in history occurred 40-50 years
ago... a prestigious African American church... standing room only... when
you’re cooking like that the last two things you think you need to do is change or
evangelize. These two things went on the back bumer, and have now emerged as
a long-term problem. I have been working to try and focus on evangelism, but the
congregation is now older, and they resist change. Yet, they say, “Why don’t we
have more people?” And at the same time, “Why do you keep trying to change
us?” My task is to change the course of this ship, to put us back on track. I am so
fi'ustrated. How do I move this congregation to growth and service and to
meaningful ministry? How can I help us attract growing families and children,
and change the liturgical style of worship, in a way that does not alienate the
majority of the congregation? It may be more than I can do. .. When you believe

the Lord brought you here, you have to ask, why? Was my coming simply a

preparation for leaving? I want to see the results of my labor.

Pastors did not find the decision to leave a particular parish easy. They struggled
both with personal and family issues related to relocating, and with a reticence to
disappoint or abandon their current congregation. Learning how to make a good
transition was a challenge for pastors, and related at least in part to their ability to
maintain a strong sense of personal direction despite other competing demands. Some

pastors described a spiritual discernment process they underwent in order to make the

128

decision to move. This involved praying, consulting with trusted colleagues, evaluating
their current ministry context, and assessing their abilities to exercise their creativity as
well as be effective in the current setting.

Peter went through a particularly difficult transition. He had not anticipated ever
moving from his church, then out of the blue received a call from another church. Before
he made any decision related to the possible change, some of his current church members
learned that he was being considered—despite the fact that the process is supposed to be
confidential. He was faced with the challenge of dealing with his own decision-making
process at the same time he was dealing with a congregation that was suddenly feeling

the possibility of abandonment.

The hardest thing to endure was transition. I had expected to stay at this church
and die... then I received another call... The members found out on the street. I
was ambivalent. I was happy in my pastorate; the decision was challenging.
“Pray for me,” I told the congregation, “I haven’t decided.” The air was so thick I
could cut it with a knife.

During the next three months, Peter continued to preach some of his best sermons,
while he struggled to make his decision. He looked to the current congregation for
affrrmation of his work there. Not finding it was a deciding factor in his acceptance of
the new call. “It was a crisis because the human part surfaced. I had been too self-
giving. I needed a stroke. The current church was unable to give me a stroke. It gave
me a chance to reevaluate, but they were still bitter at the end...”

The decision to move was just the beginning for Peter. During the long transition,
he was deeply troubled that his personal crisis might interfere with his effectiveness as a

pastor.

129

It took me four years to complete the transition. My wife was [wheelchair
bound]. .. in the new city there were steps everywhere, a severer winter, more
crime, hostility, our house was not selling... I prayed to God that my personal
crisis would not interfere with the quality of my ministry... My wife cried for four

years when we moved, until our financial situation improved.

Pastors found the landscape of a new ministry context to be unfamiliar. Even
with careful and prayerfirl investigation before making a transition, pastors often learned
that they had moved into situations with significant hidden issues to be dealt with. These
new situations became areas for growth and learning, as well as areas where pastors
sought continuing education and professional development. Pastors who appeared to
have the easiest transitions in the study were those pastors with mentors that had
continual contact.

Juan moved to a church that was divided and had significant money problems.
During the transition, he thought of leaving. It took him a solid two years of work to
change the dynamics of the system and dismantle the conflicts. He often looked to his
mentor for advice and counsel in this process.

Then I came to my current church... It was divided, I didn’t want to go. I see

pastors suffering so much. But I haven’t suffered so much. So I accepted the call

to this church. I put them under solid preaching, and began to address many
roadblocks. There was so much to do. There was a great budget deficit. The first
two years there were lots of bad things, two groups of leaders who were carnal

[worldly; in the sense of being a negative influence]. I decided to pray. I decided

to continue.
Paul encountered a new church situation where leaders were reluctant to
relinquish power. He understood that for the church to grow, leadership had to be shared

with new members, and moved the church in that direction. However, the “old guard”

130

objected and tried to oust him. They were unsuccessful, and Paul forged ahead, building
a new vision. Finally the shift of power occurred, and the church began to grow. They
lost some members along the way. Paul learned that he must not try to please everyone,
but that he needed to own his responsibility for building the vision of the church. He
learned that dealing with conflict was part and parcel of the process. He learned that
despite the discontent of some leaders, that there were others he could trust to prayerfirlly
stand beside him through the church’s process of transition. He learned that change takes
time, and that he must be both persistent and patient.
My third placement had its challenges. My vision was different than some of the
leadership. It was a trying time. After a time, some of the leaders tried to oust
me. My first Sunday there they had 50 in attendance, it grew to 100, then the
problems exploded. New leadership had developed and the old leadership was
threatened. I learned about loyalty. Some people are very loyal to the pastor and
the church. I began to think about a vision of what the church was about, how to

go about helping the congregation discover it together. The key people lost

power, and actually that was a positive turning point for the church.

Issues of how to handle existing leadership also occurred when a previous pastor
remained in the community after retirement. Peter encountered this situation in one of
his churches. He faced the problem head-on, enlisting the cooperation of the pastor
emeritus in affirming his leadership, and finding ways to honor him for his long-term
service in the church.

In my new pastorate, the pastor emeritus was on hand after 40 years. Following a

pastor who was there 40 years, and loved, and still on the scene, was not easy. I

decided to take a positive approach. I preached about it. He was willing to do

what I asked. He kept a safe distance. He affirmed me; I affirmed him. The

“book” [convention concerning ministerial ethics] says separation is normal, that

131

you have to move. In my opinion, if you could not worship in the congregation

that had been your home for 40 years, it would be an abomination against God.
At times, pastors accepted a call to a church whose very viability may be in
question. Hezekiah accepted a call to such a church, agreeing to serve as the pastor for
one year, at which time they would do a self-assessment to see if they could stay “in
business.” They were more stable after a year under his leadership, at which time they
called him as their “permanent” pastor. Rita also took a position in such a church. Right
at the beginning, she negotiated levels of authority and decision-making that were greater
than in most ministry contexts. She had done a great deal of research on “tum-around”
churches, and felt that such provisions were absolutely essential for success. Beyond
that, she didn’t know where to go for what she needed. She relied on her previous
administrative experience, her skills in counseling, a friend who was trained in conflict
resolution, and much prayer in making the transition as pastor of this church at risk of
dying.
I needed a place to serve... this was the only opportunity available, I was the only
pastor available. I came with the understanding that we would give it another
look after 2 years. We needed to see if we had the financial base to continue. I
told them, if I come we will do x and so and don’t call me if that’s not OK. We
lost some people. The pulpit committee fought over offering me the job. They
were very dysfunctional. When I got home from the interview I started to cry. I
called my friend who knows about conflict resolution; it was the only night in my
whole life when I didn’t sleep. I went to the two people who fought. I told them,
if I ever saw that behavior again, I could come to their homes and chastise them.
I told them what I expected them to do. I claimed my authority. It was the

church’s only chance to survive. One member no longer comes here. The other

one comes, disagrees from time to time, but is active and supportive.

132

Rita experiences her gender and marital status as a divorced woman to be barriers
in relocating. They are part of the reason she was willing to take on such a difficult
parish assignment. Sandi, copastor of a country church, also faces similar struggles. Her
motto is, “What can’t be cured must be endured. Waiting is part of life.” Despite, and in
some cases, because of significant challenges clergy faced with each new parish setting,
pastors reported that they continued to learn and grow with each new ministry placement.
As Paul said, “In each stage, in each ministry context, God taught me something.”

In summary, transitions from one ministry context to another provided particular
learning challenges for clergy. They struggled with discerning the timing for making a
move, personal hardships for themselves and their families as a result of relocating, and
facing significant leadership needs and problems in their new contexts, many of which
were hidden to them prior to the move. They relied on books, consulting with colleagues
and mentors, prayer, and their own abilities and persistence to help them learn how to
successfully navigate their transitions. In particular, a number of pastors identified a
process of discernment that aided them in their decision making about when, where, and
how to make a move. This process of discernment involved carefirl and deep internal
work and listening to God. The absence of reference to denominational programs is
noteworthy.

The need for learning balance and boundaries for middle career clergy

Pastors discussed at length the need for balance in their lives, and for setting
appropriate limits or boundaries on their work. These issues seemed to be so intertwined
as to be impossible to discuss independently. Pastors found that the nature of the work of

ministry mitigated against closure, and thus encouraged workaholism. “A pastor’s work

133

is never done.” Further, pastors described themselves as the kind of people who tended
to take on too much responsibility and overwork themselves. Congregations were
perceived as demanding more work from clergy than in the past. At the same time, they
provided rrrixed messages, so that clergy felt it was impossible ever to please their
congregations as a whole. While clergy were overworked, they expressed awareness of
the need for time with their families, away from work, engaging in recreation. Clergy
also found themselves frequently in a counseling or caregiving role. This role involved a
kind of trust or intimacy that required carefirlly guarding sexual boundaries. A number of
clergy alluded to temptations and the need for vigilance in this area. Thus,
developmental tasks for middle career pastors involved setting boundaries and
maintaining balance in the midst of competing demands and relentless needs. Clergy
placed partial responsibility for a lack of balance on the congregation; they looked to the
congregation for permission or affirmation of their need for time away.

Virtually all pastors expressed the need to manage their time. Some of them
identified time management as a skill in which they would like to have further training.
Many pastors felt that if they could organize their work better, they could accomplish
most of what they need to do and still have time for a personal life. Time for sermon
preparation was named as a particularly problematic issue in terms of accomplishing all
their work priorities. Many pastors talked about being exhausted or overworked. Peter
recognized time management as an issue for which he needs to take greater
responsibility:

There are issues I should have dealt with earlier—such as, time management. It’s

not good. I’m absorbing too much responsibility, working 7 days and 7 nights, no

weekend, no days off, it’s wearing me out. ..

134

Another boundary issue for pastors was their need for affirmation and ongoing
lack of confidence. Many pastors evidenced a need for affirmation in their work, and a
lack of confidence, despite significant accomplishments in their work. For example, Bill,
senior pastor of a multi-staff rural congregation, spoke of his need for affirmation. He
talked about needing “more strokes” as a person with a “type A” personality, and
mentioned his concern that he might get the “axe,” despite a more than 20 year tenure at a
church where he perceives that he is deeply loved.

Tyler also expressed a need for affirmation, and a lack of confidence about
himself as a pastor. Tyler pastors a prestigious urban African American congregation,
and recently was recognized by his ministerial colleagues for outstanding church
leadership. Nevertheless, Tyler expressed a tension between being overconfident on the
one hand, and insecure on the other, a plight shared by many pastors in the study.

My ego is a barrier; I have to be carefiil not to be drawn into a sense of “having

arrived.” Fear and hesitancy; lack of assurance or certainty. It’s hard to move

forward if you’re not confident. “Paralysis through analysis.”

Juan, like the others, expressed a lack of confidence as a pastor, despite the fact
that he has successfully led his church in growing, resolving conflict, establishing a
vision, and moving through change.

I never feel capable. I am sensitive. I can confront people and still treat them

well. I struggle with the “cabros” [goats, stubborn ones] in the church. But

sometimes helping the goats open doors... I struggle when I don’t make

decisions, struggle to be visionary, to make changes, they don’t happen quickly, I

analyze, consult, the congregation knows. The idea comes through brainstorming

all of a sudden, but then it has to go out into the congregation. I tell them

135

indirectly, then I know they’re ready when the idea comes back from the people,

and then I implement their idea, the idea they have owned as theirs.

Mary identified her lack of confidence as a barrier to being effective in her
ministry. The tireless repetition dealing with the same problems continually wore her
down. She found church members continued to need training, instruction, and guidance
over and over again concerning the same issues; it was hard to notice long-term growth.

I find it hard to believe that God would choose me for things... I could do so

much more if I had confidence. I get tired fighting the same battles over and over

again.

Pastors also stnrggled with finding adequate and appropriate time off, and how to
deal with church expectations of pastors always being available. A number of pastors
particularly expressed their desire for a sabbatical leave as an opportunity to both get
distance from and reflect on the practice of ministry. They struggled with how to educate
the congregation concerning how such a leave could be structured to benefit both the
pastor and the congregation.

Bill expressed a desire for their church to affirm his need for time away from the
ministry. He found the demands on his time to be both internal and external. Internally,
he is always envisioning new programs and new ways to meet the needs of his
community, and externally, the congregation demands his time in many ways, and does
not perceive his need for time off.

Communicate to the church to send the pastor away for renewal... the pastor

needs a weekend off... Maybe after I retire I can work 40 hours a week instead of

the 70 I do now. And take breaks. I work so hard, both because it’s internally

created and externally demanded.

136

Mary also struggled with dealing with a congregation that expresses no awareness

of her need for boundaries to her work as a pastor:

I don’t have the traditional congregation, it’s very much a family model. A lot of
people want the church to be the center of our lives. After worship, they say,
“Can’t we stay and eat together? Let spend the afternoon and enjoy each other’s
company. Then have the evening meal and service.” This makes a real demand
on your time. My children are grown... the youngest is in business and lives

upstairs. She tells people to “Stop calling my mother on her day off.”

Rita found that, before her divorce, she used work to run away from home. She
poured herself into her work in an effort to avoid the mounting dissatisfaction she was
feeling about her ending marriage. Now, she works hard at striving for balance,
recognizing that avoiding behaviors are not healthy. Walter at one point in his career
found himself working two full-time ministry jobs. He described himself as a high-
energy person, but gradually with no time out, he “slowly wore out. My life energy was
not being replenished.”

While pastors recognized a need for some time away from ministry, they
struggled with how much of themselves to “give” to the pastorate, and how to create
space for maintaining an identity “outside” of ministry. It was hard to let go in part
because the work was never done, and in part because they were always seeking that
elusive affirmation, that sense of recognition for a job well done. The pastor quoted
below recognized that he has not set adequate boundaries, and that his health is at risk.
Yet, balancing his need to take care of himself and his perception of what it means to be
faithful to the ministry has not been easy for him to accomplish.

I want to survive ministry without blowing up. I am physically and emotionally

self-destructing. I want to be faithful to the Lord to the end and not quit. I don’t

137

want to embarrass the Lord or my family or myself... I need to take better care of
my body and my marriage, or I am sure to experience a major loss down the pike.
I’m not sure if I can physically survive ministry... I have a pattern of being sleep-
deprived... Some of it is personality. Mine lends itself to emotional, physical,

spiritual overexertion. . .

Another boundary issue had to do with relationships. Most clergy found it was a
struggle to find the time to adequately nurture their personal relationships, particularly
with their spouses. A number of clergy found themselves at times vulnerable to sexual
misconduct. A lack of balance in one’s life was cited as a warning sign that may lead to
the blurring of sexual boundaries. Warning signs included being drawn to someone over
the desire to be needed. Accountability procedures were very difficult for pastors to put
into place. There is such a stigma attached to sexual misconduct, clergy worried that
regional ministers with whom they otherwise might seek counsel would hold their breach
of conduct or even their imaginary breach of conduct against them when seeking a firture
ministry placement. One pastor became involved with someone in his church, but was

able to curtail that relationship. He became frightened of his vulnerability.

There was one incident where I got involved with someone in the church. It
didn’t go too far before we put a stop to it, but it scared the hell out of me. My
wife doesn’t know about it. That made me realize how vulnerable I am, and

that’s part of the reason I keep praying I’ll make it without blowing it all apart.

Another pastor perceived that her husband was jealous of her work as a minister,
feeling that it took her away from him. She expressed her desire to be responsive to his
needs, yet at the same time her belief that ministry must take top priority. Because of its

“all consuming” nature, she struggled with how to “place limits” on her call.

138

I believe the call to ministry is a call for life. There’s lots of conflict between my
responsibilities to family and to my work. I feel like I have two marriages, one to
ministry, and one to my partner. My husband was threatened by my call to
ministry, and felt like he lost a soul commitment to him. I feel like I’m split, torn
between trying to meet his expectations and sometimes my own for what our
relationship should be, and still be faithfirl to this call, which takes precedence
over everything.

Another pastor left the ministry for a time because of his divorce, which
devastated him and made him feel unworthy to continue to serve. He struggled to work
through his feelings of inadequacy, and a sense of call that would not let him go.
Ultimately, he developed a “broader” view of the forgiveness of God, and allowed

himself to go back into the pastorate.

I was called to ministry, but after my divorce I struggled with the call to go
back into the preaching ministry. God is not always pleased with the things that
happen in our lives. But, God transforms that. My theology is different than it
used to be. I believe in a broader concept of God. God loves people. My divorce
was devastating, because I thought it could never happen. I kept asking myself
what had I done wrong, and I thought it was my fault. I had to grow and learn to

feel good about myself; you have to take yourself where you are.

One pastor is a widow who expressed her desire for companionship. She found
the nature of her career to be a barrier against even beginning a relationship with
someone; they became too intimidated to relax with her once they knew she was a pastor.

It just can be a real lonely place. I watched “An American President.” I can

relate to this movie. He’s a widower and he wants to date. “But they were

married before he became president.” [line from the movie, spoken between the

president and his girlfriend, when wondering why president’s wives feel

139

comfortable having a relationship with the president] To date and be a minister,
they look at you like you have three heads or something.

We have seen that pastors stnrggle with a number of relationship issues as they
learn to set boundaries on their work. Finding time to nurture relationships with their
mates, protecting themselves from situations of vulnerability that might lead to sexual
misconduct, forgiving themselves when past relationships have failed, or being able to
begin relationships as a single pastor, were among the struggles pastors faced in learning
about how to maintain appropriate boundaries in relationships.

Pastors described their struggle to come to terms with the fact that they do not
need to fix it all. They are not indispensable. Guillermo shared a story that helped him to
change his concept of the pastoral role, and to let go of having to “do it all.”

There’s a story about a guy I met who was a janitor. .. He was an atheist and had a

headache. He prayed, “God, I don’t know if you are there, and if you are, I don’t

know if you would take my headache away, but if you would, I would be happy
and gratefirl.” Just like that the headache was gone. Then he had some financial
problems, and he prayed, “God, I don’t know if you’re there, or if you care, but if
you would help me with these problems, I would be a gratefirl man.” How can it
be, the problems are gone! It made me wonder how to respond to him. So, Itold
him he was blessed, because I knew God, and I could introduce him to God. And
his response caught me up short. He said, “I thought I was doing pretty good

without you.” It relieved me. I always want to convert everyone. I realized, God

doesn’t actually need me. God is doing just fine without me. I just have to obey.
Pastors recognized that they needed to come to terms with the fact that they are

not indispensable; they need to keep a certain emotional distance from their work.

The pastor must know they are not indispensable. We must not be so emotionally

involved in an issue that we become dysfunctional. We must not become

140

paralyzed, we must keep a much broader perspective. I need to create more

boundaries.

Some pastors found helpfirl ways to deal with the issues of balance and
boundaries. They laughed, intentionally built a social life, and pursued hobbies. They
took their vacation time away from the community in which they served. They educated
their congregations about boundaries. Pastors used humor as a way to maintain balance
in their lives. They particularly felt free to joke with colleagues in the ministry. They
learned not to take themselves too seriously. They sought options for their firture, so they
didn’t have to feel trapped in their current ministry context. “I always created options for
myself. This helped me not to feel trapped. I believe you should always leave a place so
you could return. When you don’t HAVE to be there, you CAN be there.”

As we have seen, boundary and balance issues were key issues for clergy learning
in their middle careers. The nature of the career required that clergy be quite intentional
about carving out limits for themselves and educating members of their congregations
concerning the same. Pastors who were unable to accomplish this found themselves
burning out, and in danger of harming their personal relationships or even of engaging in
sexual misconduct. Clergy identified a need for a safe avenue for creating systems of
accountability in these areas.

In summary, the middle career of clergy included experiences of ongoing ministry
in a given context, and of transitioning from one ministry context to another.
Developmental learning tasks during this period include discerning when it is time to
move from one church setting to another, facing new leadership needs and problems, and

maintaining balance in one’s life and appropriate boundaries.

141

Literature on middle careers addresses issues of career satisfaction, cyclical
adjustments in the middle career, balance and boundaries, and life transition issues,
including career shifts in midlife. While dissatisfaction and an emerging awareness of a
mismatch between job responsibilities and abilities are common factors in career
transitions in midlife, the identification of discernment related to career shifts was unique
to the ministry. In no other vocational context was there identified a process of prayerfirl
reflection related to change, particularly one that superceded other considerations.
(ABC-USA, 1999; Ackerman, 1990; Amatea, 199; Anderson, 1991; Aryee, 1999;
Baldwin, 1979, 1980, 1981, Baldwin, 2001a, Baldwin, 2001b; Bhaghat, 1991; Bolger,
1989; Borland, 1999; Bridges, 1980; Caplan, 1975; Cooney, 1989; Coverman, 1989;
Covin, 1991; Crohan, 1989; Dippo, 1998; Edelwich, 1980; Eden, 1990; Friedman, 1985;
Fugate, 2000; Haines, 1991; Hill, 1990; Jones, 2001; Jud, 1970; Kennedy, 1972; Kenney,
1999; Kuhnert, 1989, 1991; Levinson, 1978, 1986, 1996; Lovitts, 1996; Ludeker, 1997;
Markham, 1999; Matsuo, 1992; McEnrue, 1989; McKenna, 1986; Mills, 1965, 1973;
Narramore, 1988; Pazy, 1990; Poole, 1991; Reilly, 1991; Seymour, 1995; Sheehy, 1976;
Smart, 1997; Stewart, 1974; Stickel, 1991; Super, 1957a, 1957b, 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996;
Switzer, 1979; Vasil, 1992; White, 1999; Wicks, 2000; Winebrenner, 1993; Woods,

2001)

Late Career Learning for Clergy
In the late career, clergy raised issues related to preparation for retirement,

including preparing the church for new leadership. Developmental tasks of the late

142

career included letting go of one’s ministry context, refiaming or relinquishing pastoral
identity, and building an identity outside of ministry.

Letting go of one’s last ministry context proved to be a daunting task for clergy.
Two pastors in this study returned to ministry after retiring. A number of other clergy
expressed the intention to continue in ministry after retirement. They expressed a strong
sense of connection between their work and their life meaning, and found it impossible to
imagine life without their work. Questions of how to adequately support themselves in
retirement, whether to remain in the community of their final parish after retirement, and
how to find meaning beyond their formal role in ministry emerged in the late career.

Hezekiah retired from his job, and moved to a new city to be with his bride,
having just married late in life. But, he found himself at loose ends. He learned to
meditate and relax in his new environment, and quickly found himself accepting a call to
pastor a small congregation in his new city.

I walk five miles before work every day. It became my prayer time. It

incorporates the two most primary components of meditation, rhythm and focus.

I found myself opening my mind to the message of God. On a silent retreat, the

Lord said, “Leave your job.”. .. I left my home to live in the city where [my new

wife] worked. It was a new experience for me. I didn’t know anybody. The Lord

said, “Be retired.” I walked around, relaxed. Let me heal and see the layout of

the place. I asked God, “Why would you bring me here?” “Is it dark in this

city, Lord?” I got a call. . ., come to this church... that was God’s signal. I

knew I was supposed to be here... The church voted, now I am their new pastor.

A number of pastors mentioned the desire to mentor other pastors, to share their

experience, knowledge and expertise with the next generation of clergy. Juan plans to

143

focus on stewardship and church grth in his work with other pastors after retiring,
areas of particular passion for him.
When I retire, I will continue to be active in working with pastors on church

growth. I read a lot in this area. Also stewardship; very few people have

expertise in this area... I am enchanted with the concept of stewardship.

A couple of pastors referred to this process of sharing their knowledge with other
clergy as “passing on the mantle,” referencing a Bible story in which the prophet Elijah
passed on his mantle to the prophet Elisha. The mantle in the story symbolized the
authority, call, and power of God.

Peter plans to take a long break before going back into ministry in his retirement.
He expressed a number of concerns related to preparing the church for his retirement. He
wants to bring on an associate pastor, and he wants to help prepare the church to accept

new leadership.

I have two goals: to help the congregation become multiply staffed, and build a
team relationship. This will be new for me and the congregation; I hope we can
find someone who will complement each other, with different skills from mine.
Second, I’m at the end of my career—I want to leave the church in a better
position than when I found it. I want to put the church into a position to accept
new leadership without holding on to the past, and live a fulfilled retirement, and

take at least 5-7 years off.

Samson is only a few years from retirement age, and is about to complete a
Doctor of Ministry degree. He sees life as a learning process, and expects to have at least
two more careers after he “retires” from his current ministry.

Life is always a learning process. There’s no such thing as being competent. I’m

always becoming, I never get there.

144

Walter started to think about retirement in his early 50’s after going through
cancer surgery. He can’t stop thinking about ministry, and expects to keep on as long as

he has passion for ministry.

My journey is unfolding... when I had cancer surgery, it made us ask the
question, what do we want when we retire? I don’t know... I resonate with what
Dean Smith, basketball coach at Chapel Hill said, “I will stop coaching when I

don’t have any fire in the belly.”

In listening to pastors talk about their late careers and the anticipation of life after
retirement, their struggle to imagine a life outside of ministry became apparent. On the
one hand, pastors desired the freedom they envisioned in retirement, fieedom to choose
their own priorities and have more control over their schedules. On the other hand,
pastors struggled with an identity outside of ministry. They wanted to be able to continue
to be energized by the creativity that is imbedded and expressed in the call to be a pastor.
They described their developmental task as setting new limits around their ministry, so
they worked fewer hours and focused on areas of interest and creativity, and enjoyed
more leisure time. They looked for opportunities to extend their ministry by mentoring
younger pastors and passing on their expertise. They continued to want to make a
difference in the lives of others. For some clergy, the expectation that they will have to
leave their community in retirement is painfirl, as they would rather stay in familiar
territory.

In summary, pastors typically looked forward to retirement only inasmuch as they
expected to have more discretion about the types of ministry in which they engaged, and
inasmuch as they expected to have less hectic schedules. Fundamentally, they loved the

ministry, their identities were very much wrapped up in their work, and it gave them life

145

energy. They by and large hope to always do ministry. Late career learning issues, then,
focused on how to prepare their church for new leadership, let go of their current ministry
context, refi'ame their pastoral identity outside of that formal ministry context, and build a
“retirement” identity that included a life outside of ministry. Most pastors did not
express the intention to stop being a pastor in retirement, they appeared to expect this
identity to continue throughout their lifespan. Rather, they anticipated having a greater
degree of freedom to pursue their creative interests related to their careers, and to have
more time to share their expertise with younger pastors.

Literature on late career and retirement learning and development identified the
transition into retirement as a significant stressor. Salient to the transition is the extent to
which one’s identity is rooted in one’s vocation. Also present in a variety of vocations is
the desire to pass knowledge on, or to leave a legacy. Pastoral identity in this study and
others was found to be strongly rooted in vocation. The desire to leave a legacy behind
also emerged as a significant issue for pastors. Yet, for pastors, there was also a sense of
fundamentally loving and being engaged in the work of the ministry, and to lose that
engagement was considered to be too great a loss. Motivation for ministry continued
well beyond the need for income or age-related work needs. (Anson, Antonovsky, Sagy,
& Adler, 1989; Baldwin, 1980; Baldwin, 1990a; Baldwin & Blackburn, 1981; Blackburn
& Lawrence, 1996; Bloom, 1998; Bosse, Levinson, Workman-Daniels, & Ekerdt, 1990;
Bridges, 1980; Diener et al., 1985; Erdner & Guy, 1990; Fletcher & Hansson, 1991;
Fretz, Kluge, Ossanna, Jones, & Merikangas, 1989; Hall & Mirvis, 1995; Hanisch &
Hulin, 1990; Herzog et al., 1991; Jones, 1998; Kenney, 1999; Lawrence & Blackburn,

1988; Levinson, 1986; Levinson, 1996; Levinson et al., 1978; Ludeker, 1997; Omstein et

146

al., 1989; Osipow, 1983; Osipow, 1990; Sheehy, 1976; Stein, 2000; Stewart, 1974;
Sullivan, 1992; Super, 1957a; Super, 1957b; Super, 1984; Super, 1990; Super& Hall,
1978; Super et al., 1996; Uris & Tarrant, 1983; Vondracek, 1992; Vondracek et al., 1986;

Wasserman, 1999)

Discussion of Developmental Periods

It is important to note that while it was possible to identify developmental
learning tasks that appeared to be particularly salient during the early, middle, and late
career for clergy, it was not possible to define any clear boundaries between one career
stage and another. This is, at least in part, because the entry into a career in ministry
occurred in widely divergent ways, and in the majority of cases occurred after a career in
another field. The same early career concerns emerged whether the first ministry
placement occurred when pastors were in their 205 or in their 503. The most significant
event occurring during the middle career was the transition from one ministry context to
another—from the period of dissatisfaction with one’s current context, being presented
with the new opportunity, accepting the new call and resigning the current position, to
moving and getting oriented to and settled in the new ministry context. Late career
concerns emerged as early as the mid-505, and as late as the early 705. Pastors expressed
both a yearning for a more relaxed pace, and ambivalence about being without a venue
for ministry after retirement. A number of clergy described specific plans to focus on

areas of special interest and creativity in ministry in their retirement years.

147

Learning Needs Not Connected with Developmental Periods

In addition to developmental learning tasks, a number of learning needs emerged
that did not appear to be connected with a particular period of ministry.
Training and working with volunteer leaders

Many pastors mentioned a variety of struggles working with volunteer leaders. In
some cases, they were unable to recruit, adequately train, or supervise leaders. In other
cases, the turnaround of leaders was so fast as to make the investment in training seem
too costly. Further, some pastors struggled with control. They felt they could do a better
job on their own than the volunteer leader could, and the pastors had trouble letting go of
their high standard of quality. Finally, a number of pastors struggled with accountability
or follow-through. Ifthe volunteers failed to do their part, pastors debated about whether
to allow a project to fail or to attempt to fill in the gap themselves. Bill, for example,
acknowledged that the leaders needed time and opportunity to develop their skills. But
he had difficulty letting them make mistakes; he said that others couldn’t begin to do the
work as well as he ended up doing it after many years of experience. Paul struggled with
seeing programs falter when volunteer leadership weren’t able to engage the young
people.

I have trouble getting Bible study leaders who can work with the youth. Every

time I’ve tried to recruit and train another leader, it ends up dying.
Learning new technology

A number of pastors acknowledged a need to become familiar with advancing
technology, including e-mail, cell phones, computer graphics, web-based activities, and
technology-enhanced worship. The learning curve for some pastors was very steep, and

for other pastors just getting over the hurdle of being willing to face acquaintance with

148

new technology was a struggle. For example, Peter admitted, “I’m not technologically
advanced. I only do my e-mail about every ten days. No cell phone.” He recognized
the need to move into the “21”t century.” At the same time, he resisted the implications
that having a beeper or cell phone would have on his life. He just didn’t want to be that
available.
Implementing change

The work of a church pastor involves leading the congregation in envisioning the
mission of the church, and implementing changes as needed to help the church firlfill its
mission. But, pastors routinely struggled with how to effectively implement change, a
lack of resources for accomplishing the change, and the timetable, which was often a

much slower process than they would like.

I get frustrated when people don’t see the vision immediately, but that’s where
ministry begins. It requires teaching, preaching, prodding. There’s a generation
gap in our church. The mean age of our trustee board is 75. Old lay officers are
not in tune with the needs and concerns of young people. I’m fi'ustrated as a

pastor, when I try to implement change.

Gaining skills in learning how to be an effective change agent was considered to
be very valuable to pastors, as well as gaining more familiarity with the change process,
so that they could adjust their expectations to seek appropriate outcomes.

Dealing with stress

Among the participants, more than half reported significant levels of stress. A
number of clergy reported stress-related behaviors and illness, such as insomnia,
hypertension, workaholism, eating disorders, and lack of exercise. The pastors reported

stress emerging from a number of sources, including: their self-imposed standards of

149

professional excellence; professional responsibilities with which they had little
experience or with which they felt discomfort or disquiet; competing demands of various
church groups; personal health issues; and family responsibilities and demands. Paul

analyzed the stress in his life in this way—

I am dealing with three types of stress:

1. I like to do things well; much of my work is self-generated. I’m always
thinking about where to go, what to do, how to get there, and how to accomplish
that.

2. I have stress when I do things I’m not familiar with. For example, at
denominational firnctions, seeing people I’m not familiar with, makes me uneasy.
When I was a chaplain, I would ride along with the police. When I was with
someone who overdosed and died, I wasn’t familiar with that type of situation,

and I felt awkward. Especially the first time.

3. I have family stress. We are very busy. My wife is working and our kids are
in school. I have the role in our house of being the organizer. Dealing with

homework, activities, rides, and so on.

The identified presence of stress among over half of the respondents suggests that stress
management and stress relief strategies and techniques are important skills for pastors to
learn.

Kerin went to her region leadership for help with problems she was encountering
with conflict with her supervisory pastor. She not only didn’t feel supported, she felt
chastised for complaining. She expressed a desire for her region leadership to attend to
the spiritual development and nurture of pastors. “There is NOT regional support
available. When I tried, the region exec put me off and almost reprimanded me for

complaining.”

150

At the same time that pastors felt unsupported by their denomination, they found
roadblocks in the way of their professional development. For example, Kerin was
dissatisfied with the requirement that she engage in a laborious update of her pastor
profile every three years in order remain in the placement system for new positions. “I
don’t even think of the denomination as existing. 1 wish they’d get a better profile
system, help me get through it. Every three years is a bit much.”

This is not to say that pastors found the denomination’s role to be without value.
Yet, among seventeen participants, only Walter had a specific comment to make about
how a denominational leader was helpfirl to him personally. “My area minister helped
me make peace with my Southern Baptist heritage, and to name what are some of the
good things that came out of that.”

Interestingly, Walter said elsewhere that he didn’t have much use for
denominations, though where they have good programs, such as the Youth Leader Corps,
he is supportive. He believes that their very existence is in jeopardy.

Pastors were by and large disappointed in the level of denominational support
they received, and in the low quality and superficiality of clergy continuing education
events that were denominationally-sponsored. They would like to see the denomination
pay more attention to their needs as pastors, particularly for spiritual counsel as well as
professional support. They believed that increased denominational support could help
relieve stress in their careers.

The need to feel supported by their congregations
Clergy expressed a number of ways in which they sought increased support from

their congregations. They sought feedback on their work. This included reasonable

151

expectations, mechanisms for accountability, and compliments from time to time. They
sought respect for and affirmation of clergy time off, including adequate provision for
church needs for their days off, for vacation time, and periodic sabbatical leave to reflect
on their ministry. Finally, they sought emotional support—the ability to reflect on their
ministry, and assurances of job security.

Clergy sought feedback on their work. Pastors reported that expectations for
clergy work have risen in the last decade, to the point where it is impossible to feel
successful in one’s work. For example, Bill reflected:

In the old days there were clearer expectations for a pastor. It was easier to

exceed them. These days, expectations are so varied, it would be impossible to

meet them all. It’s hard to ever feel you are doing a good job. No individual job

is too hard, but the combination is a killer. It’s hard to please people. I drive 100

miles a day, 7 days a week... People outside the church are more complimentary

about my ministry than people in the church.

Both Tyrone and Sandi talked about the desire for better systems of
accountability. Sandi expressed her desire for feedback and evaluation from the church
on her work as a pastor. Tyrone took it a step firrther, wanting both to be held to high
standards in his own work and to hold his leadership accountable too. At the same time,
Tyrone recognized that he doesn’t do a good job of holding his associate ministers
accountable. “I am a poor supervisor of other ministers. I don’t give a lot of feedback,
unless I’m unhappy. No week-to-week session. I treat them the way I want to be treated.
I don’t like having to depend on others in order to achieve success. Others disappoint
me.”

Pastors sought respect for and affirmation of their time off, including adequate

provision for church needs during their days off, for vacation time, and periodic

152

sabbatical leave to reflect on their ministry. Mary expressed her reticence to take
vacation time, because there was no one else available to take her responsibilities when
she is away.
With my congregation, I need to be able to take vacations without worrying if
they’re going to survive. I have ten weeks of back vacation that I still need to

take. Ifthe congregation were larger, there might be other people to fill in, other

resources available.

Peter expressed his belief that it is the congregation’s responsibility to see to the
nurture and well-being of it’s pastors, including provision for adequate time off.

Kirk Jones’ book, Rest in the Storm, should be read by pastors and congregations.

The congregation needs to ensure that their pastor does not get burnt out, to insist

he or she has their day off, and not make demands on that day except in an

emergency. The congregation needs to supply vacation PLUS two weeks of

continuing education.

Finally, pastors sought emotional support. While Bill has never lost a ministry
position, he has observed that ministry colleagues whom he respects highly were asked to
leave, or forced out of their ministry positions. This makes him feel insecure about his
own standing with his church.

I’ve seen a number of pastor friends blown out of churches. .. I have tremendous

respect for colleagues who were treated horribly but never lost their grace, never

allowed themselves to get bitter. .. Of all of my close associates only one has not
been shot out of the church... I need more emotional support from my

congregation. It would be such a gift if they could speak to me with one voice,

but it’s impossible. Also, I have trouble accepting emotional support.
Guillermo expressed a need for reflection on his work. He would like to find

someone who could listen to him and reflect on ministry with him. But, he believes it’s

153

not possible to trust anyone that much. He does get some support from people in his
church who pray for him and rrrinister to him, but it’s just not enough.
You can never never have someone to confide in here on earth. You can’t rely
too much on people [in church]. I need someone to go to, a listening post, an
older, confidential, spiritual person. Two ladies in the church pray for me as I

prepare my sermon. An anglo lady gives me a tea, when I visit her, she senses my

anxieties and impatience.

Guillermo wishes he had someone he could confide in about his ministry. He
looks to Scripture for guidance, and finds support from his wife. Yet, within the church
he finds no venue for reflecting deeply on his ministry.

In summary, pastors sought support from their congregations in terms of feedback
on their work, respect for their time off, and emotional support.

The need for increased resources

American Baptist pastors rank lowest in annual income among mainline
denominations. Participants indicated that a lack of resources was a significant factor in
limiting their opportunities to pursue continuing education and professional development.
Further, low salaries gave the message to pastors that their work was not valued.
Guillermo observed his home church pastor lose income at the hands of his church

deacon board. That act alone almost prevented him from entering the ministry.

The pastor suffered when the deacons cut off his pay. He had started the ministry.
If the Lord wants me, it has to be another field, I said. I couldn’t stand how the

pastor suffered.
Samson expressed his concern for the firture of pastoral ministry among American
Baptists. He believed the lack of adequate compensation and benefits was adversely

affecting the quality of candidates entering the ministry.

154

I worry for the firture. We’re not getting the quality of persons considering the
lack of benefits and salaries, compared with the required education. The auto
industry managers receive better income and benefits. The professional

requirements are there, but the income is not; there’s a real imbalance.

A number of pastors indicated that the allowances they received from their local
church, region, and national body were inadequate to provide for the kind of professional
education they valued or needed. The most frequently mentioned program of
professional education was the Doctor of Ministry. Two pastors directly mentioned the
need for support to be able to pay for that degree. Sandi suggested that the denomination
seek greater resources to more adequately underwrite professional development for

pastors:

In our denomination we have a lot of very low paid pastors who cannot afford
continuing education. We need to underwrite distance education programs, $200
is not enough, if your church isn’t even paying you a living wage. There’s got to

be a way to support it.

Beyond increased salary and benefits, and increased support for professional
development, some pastors indicated a need for increased technological resources, in

terms of hardware, software, as well as expertise.

We can’t settle for using the horse and buggy method. Technology is part of the
world, and if we don’t incorporate it into our work, we are sending a subliminal

message that the gospel doesn’t fit for today anymore.

In summary, pastors identified a number of learning needs that were not
connected with particular developmental periods. These included learning how to train
and work effectively with volunteer leaders, becoming better acquainted with new

technology, becoming effective change agents, and learning how to deal with stress.

155

Further, they identified the need for increased resources, in terms of pay and benefits, as
well as support for continuing education and professional development.

A diverse literature exists addressing issues related to clergy learning needs that
are not obviously developmental in nature (ABC—USA, 1999; Apps, 1988; Bandy, 1997;
Bandy, 1998; Bandy, 1999; Bandy, 2000; Berglund, 2001; Burt & Roper, 2000; Buttry,
1988; Campolo, 1995; Edelwich, 1980; Eden, 1990; Friedman, 1985; Haines et al., 1991;
Howe, 2000; Howe, 2001; Kotter, 1996; Nicholson, 1998; Perelman, 1992; Sample,
1984; Sample, 1998; Snyder, 2001; Spong, 1990; Sweet, 1994; Sweet, 1998; Sweet,
1999a; Sweet, 1999b). The need for new technologies for communication and conveying
the message of the gospel in a new millennium is raised quite broadly, as is the need to
learn how to be a change agent. The ability to motivate others to take leadership for
effective ministry is identified in the literature, as is the need to manage stress related to
one’s own resistance to change as a pastor. Implicit in these discrete skill areas seems to
be a call for authentic leadership—leadership that itself is continually aware of the
changing culture and acquiring skills to meet it, as well as leadership that is able to
interpret the constancy of the gospel in the light of a changing culture, in language that
touches and motivates the people toward action.

Demographic considerations

While there was a surprisingly high level of agreement about key issues relating
to learning and development for clergy across the demographic differences, a few
demographic considerations are worth comment. Below is a discussion of issues related

to racial and ethnic distinctions, gender differences, nrral and urban contextual

156

differences, large and small church differences, and particular challenges of bivocational
ministers.
Racial and ethnic distinctions

The study included African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Native American
pastors, each of whom led congregations largely made up of people from their own ethnic
or racial background. African American churches and Hispanic churches notably had a
practice of long pastorates. This consistency of one pastor staying for twenty years or
more allowed for a kind of church growth which was less common (though still present)
in Caucasian and Indian churches. In African American churches, there was an
additional practice of calling young people as “associate ministers” (volunteers with
ministerial responsibilities). These associate ministers would often take on significant
leadership roles in the church, and the senior pastor would perform a mentoring role with
them. Some of them would eventually go on to seminary and to a salaried pastor role
themselves. Also in African American churches, it was common for pastors to choose
and mentor their successors. The respect for the pastorate in both African American and
Hispanic churches was very high, though there appeared to be a gradual loss of power of
the senior pastor, as evidenced by the reticence of some churches to accept the choice of
successor the retiring pastor had made. The mentoring firnction of home church pastors
provided a significant influence in the learning of Hispanic and African American
pastors. Those pastors who had a mentor found support in navigating their early years of
ministry, as well as significant support in managing church conflict.

In the Native American church contexts in the study, significant issues included

reclaiming cultural identity as part of religious experience, reclaiming church leadership

157

from white missionaries, and healing from alcoholism. Joseph described his hope that
the church would grow to minister to the whole Indian person, allowing people to blend
their culture in with their experience of God’s love in community.
Indian pastors feel they have to deny their culture to be “church.” Their homes
are Indian, reflecting who they are. The church doesn’t. Our culture is a part of
who we are. Theology is grounded in culture. We must blend our culture in with
Christian teaching to be the people of God. Early missionaries took out anything
Indian. It became a white culture. But God needs to change our hearts, not the

outside. “Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of them, you have done it

unto me.” Ministry is who we are, transformed by Jesus Christ.

Olivia described her struggle to lead her Indian congregation to take ownership of
its own spiritual life together. She used the word “codependency,” signifying both the
dynamic that people go through who are suffering fi'om alcoholism or who have alcoholic
members in their family, and the complacency that allowed white missionaries to take all
the leadership and responsibility in the church. She believes setting boundaries on her
work, as well as drawing out the gifts of the people, are important ways she can help the
church learn to develop its own identity as an Indian church.

In my first church... I was living out codependency. I did everything. When I

was growing up the missionaries did everything in the church, so that was the

model I knew. Now I’m not doing everything. I’ve set boundaries. I’m getting
out of the old missionary way. In my first church I asked an old woman, 81 years

old, to pray. She said, “I’ve never been asked to pray. I guess the pastor never

thought we knew how to pray.”
Olivia also draws on her own life experience to teach people about God’s ability
to heal alcoholism and create a new life for people. She values highly her experience of

God’s grace and deliverance, and wants her people to have the same experience.

158

 

I have a listening ear. I understand where they are coming from. I think about
what’s going on at home when they get mad. In Indian churches they don’t care
what they say. A woman hollered in the middle of a sermon and ran out. I knew
she was misbehaving. It wasn’t her husband’s fault. She thought the pastor was
talking right to her. Before church, her son had been drinking. 1 gave an example

of myself; it was my own life convicting her.

One of the particular challenges of Indian culture that Olivia dealt with was
tribalism. When she pastored a church of a different tribe than she was, she struggled
with authority, because the people didn’t trust or respect her. “One thinks I shouldn’t be
in the pulpit, I’m not part of that tribe, on the outside.”

The rich heritage of each culture brought with it both gifts and challenges for
pastors learning how to minister. Attention to their particular context was critical for
effectiveness in ministry. Career development literature addressed racial and ethnic
distinctions both developmentally and stylistically (Afi'ican American Pulpit, 2001;
Amatea & F ong, 1991; Cheatham, 1990; Crohan, Antonucci, Adelmann, & Coleman,
1989; Herbert, 1990; Kerka, 1999; Perkins, 1999; Smart, 1998; Stitt-Gohdes, 1997).
Findings from this study concur with the literature that racial and ethnic distinctions must
be considered for a fill] understanding of career development, and, in particular, clergy
careers
Gender differences

Traditionally in the United States American Baptist pastors have been male. It is
no surprise, then, that women clergy have faced particular challenges in entering this
profession. Barriers for women in ministry were found to be linked not only with
tradition, but also with the theological framework of more conservative churches, who

believed that God did not call women into ministry. Most of the women in the study did

159

not initially consider the possibility of being a pastor, because of the lack of women role
models in their personal history, as well as theological teaching that women were not
allowed to preach. They often had greater difficulty in finding placement. Further,
women sometimes found that male clergy did not respect them as firll partners in
ministry. Women had more difficulty developing their authority as pastors than their
male counterparts. Congregations also sometimes did not grant them the authority they
would give to their male counterparts. Women pastors particularly valued opportunities
to interact with other women in ministry. This was both because women’s learning styles
and ministry styles were different, and because of the solidarity of sharing stories about
how to navigate the pitfalls of a hostile environment.

Mary observed her women colleagues struggling more than their male
counterparts as they went before the ordination council seeking ordination into the
Christian ministry. They had trouble accepting or reflecting their authority as pastors. “I
sit on the professional ministry committee. Women look indecisive when they talk about
their calls.”

Olivia noticed that congregation members sought out her copastor husband for '
answers and overlooked her, even though they shared in the ministry equally. She felt
invisible.

I get tired of everyone always looking to my husband for the answers and

ignoring me, even though sometimes I know the answer better than he does. I get

tired of being the token woman pastor and the token Indian. I become invisible.
Sandi found she occasionally had to defend her right to be in the pulpit as a
woman in ministry. She stood ready to explain her call to ministry and how it was rooted

in the Scriptures, but she was aware that men were not called upon to do the same.

160

One time when I was doing pulpit supply, a man with a Bible open to Timothy
threatened to leave if I didn’t change my sermon. He sat in a folding chair by the
back pew. I told him I will stay afterward as long as you need me to to address
the issue of women in ministry. I refused, however, to change my sermon. I
shared out of the Scriptures. One of us is off base. Can we pray for each other? I
got a letter from him several weeks later, he was convicted through the Pentecost

Scriptures. God’s Spirit is poured out on al_l people.

Wanda found herself holding back as a minister in her local church, in order not

to threaten the male senior pastor. In spite of her efforts to affirm him and not

overshadow him, he still felt threatened by her because she was a woman. She believes

she should be more assertive and not worry about what men think, but it’s not easy for

her to act on that conviction.

I didn’t want to threaten him, even though I did at times. I think I need to be
more assertive. I shouldn’t limit myself as a female, but I don’t like to cause
waves. I need to own my own prophetic voice, to allow other people’s opinions
about what women ought to be doing to not so much shape me. I need to not take
a lesser role, but be really passionate, so I can’t be silenced... I need to learn more

about how to support women in a male-dominated profession.

Women engaged in particular learning struggles as they ministered in what was

sometimes perceived as a hostile environment. They were challenged theologically to

justify themselves as women in ministry. They were treated with less respect and

authority than their male counterparts, and so had a greater challenge to develop their

authority and identity as pastors. They had more difficulty finding placement. They

often did not feel accepted and so had trouble building collegial relationships with their

male counterparts. They craved the opportunity for relationships with other women

clergy, but found that time, distance, and lack of resources limited those opportunities.

161

Literature on women and careers and women in the ministry concludes that
women experience stress differently from men, both in terms of the cause of the stress
and in terms of coping mechanisms. In particular, women experience significant stress
when they are in roles that are traditionally occupied by men; women experience a
greater degree of stress than men in balancing vocational and family lives; and women
bring unique perspectives to their work, that adds value to the profession (ABC-USA,
1994; Ackerman, 1990; Anson et al., 1989; Brooks, Morgan, & Scherer, 1990; Cooney &
Uhlenberg, 1989; Covin & Brush, 1991; Eagle, 1997; Erdner, 1990; Hewett-Ellis, 2001;
Kerka, 1999; King, 1989; Levinson, 1996; Mazen, 1990; Scanlon, 1997; Smart, 1998;
Stickel and Bonett, 1991; Stitt-Gohdes, 1997; Thorpe & Willhauck, 2001). The data in
this study, though illustrative, was insufficient to draw any conclusions relative to
particular stress factors for women in ministry.

Other demographic differences

There were a few concerns that emerged about pastors’ learning related to the size
of their congregations, their ministry settings, and for bivocational ministers. Pastors in
rural settings particularly struggled with helping their churches understand and embrace
diversity. They also struggled with isolation as they attempted to build collegial support.
Pastors in urban settings often had more educational opportunities available to them. At
the same time, they found that change related to the celebration and acceptance of
differences took place very slowly. Pastors in small churches most commonly expressed
concern about how the church would function in their absence should they take vacation.
They had trouble learning how to set limits in a setting where their absence would be so

keenly felt. This issue also emerged in one large church. The pastor in a church of over

162

1,000 members said he had five weeks of back vacation he hadn’t taken, because he
didn’t feel free to leave until they hired an associate, a process in which the congregation
had been engaged for over two years. More commonly, pastors in larger churches
expressed concerns with learning how to be good supervisors of their ministry staff.
Associate pastors struggled with learning how to exercise authority in a context where it
was limited, and they may not be viewed as “real” pastors. Bivocational ministers
reported more problems with receiving and exercising authority as pastors than their firll-
time counterparts. Deborah, for example, reported that “People see part-time ministers as
a series of tasks. But it’s a role; ministry is all of a piece.”

Finally, pastors struggled with their perceptions of the denomination’s approach
to their particular demographic particularities. They felt stereotyped, and not taken
seriously or treated with respect. They felt that the gifts they had to offer to the
denominational family were not recognized or drawn upon. Joseph complained about his
perception of the denomination’s attitude toward Indian churches—that they’re small,
will always be small, and will never be self-supporting.

There’s an attitude that you can only be pastor of a small church. You should

accept the status quo. I believe we have to keep striving to be better than what we

are, to win people for Jesus Christ. If you do, your church will grow. Indian
churches are small churches. The denomination’s attitude is self-defeating. They

believe they will not get big. To change a vision, you have to go through a

process of reflection of where you’ve coming from and where you’re going.
Like Joseph, Wanda felt that she was stereotyped as an African American woman.
She felt that her gifts were not valued or recognized as important to the denomination as a

whole.

163

I wish the region would understand that I’m diverse, not of one “type.”
Stereotyped ideas of Afiican Americans and women prevent me fiom being

invited to Caucasian churches. I’m invisible.
The pastors in this study called for the denomination to see them as whole people,
individuals with particular gifts for ministry. Their identity, they contended, is informed

by their gender, ethnicity and context, but not defined or limited by them.

The Value of the Reflective Process
The process of being in a reflective interview about their learning appeared to be quite a
positive experience for the pastors in this study. A number of clergy expressed that it
was quite helpful for them to engage in a two-hour process of reflection about their
learning as a pastor. Hezekiah, for example, had just been voted in as pastor of his
current church. Being in transition, he found the interview particularly helpful for him as

he prepared for entering a new context of ministry.

Being in this interview now has been timely. I’ve needed to rehearse my story,
because I’m at a crucial point now. I’m in denial about being the pastor of this
church. Three days before the vote, I got anxious. I almost wanted to get out of
it. I’m not settled yet. It’s too new. I’m asking, “What does all this mean?” I
fear everything good will happen, and it will get too big for me, it’s ready to
mushroom. Relating my story helped me reflect and remember I am prepared for

this. But I still have this uneasiness.
Paul found the reflective process to be particularly helpfirl as he thought through
his leadership style, creativity, and stressors in his life. Mary enjoyed the interview

process, and found it helpfirl in her reflection process. She had shared some very

164

 

 

 

 

challenging experiences. It helped her to recognize all she had come through, and the

many ways she learned through it all.

This interview has been enjoyable. You learn every day. I’ve had a lot of
experiences that have challenged me. The most important thing is being open to

God and listening to people.

Pastors reacted positively to being interviewed about their learning and
development. For some clergy, it provided an outlet for their thinking that otherwise was
not present in their lives. This finding suggests that creating opportunities for systematic !
reflection on the practice of ministry would be valuable to clergy as part of their program

of professional development

 

How Pastors Learn—Conclusion

The findings from the study affirm that clergy develop and learn in a number of
different ways, that there are in fact developmental differences in their learning, and these
have interesting and compelling implications for their professional development and
support. The developmental process of clergy learning includes attention to key
influences on clergy learning, developmental periods of learning during the course of the
career, learning issues that do not have to do with a particular developmental period, and
demographic considerations. The reflective process of being interviewed about their
learning was a positive experience for clergy.

The final chapter will discuss these findings and consider their implications for

clergy professional development and support, as well as future research.

165

CHAPTER V—DISCUSSION

Introduction
What is the nature of the ministry as a career? Pastors learn developmentally as
they move through a lifetime of ministry. Pastors’ identities are deeply connected to their -
work, and the meaning they find in their work. Pastors exhibit high motivation for
continuing education, but it must be the kind of education that allows them to think

deeply, ask questions, and relate their intellectual discipline to their experience of

 

spirituality. Pastors find tremendous meaning in helping people deal with crises and life _
transforming passages. Attention to the developmental processes of pastors will provide
insight for helping clergy sustain excellence throughout their careers.

Pastors learn differently at different times in their careers, but by and large, this
learning appears to relate much more closely to the career than to age or life span
development. That is, clergy experienced the same developmental patterns of learning in
the early, middle and late careers regardless of their age when entering a particular career
period. Of course, second career clergy brought more life experience to navigating the
developmental tasks of the early career period. One might think the development of
pastoral identity and authority might be a “breeze” for a mature pastor. This study found
otherwise. Older pastors wrestled with building their ministerial identity and authority
just as their younger counterparts did.

This study’s findings about the nature of the pastoral ministry as a developmental

process confirm lifespan development theories’ premise that one’s career choices

166

continue to change and develop as one’s self-concept becomes more clearly defined with
age. For clergy, this self-concept development is deeply connected with their concept of
God and their sense of call, as well as their understandings of possibilities in the world
relative to how they live out that call. Career development theory suggests that life stages
continue to affect human development throughout the life span, rather than just in
childhood. This study confirms that observation in the lives of clergy, who continue to
grow and develop as they move through different career periods.

Within career and life stage theory, there is disagreement about how these stages
are identified, and whether they are connected primarily to age or career period. The
findings of this study contradict Levinson’s (1978, 1986, 1996) theory of life
development, which predicts development to be based primarily on age or life stage,
rather than based on career stage. Super’s career stage theory (1957a, 1957b), on the
other hand, recognizes cyclical patterns rooted primarily in career tasks rather than age.
The findings about clergy in this study match much more closely with Super’s theory
than Levinson’s. Surprisingly, the differences among younger and older clergy in the
same career period reflected similarities in developmental tasks without any significant
age-related distinctions.

Baldwin’s (1981, 1983) application of career and life theories to clergy careers
proved particularly valuable in setting the stage for an examination of clergy careers. His
identification of characteristics, experiences and tasks at each faculty career stage,
including during their time of education and socialization, raised key questions that
guided the interview process as well as the analysis of the data. His discussion of faculty

preparation and socialization was reflected in clergy careers in a number of ways. Just as

167

faculty learn about teaching through observing teachers, formal training, and formative
critical events, such as passing prelims and receiving the PhD, so pastors learn about the
ministry through observing pastors, seminary education (for most), and formative critical
events, including their own faith conversion, call to ministry, and ordination. Just as
faculty entering the profession have varying experiences of socialization and mentoring,
as well as limited understanding of the range of responsibilities of the profession, so
beginning pastors have varying levels of mentoring support, and limited understanding of
the range of responsibilities that are part of the pastoral role.

Baldwin’s (1981, 1983) discussion of the first three years of teaching identified
stresses that faculty face in their first teaching role, their initial idealism, and the impact
of this first career placement on subsequent career decisions. Pastors also exhibited
initial idealism about their work, and spoke about their disillusionment both about the
nature of the church and the pastoral role. They, like faculty, had significant stresses of
adjustment in terms of enacting their many professional responsibilities. While faculty in
Baldwin’s study drew correlations between their first teaching placement and their future
career path, pastors in this study drew no such correlation. This study would seem to
indicate that there is more fluidity in the clergy career to move among a wide diversity of
ministry options. Also unlike faculty, while clergy may be recognized idiosyncratically
for their work in their ministry context, clergy do not receive any formal recognition or
advancement at any point during their career path. Also, while faculty often enjoy peer
recognition associated with tenure and promotion, pastors never seem to feel confident

that they have “arrived,” or learned the work of the ministry.

168

 

In the middle career, Baldwin (1981, 1983) notes a likelihood of faculty self-
assessment, and a diminishing satisfaction with teaching and research. This often results
in increasing involvement in national work related to the profession. Clergy in the
middle career also engage in periods of self-assessment. These periods seem to be
triggered by a sense of dissatisfaction in their work, a perception of a mismatch between
the mission or needs of the church and their understandings of their gifts and interests,
and an internal sense of spiritual discernment that stirs them toward change. Clergy
dissatisfaction may result in an increase in involvement in collaborative work with other
pastors; it is just as likely to result in seeking avenues for expressing creativity in the
work itself, without a driving need to share that work with colleagues in the ministry.
Unlike faculty, clergy in this study were not observed to be withdrawing from
professional responsibilities as they approached retirement. Rather, they were concerned
with how to continue involvement in the ministry into their retirement years. Also unlike
faculty, clergy did not express a decreased enthusiasm for their role as a pastor.

The existing literature on clergy careers treats the profession primarily in
functional and stylistic terms. This study reveals this approach to be inadequate. The
developmental process of clergy learning has been shown to be integral to making sense
of the clergy career. This approach is quite compatible with the call of visionary pastors
Bandy (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000), Easum (2000), and Sweet (1999a, 1999b) for a new
kind of clergy leadership that is able to adapt to a swiftly changing profession.

This study of ministry by and large confirmed vocational theories examined.
Denzin’s biographical method proved a fruitful guide, as clergy vocations were found to

be deeply and richly embedded in life experience. Csikszentmihalyi’s work on creativity

169

 

provided a useful lens for interpreting what turned out to be a key influence in the
learning and development of pastors throughout their careers. Palmer’s (1990, 2000)
focus on the meaning of work and its connection to the inner life illuminated this study’s
examination of clergy careers, as pastors expressed the meaning of ministry through
images and metaphors, and related their work to their internal sense of call, discernment,
and divine guidance.

So, what does this consideration of the pastoral ministry as a developmental
process mean for sustaining clergy excellence throughout their careers? This chapter
discusses the implications of this study, and is organized in the following way. First, a
number of themes are presented that emerged from the findings. Then, tentative
recommendations are offered for consideration and further reflection to seminaries and
theological schools, denominational bodies, and pastors. Finally, suggestions and ideas

for future research are presented.

Themes

A number of significant themes emerged in this study. The ministry is a complex
career requiring continuing learning and development to address emerging needs in a
rapidly changing world. The pace of change and thus the need for continuing clergy
learning is increasing. Clergy not only need to learn increasing skills for addressing
various tasks of ministry, they need to learn how to develop ways to balance competing
demands of an endless workload, as well as how to set appropriate boundaries on their
work. Clergy rely on both skill development and meaning making to shape their learning
throughout their careers. Pastors benefit greatly from interactions with other clergy in

making sense of their work, evaluating its effectiveness, and developing new strategies

170

 

 

 

for addressing emerging concerns throughout their career. The drive to integrate intellect
and spirit and the quest for creativity are strong influences on clergy learning; their
expression in clergy work provides satisfaction and meaning; and their absence leads to
clergy distress and sometimes departure from a given context of ministry. There are
distinct periods of clergy learning and development, which engage pastors in distinct -
developmental tasks. These observations about pastors’ learning and development
describe seamless and interconnecting issues that are complex, and require a holistic
approach to continuing education and professional support.

Ministry is a complex career requiring continuing learning and development to
address emerging needs in a rapidly changing world. The pace of change and thus the
need for continuing clergy learning is increasing. This study revealed that pastors find
themselves needing to focus on the process of change, both for themselves and their
congregations, in unprecedented ways. This ability to “surf” on the “tsunami” of a
changing world was identified by Sweet (Sweet, 1999a) as a key to effective ministry in
the new millennium. Interestingly, it stands in contrast to the traditional conception of
clergy as the guardians or keepers of the “timeless, unchanging” truth. Clergy have to
learn to hold in tension the paradox of maintaining a flexible face of ministry that can
meet and greet a rapidly changing world, and adherence to the eternal wisdom of God
captured in the traditions of faith. They have to deal with parishioners and church
systems that often are resistant to change, perceiving changing approaches to ministry as
a threat to their faith. Pastors expressed reticence to initiate change in their churches

because they feared or wished to avoid conflict.

171

 

Clergy also have to deal with internal resistance to change when life experiences
challenge or threaten their understandings about God, the world, or what ministry is like.
This resistance to change impacts their learning and professional development. For
example, could Guillermo’s image of himself as pastor being the immovable “Mount
Fuji” be understood as both capturing his sense of God’s solid dependability and his own
need for clarity concerning the nature of God, as well as symbolizing his own internal
resistance to change? When his life experience revealed that God acted in a way
inconsistent with his perception of how God could act—that is, God did not answer his
prayer and the prayers of the people to heal his daughter—a moment of opportunity for

reassessing his understanding of God emerged. But, Guillermo’s image of God’s

 

I. xn‘al
r.

steadfastness coupled with his grief caused him to hold on even more tightly to the tenets
already in his mind and heart. His way of resolving the internal conflict was that he
finally came to accept that he could not know why God did not spare his daughter. In
order to go on, he reaffirmed his belief in “the sovereignty of God.”

Resistance to change also may impact pastors’ ability to effectively navigate mid-
career transitions. This resistance to change may even impact clergy reticence to enter
into supportive peer relationships, and decline to reveal their weaknesses to one another.
This study raises the question, what are the dynamics of resistance to change that are at
work in the lives of clergy, and how can this resistance be dismantled and addressed
creatively, in order to enable pastors to sustain excellence in their ministries in this
changing time?

C lergv not only need to learn increasing skills for addressing various tasks of

ministry; they need to learn how to develop ways to balance competing demands of an

172

1 ‘.F3

 

 

endless workload, as well as how to set appropriate boundaries on their work. The
clergy interviewed expressed significant struggles with balance and boundaries. The
nature of the ministry and the high regard in which pastors held it led them to desire to
give themselves fully to the work. At the same time, they recognized the need for time
away, for nurturing personal relationships, for having a life apart from work. The
boundary issue emerged in the clergy literature as an issue, but the extent to which most
of the clergy in the study struggled with it was quite surprising. This suggests that
attention to balance and boundaries is a key area for focus in professional development.
A study of coping techniques of clergy in handling the stress and strain of their work
might provide useful insight into supporting pastors in sustaining excellence throughout
their careers (Bhaghat, Allie, & D. L. Ford, 1991).

Clergy rely on both skill development and meaning making to shape their
learning throughout their careers. Professional development that addresses skill
development in the absence of attention to how clergy understand the meaning of their
work may miss the mark, according to the findings of this study. Clergy images of the
meaning of their ministry serve as profound lenses through which pastors learn and
interpret their work. This idea needs to be explored further, in order to learn more about
how these images of ministry influence pastors’ learning about ministry, and the
decisions they make. Will an intentional reflective process on one’s image of ministry
aid pastors in evaluating their work? Will it be helpful for pastors to reflect on questions
such as, “ How does my belief about the meaning of ministry influence how 1 address this

task?”

173

 

Currently, professional development programs focus on skill development
without attention to these influences. What would it mean to fashion professional
development with attention to pastors’ images of the meaning of ministry? It would be
interesting to learn how attention to their images of ministry might help pastors to engage
in ministry reflection and evaluation, as well as help them to see their strengths as well as
their blind spots or weaknesses.

Palmer’s idea of metaphor as a bridge for “authentic conversation” (Palmer, 1993)
is relevant to this discussion. Metaphors, according to Palmer, reveal honest ideas about
ourselves that we might not even firlly understand. Unreflected metaphors may reveal
inconsistencies or weaknesses that we may not have faced. In this study, pastors’ images
of the meaning of ministry revealed ways of thinking about ministry that influenced how
they engaged in the work of ministry. These images revealed particular strengths or
“trademark moves” of their work; they also pointed to weak areas, or blind spots in their
work. Images of the meaning of ministry had utility both for illuminating the career and
for creating blinders. This imagery is very powerful. When controlled by the individual
and shared, it provides an avenue for conversation about who a pastor seeks to be in a
turbulent environment. Metaphors, then, have the potential to impact reflective thinking
and sharing about ministry in profound and meaningful ways.

Pastors benefit greatly from interactions with other clergy in making sense of
their work, evaluating its effectiveness, and developing new strategies for addressing
emerging concerns throughout their career. The clergy in the study expressed both a
tremendous yearning for meaningful clergy interaction and appreciation for the support

they received from role models, mentors, and peer interactions with other pastors. Yet,

174

 

 

few systems of formal mentoring or collegial support currently exist. This finding
suggests that efforts to connect clergy through learning communities would be a very
fruitful way to enhance clergy learning throughout their careers, and most especially in
the early career, and during times of transition or crisis.

The significant influence of interaction with other pastors may have profound
implications for clergy professional development. Pastors in this study expressed a desire
and need to build trusting relationships with other pastors in order to grow professionally.
Pastors with mentors navigated the developmental tasks of ministry more easily and
effectively. Thus, attention to mentoring as well as collegial support networks may be
warranted for the support of clergy in sustaining excellence throughout their careers.

The drive to integrate intellect and spirit and the quest for creativity are strong
influences on clergy learning. Their expression in clergy work provides satisfaction and
meaning; and their absence leads to clergy distress and sometimes departure from a given
context of ministry. Pastors find deep meaning in integrating their disciplined thinking
and their spiritual experience. They desire to share that meaning with others. Further,
they find deep meaning in expressing their pastoral role in creative ways. Their unique
contribution to the ministry through creative expression energizes them and gives their
work meaning. They are driven to learn in this integrated way; and they actively seek to
express their learning in uniquely creative ways. Helping clergy find ways to engage in
this integration and creative expression is important to clergy learning and development.
This study suggests that attending to these activities in clergy continuing education

programs is very important.

175

There are distinct periods of clergy learning and development, which engage
pastors in distinct developmental tasks. The findings for each period and issues these
raise for clergy professional development and support are discussed below.

Anticipatory learning and development issues

The period of anticipatory learning involves becoming aware of and nurturing
one’s own spiritual life, building an initial understanding of the meaning of ministry, and
accepting the call to service. It begins in childhood, includes a call to ministry and
usually some formal training prior to beginning the practice of ministry. The findings
suggest that pastors often approach ministry as a vocation with very limited
understandings of the range of responsibilities in which pastors engage. As a result,
when they start their career, the first placement is fraught with surprises and struggles. Is
there a way to demystify the pastorate, so ministerial candidates are better prepared?
This might occur on two fronts. First, local church pastors, particularly when educating
the congregation and mentoring young people into the ministry, might expose people to a
broader understanding of the responsibilities of pastors. Second, seminaries might
improve on the field experience of pastors-in-training, to see that they have a broader
range of responsibilities in their supervised ministry training. Also, opportunities to
discuss and explore a call to ministry, as well as to develop disciplines that support
ongoing nurturing of spiritual life, could be very helpfirl in the development of future

pastors.

176

Early career learning and development issues

The early career of pastors includes finding first placement in ministry, and
beginning one’s ministry. Developmental tasks include integrating theoretical knowledge
and ministry practice, developing one’s identity and authority as a pastor, and coming to
terms with the nature of church as system. While current literature addresses the need for
pastors out of seminary to integrate theoretical knowledge and the practice of ministry,
very little has been said about how to help pastors develop ministerial identity and
authority. This process needs to be studied firrther, with attention to how to help pastors

begin well in their first church. For some pastors, who begin in an associate pastorate

 

with a mentor, the development of authority seemed to be a bit easier. While church i
administration is taught in seminary, pastors reported that the nature of the church as
system, and how one works within such a system and works to transform it, was not
adequately addressed. This issue might be helpful for pastors to think about early on in a
colleague group. As Joseph pointed out in the study, some types of learning can only
happen by doing. The opportunity for guided reflection in one’s early years as a pastor
seems a good way to help pastors interpret the church as system and respond with
wisdom, insight, and leadership.

Middle career learning and development issues

The middle career of pastors involves few landmarks; pastors continue ministry in
a given context, and they move, or transition from one ministry context to another.
Developmental tasks include discerning a call to move, facing new leadership needs and
problems, and maintaining balance and boundaries. Pastors in this study indicated they

are facing a number of risks related to balance and boundary issues in ministry, including

177

am!

 

loss of health, neglect of personal relationships, and sexual misconduct. This study
suggested a possible correlation between pastor and church related to boundaries—that is,
when pastors do not keep good boundaries, the church does not acknowledge boundaries
either, and a vicious cycle of the pastor always responding to needs and the church
always making demands ensues. Pastors in this study indicated a need to learn more
deeply that the church can firnction within appropriate boundaries, and so can they. How
to accomplish this learning and live it out is another matter, and one that emerged in this
study as a key continuing education and professional development concern.

Also, pastors in this study indicated they would benefit from increased support
during their periods of transition from one ministry context to another. The pastor loses
significant community support when making a move, and often is trying to both adjust to
a new ministry context and address significant family needs. Learning the landscape of a
new ministry context is an area where pastors would benefit from assistance. They also
could benefit from support in reframing their pastoral identity and authority in the new
context. Pastors also rely on faith in God’s guidance and discernment in transition;
support from colleagues also has the potential of aiding in a healthy discernment process.

Health is not the absence of struggle but progression within it; in that progression

we are the moved, not the movers, and each transition requires a new act of faith.

p. 67 (Bartlett, 1978)

Leadership, according to Bennis and Nanus includes "discerning the fit between
our perceived skills and what the job requires." (Bennis & Nanus, 1985) This process of
discernment in middle career was revealed in this study to be a significant and complex
process, and one worthy of further study.

Late career learning and development issues

178

 

Late career clergy begin to think about retirement, and how to prepare the church
for new leadership. Their developmental tasks include letting go of their ministry
context, reframing their pastoral identity, and building an identity outside of ministry. As
a researcher, it was my expectation that pastors would relinquish their pastoral identity in
retirement, but there were no participants in the study who talked about retirement in this
way. It seems the old adage, “once a pastor, always a pastor,” is true. Nevertheless, a
shifting of priorities occurs as a pastor approaches retirement that allows for a clearer
focus on areas of interest and creative expression, clearer boundaries on work, and more
opportunity for recreation and personal hobbies. Pastors in this study who are
approaching retirement want to “pass on the mantle,” and share their learning with the
younger generation of pastors. Levinson’s study of life stages drew on Erikson’s
psychosocial stage theory, which suggests that generativity is an important task of late
adulthood. People are driven to make their mark for the next generation, to pass
something of themselves on to others. For pastors, in addition to passing faith on to
people, passing on their lifelong learning about ministry to younger pastors appears to be
a significant way to express their generativity. This is a gold mine of opportunity for
denominational bodies to utilize the resources of retirees in mentoring and supporting
younger pastors. This study suggests that the opportunity to mentor younger pastors
would be extremely welcome to late career clergy, fulfilling their need for generativity at
the same time as meeting the learning needs of their younger counterparts.

Pastors reacted positively to being interviewed about their learning. For some
clergy, it provided an outlet for their thinking that otherwise was not present in their

lives. This finding suggests that creating opportunities for systematic reflection on the

179

practice of ministry would be valuable to clergy as part of their program of professional
development.

These observations about pastors ' learning and development describe seamless
and interconnecting issues that are complex, and require a holistic approach to
continuing education and professional support. As one considers the interaction of these
various influences, tasks and issues related to clergy learning and development, a number
of questions emerge. How can skill development and meaning making be linked as
pastors engage in their continuing education and professional development? Further, in
their quest for creativity, will it help pastors to ask themselves, “How can I express my
creativity in this setting, in addressing this developmental task?” As they seek integration
of intellect and spirit, how will pastors benefit from approaching a problem by asking,
“What do I need to learn spiritually/intellectually to be able to address this problem?” In
their interactions with other clergy, when pastors ask, “Who can I look to as a role
model, or for advice and support in addressing this developmental task,” what support
will they need to build successful mentoring relationships?

Pastors in this study were energized by both the ability to exercise creativity in
their work, and by the ability to deeply integrate their intellect and spirit. Creativity was
found to help pastors persist through both challenging and tedious aspects of ministry.
How might one help pastors develop and exercise creativity? How might one foster a
culture of creativity in the institutional church? This relates to another need clergy
identified—to gain skills as agents of change. Pastors are called upon in these turbulent
times to be change agents, to lead the church into new structures for living out their

mission in order to be relevant in a rapidly changing world. The ability to integrate

180

intellect and spirit seems also be related to the ability for the ministry of the church to be
relevant to the pressing issues of today. The way pastors interpret the gospel must be
able to touch the real lives of the people, and matter.

The study revealed that clergy struggled with balance and boundaries. In
interactions with other pastors, building trust was a problem, as was clergy self-care.
What is the link between lack of trust and clergy health and well-being? If trusting
relationships can be built, will clergy health improve? Will setting better boundaries
enable clergy to build trust? What will it take conceptually for clergy to be able to set
limits on their ministries? These questions have been raised by this study, and appear to
have relevance for pastors continuing to serve God and the church in the new
millennium.

Clergy identity and authority may be linked to their leadership abilities. In order
to be leaders, pastors in this study seemed to need to learn to trust themselves, trust God,
trust others and trust the process. At points where pastors lost trust in any area, they
reported a lack of effectiveness in ministry. For example, Mary reported that her lack of
confidence in herself as a pastor impedes her ministry effectiveness. Paul noted that
while in seminary, his loss of spiritual focus impeded his practice of ministry. Hezekiah
spoke eloquently about the power that came from trusting the people and the process of
ministry: “Once you give people freedom to be who they are, boy do they teach you a
lot. You can’t learn if you don’t trust. God is in charge of the process.” The conquering
of fear or timidity in ministry seems to be related to the ability to trust, a key factor that

appeared in this study to influence pastors’ effectiveness in ministry.

181

 

For the pastors in this study, there existed a huge gap between formal preparation
for ministry and the practice of ministry. While attempts have been made to bridge that
gap through field education and clinical pastoral education experiences in seminary, these
attempts were not seen by pastors to be adequate. The “entry” period into ministry is
fraught with pitfalls and struggles, and clergy do not feel adequately supported in this
process. Mentors have helped tremendously in this process, but many clergy do not have
the benefit of mentors to navigate this crossing.

Clergy were in remarkable agreement about their best moments in ministry being
moments of transcendence, where they were present for people in moments of transition
or struggle, mediating the presence of God. This finding may provide insight into how to
continue to motivate clergy for excellence in ministry in turbulent times, as well as how
to attract newcomers into the ministry.

Clergy identified a number of areas they considered important for professional
development and support. In particular, they identified a number of skill areas for which
they would like to have training and support. Then, they mentioned a desire for collegial
relationships with other pastors, relationships where they could discuss ideas related to
the practice of ministry, and share their concerns and problem areas deeply and openly.
Third, they sought support from their congregations in pursuing continuing education and
professional development. This involved having the congregation a) recognize the value
of professional development as benefiting both pastor and congregation, b) provide time
off for the pastor to pursue such activities, and c) provide resources to help cover their
costs. Further, many pastors mentioned a desire for a sabbatical leave—an extended time

off for reflecting deeply on the practice of ministry, evaluating their work in new ways

182

and envisioning new directions for ministry. Fourth, inadequate resources were
identified as a significant problem area. Clergy salaries were perceived as inadequate to
cover the costs of their own continuing education. Further, continuing education firnds
from regional and national denominational sources were perceived as inadequate for
providing for meaningful or extended educational experiences. Finally, opportunities for
significant educational experiences were located so far away and were so costly as to
seem unattainable.

These findings suggest that the ministry as a professional vocation may be at risk.
It appears that it will be difficult to continue to attract people to the ministry who are
highly trained and skilled when there are not adequate resources to pay them or provide
for their continuing development. While the value pastors place on being present to
people in times of transcendence keeps many committed to this profession, new
approaches to training and development are needed more than ever to attract new
candidates and support an increasingly changing profession in these turbulent times.

Recommendations

Perceiving the clergy career as a developmental process provides a useful lens for
evaluating and designing continuing education and professional development initiatives
for clergy. These will be considered both in terms of recommendations for
denominational bodies and for pastors as they consider their own professional
development needs and opportunities.
Recommendations for seminaries and theological training programs

This study revealed that pastors would benefit from a broader exposure to the

range of responsibilities of the pastorate prior to beginning the practice of ministry. This

183

might be accomplished in a number of ways. Seminaries might expand the field
education of pastors-in-training, to see that they experience a broader range of
responsibilities in their supervised ministry training. Also, opportunities to discuss and
explore their calls to ministry, as well as to develop disciplines that support ongoing
nurturing of spiritual life, could be very helpful in the development of future pastors.

Systems theory, the nature of the church as system, and how one works within
such a system and works to transform it might be a valuable topic of study for
seminarians. A course addressing how to be a flexible change agent and work with the
church as system might prove helpful for exposing future clergy to the systemic nature of
the work of the ministry, and the role they may play as agents of transformation.

Further, the pressing need for balance and boundaries in ministry is an issue that
might be addressed during ministry preparation. If pastors can build awareness of these
needs, and learn ways to conceptualize the ministry in a contained way, as well as skills
for self-reflection related to balance and boundaries, perhaps some of the dangers of
burnout and misconduct might be avoided.

Finally, this study’s findings on the value of the presence of other clergy as role
models, mentors and colleagues as an influence on learning and development suggests
that it might be useful for seminaries to work intentionally to connect pastors with one
another in meaningful ways. Helping seminarians find historical role models, interact
with senior colleagues in the ministry as mentors, and build reflective learning
communities with seminarian colleagues for peer support in ministry might be valuable

experiences for future pastors.

184

Recommendations for denominational bodies

Current denominational guidelines (ABC-USA, 1994) pertaining to the call and
nurture of ministers address the need for ministerial candidates to have hands-on
experience to test their gifts for ministry, but they fail to identify the range of tasks
involved in clergy careers. This study suggests that a careful reexamination and
articulation of the breadth of responsibilities of a pastor, and systematic opportunities for
ministerial candidates to have exposure to this range of experiences, would likely be quite
beneficial for pastors as they prepare to begin a career in ministry.

The study indicated that clergy are energized in their learning when they engage
in intellectual challenge, spiritual depth and creative expression. These factors provide a
guideline that may enhance continuing education and professional development
Opportunities for pastors. Pastors in the study suggested quite strongly that current
denominational offerings are not meeting these criteria. The denominational programs
pastors attended were described as superficial, lacking in depth, and irrelevant. Further,
pastors found programs avoided touching on troubling or controversial issues, precisely
the issues for which clergy are seeking sources of stimulation and support. Further, the
style of delivery of denominational programs was typically lecture. Big name speakers
were engaged, hoping to draw a large audience. Pastors expressed that big names were
not what was important to them; rather they sought opportunities to extend their thinking
and to develop solutions to the complex tasks of ministry. Thus, denominational program
planners might more effectively meet the developmental needs of clergy by providing
programs that approach relevant issues deeply, in intellectually and spiritually

challenging ways, inviting creative reflection and problem solving.

185

 

Pastors in this study long for meaningful interactions with other clergy, as role
models, mentors and colleagues. This was found to be a highly desired source of support
for clergy as they made sense of the ministry. Formal denominational mentoring
programs are all but nonexistent. The findings of this study suggest mentoring and
collegial relationships have the potential of being extremely important influences on
clergy learning, and thus well worth the effort to initiate. These findings are consistent
with other research on peer support, particularly in alleviating newcomer stress (Allen et
al., 1999). Building successful mentoring relationships and colleague support groups is
not an unproblematic task, however. This study identified trust to be quite low among
clergy as well as between pastors and the denomination. This suggests that significant
effort may be necessary to overcome patterns of mistrust before clergy interactions in
mentoring or colleague support groups are likely to reach the depth needed for the level
of learning clergy are seeking.

Further, a lack of resources for engaging in continuing education and professional
development was perceived as a problem by pastors in this study. Several specific
suggestions come to mind. Communication concerning the availability of
denominational resources such as national or regional continuing education funds might
help make pastors aware of resources currently available to them. This study also
revealed that churches frequently did not recognize the value of their pastors’ continuing
education for their congregational life and work together. An intentional denominational
effort to raise church awareness concerning professional education and development of
pastors, and the potential benefit this has for both pastor and congregation, might help to

bridge this gap. Interim periods, when the church is seeking a new candidate, may be

186

 

 

times when the church is most open to revisiting this issue. Stories of successful
professional development experiences, and how these have benefited both pastor and
congregation, could be told and celebrated as models to capture the imagination of
congregations. Denominations might also be able to support pastors by investing some
time in investigating further resources for clergy. A number of funding agencies exist
whose interests may mesh with the interests of clergy. The Lilly Foundation’s grants in
support of clergy excellence and the Association of Theological Schools Women in
Leadership program are two such examples.

The responses from the participants in the study indicated that regional and
national denominational bodies have work to do to convey the message that they care
about the nurture and support of clergy. The kinds of support clergy from the study are
looking for the denomination to provide include: continuing education programs that give
attention to both spiritual and intellectual depth; meaningfirl relationships with clergy
colleagues where they can ask questions and reveal concerns about their practice of
ministry; mentoring, particularly in the early career and during times of transition and
conflict; and adequate financial resources for funding meaningful as well as extended
continuing education and professional development experiences.

Further, denominational leaders are in a unique position to be able to educate
pastors and congregations relative to boundaries for pastors, such as clergy needs for time
off, affirmation, and feedback in ministry. Pastors identified a need for support and
accountability in maintaining boundaries in their ministries. This area is problematic in
nature, because pastors may be reluctant to reveal their weaknesses to denominational

leaders, who perform an evaluative function and have the power to thwart their ability to

187

 

move to another ministry context in the future. Also, since local churches are
autonomous there is often no easy entree for introducing this kind of reflection to a given
congregation. The lack of boundaries pastors revealed in their ministries relative to their
taking regular days off, taking vacation, engaging in continuing education, nurturing their
families, taking care of their bodies, and maintaining appropriate boundaries in their
relationships with their parishioners was striking, and is cause for grave concern. This
study’s findings support denominations taking significantly greater initiative in building
accountability and support systems for pastors, without violating issues of autonomy or
independence.

Pastors expressed a need for help in navigating the changing culture of the church.
They need help understanding the nature of the changing church, grasping the pace of
change, as well as learning how to function as change agents to help the changing church
be relevant to the needs of a changing culture. Denominational programs addressing the
church as system, and strategizing ways to train pastors to work with lay people to
creatively change structures would help address this concern.
Recommendations for pastors

While pastors recognize that the ministry is complex and involves learning
throughout the career span, they have been socialized to think of continuing education in
terms of skill development or honing. This study supports the idea that it would be
helpful if pastors could think about their learning more broadly, and in particular to
approach their continuing education and professional development from the perspective
of both skill development and meaning making. They might ask, for example, what

learning experiences might help them to understand or express their image of the

188

 

meaning of their work more deeply. They might engage in deep reflection about the
meaning of their work, and how it informs their learning, in order to unpack it and see
both their gifts and their blind spots.

This study also suggests that pastors would benefit from reflection about the
development of their authority and identity in the ministry. How do they perceive their
authority? How do they express or communicate their authority? What do they find
undermines their authority or their ability to act with authority? How can they learn to
overcome these barriers? Ofien churches provide feedback to pastors through a review
process that addresses discreet skills. This study suggests that, at least at times, the issue
may not be skill development at all, but the ability of the pastor to communicate his or
her authority to the people.

Clergy in this study struggled in a variety of ways with dealing with their church
as system. They felt disillusioned about the fickle nature of the people, they felt
frustrated by their efforts to initiate change, and they became worn down by dealing with
the same problems over and over again. It might be helpful for pastors to address
systemic church issues through interaction with a colleague group. As Joseph pointed out
in the study, some types of learning can only happen by doing. The opportunity for
guided reflection in one’s early years as a pastor seems a good way to help pastors
interpret the church as system and respond with wisdom, insight, and leadership.

The study indicates that pastors would benefit from mentoring relationships well
beyond their initial years in ministry. Mentor-colleagues can provide a sounding board
for questions related to the practice of ministry, as well as an anchor of support and

advice during times of transition and conflict. Pastors can take initiative to find a person

189

with whom to build such a relationship, with or without denominational consultation or
support. Further, pastors can initiate or seek out a colleague support group. Participants
in this study described several models of such groups. They identified aspects of such
groups that were particularly helpful to them: groups where they were able to build
successful trust and accountability relationships, that met regularly with a structured
agenda, and in which pastors made commitments to one another over an extended period
of time. Pastors might find an ecumenical environment for such interactions to be a way
to build a sense of support and anonymity, since such pastors would be less likely to
threaten their “image” or their future placement.

This study identified a critical need for pastors to tend to their personal care, the
care of their families, and limit-setting in ministry. The percentage of pastors
interviewed who were dealing with stress and stress-related illness was shockingly high.
This suggests that it is imperative that pastors find a way to set limits on their availability,
for their health as well as the health of the congregation. Pastors sought out time
management training to begin addressing this issue, but actually felt that the problem is
deeper than how to manage time. It involves developing a perception of ministry that
allows a pastor to let go and “let God,” that identifies with Jesus, who, with the needs of
the people continuing to press in on him, “went off by himself to a quiet place to pray.”
Discussing these issues in trusting relationships with ministerial colleagues emerged in
this study as a fruitful way for learning how to maintain appropriate boundaries.

The value pastors in the study placed on exercising their creativity in ministry
suggests that pastors would benefit from intentionally nurturing activities that allow them

to express their creativity in ministry. Creative expression was found to be a motivator as

190

well as a source of sustained energy and strength for ministry among the participants in
the study. Some pastors felt their creative expression was external to the basics of
ministry, or so perceived by their congregations. If pastors can learn to integrate their
creative expression into the center of focus of their ministry work, this is likely to help
their engagement in ministry, as well as to bring creative vitality to the work.

Finally, the findings suggest that pastors could learn from thinking deeply and
analytically about their own images, metaphors, and stories of what it means to be a
pastor. Further, pastors might find added sustenance from spiritual direction, and other
activities that assist them in integrating intellect and spirit. Pastors in the study struggled
with navigating the changing culture of the church in this time of global turbulence.
Pastors might benefit from finding ways to stimulate their thinking “outside of the box,”

as they lead the church into the 21St century.

Suggestions for Future Research

A number of ideas emerged from this study for future research. These included
expanding the sample of clergy studied, to learn to what extent the findings pertain to a
broader sample of clergy.
Expanding the sample of clergy studied

The sample was quite diverse for an exploratory study with a targeted number of
only 12-16 pastors. The level of commonality among concerns across the range of
demographic differences was remarkable; still, the lack of very young pastors (in their
205) and the lack of Asian American pastors leaves a void. The study included a number

of pastors who entered the pastorate in their 205, but it is not known to what extent their

191

 

distance from that period in their development affected their responses. It would be
interesting to learn whether pastors being interviewed while still in their 205 reported any
qualitatively different struggles with developing pastoral identity and authority than the
pastors in this study.

As a future researcher, it is my hope that a follow-up study could incorporate
these groups of pastors, as well as seminarians or others who are experiencing a call to
ministry but have not yet begun their first ministry (in the anticipatory learning period)
and retired pastors. It would also be very interesting to interview people who have left
the pastorate, to learn whether and to what extent their learning needs played a part in
their decision to move out of ministry as a vocation. Further, it would be interesting to
see to what extent these findings apply to pastors who are in nontraditional ministry
settings—that is, not working in a local church context. Two of the pastors in this study
spent a portion of their career in specialized ministry settings. Their stories do not appear
to diverge from the sample in any remarkable ways; nevertheless, a more extended study
is needed to learn whether there are differences in their learning processes and needs and
what these are.

Finally, it would be interesting to learn how these findings apply to pastors in
other denominational contexts. Do clergy from different faith traditions face different
developmental issues and learn differently from American Baptist clergy? What aspects
of learning are common to clergy across denominational and career contexts, and which
are specific to local church pastors in American Baptist settings? In particular, the
transitions that occur in the middle career might be experienced quite differently for

pastors who minister in denominational contexts with different pastoral placement

192

 

 

 

processes. For example, pastors in the United Methodist Church have a guaranteed
salary and placement on the one hand, but do not have the freedom to choose their next
parish setting on the other.
F ollow-up interviews to expand on themes

The data from the three survey questions were very helpful in constructing a
preliminary understanding of professional development learning issues related to clergy
work, but the answers were short and often incomplete. Interviews allowed for a much
richer and complex understanding of how clergy learn. Nevertheless, when I was
analyzing the data from the interviews, I found myself wishing for the opportunity to
conduct second interviews, to ask more questions and explore more deeply subjects such
as the drive for creativity and whether it influences pastors differently at different times
during their careers. I also wished I could probe more deeply concerning my findings
relative to the developmental tasks of each period. It would be interesting to have pastors
react to these ideas and to see whether there are other developmental tasks that have not
yet been identified. Further, it would be interesting to see how pastors respond to the
developmental framework of pastoral ministry, to see whether it seems to accurately
reflect their perceptions of their learning, and whether it provokes additional insights
related to the pastoral ministry as a developmental process.
Exploring the relationship between intellect, spirit and creativity

Parker Palmer’s (Palmer, 1983; Palmer, 1990; Palmer, 1993; Palmer, 1997a;
Palmer, 2000) writings on spirituality and work and Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi’s
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Csikszentmihalyi, 1996; Csikszentmihalyi & LeFevre, 1989)

study of creativity provided a helpful background, as it turned out, for thinking about

193

 

influences on clergy learning as they moved through their career. This study’s findings
leaves open the question of whether there is a connection between pastors’ drive for
creativity and their quest for integration of intellect and spirit. The energy that was
described in this study as creativity and the energy that motivated integration of intellect
and spirit I suspect is one and the same, but the interviews were not detailed enough in

this area to explore what this relationship might be like. What is this energy that

*r

motivates pastors to express their creativity and integrate their thinking and their “spirit,” r

"7

including their sense of God’s presence and guidance, their moral sensibility, their beliefs
about justice, their application of Scripture to the troubling questions and problems of

today? This is a question for further study.

 

IV .31!

Studying the learning of pastors from the perspective of servant leadership

One of the pastors in the study described his image of ministry in terms of servant
leadership. It would be interesting to explore the literature on servant leadership, with an
eye to developing a future study that would examine the motivations clergy have for
choosing ministry as a career, and what influence these might have on their learning.
Studying clergy mentoring

Because mentoring emerged as such a significant influence on clergy learning, it
would be interesting to explore the literature on mentoring, and further study this
phenomenon as it relates to pastors. Mentoring appeared to offer tremendous promise for
helping pastors navigate the developmental learning tasks of the early career period and

beyond.

194

 

The link between skill development and meaning making

The interview data revealed that pastors rely both on skill development and
meaning making to inform their learning as they move through their careers. This study
raises the question, how can skill development and meaning making be linked as pastors
engage in their continuing education and professional development? Further, in their
quest for creativity, will it help pastors to ask themselves, “How can I express my
creativity in this setting, in addressing this developmental task?” As they seek integration
of intellect and spirit, how will pastors benefit from approaching a problem by asking,
“What do I need to learn spiritually/intellectually to be able to address this problem?” In
their interactions with other clergy, when pastors ask, “Who can I look to as a role
model, or for advice and support in addressing this developmental task,” what support
will they need to build successful mentoring relationships?
T rust-building and Clergy self-care

The study revealed that building trust was a problem, as was clergy self-care. Is
there a link between lack of trust and clergy health and well-being? If trusting
relationships can be built, will clergy health improve? Will setting better boundaries
enable clergy to build trust? What will it take conceptually for clergy to be able to set
limits on their ministries? These questions have been raised by this study, and cry out for
answers, if pastors are to continue to serve God and the church with excellence in the

new millennium, as well as to maintain their creativity, health, and ministries.

195

 

 

 

APPENDIX ONE

Interview Protocol

196

 

Sample Interview Protocol

Background Information
Current Context

What ministry context are you serving in right now?
How long have you been there?
What primary responsibilities do you currently have?

Preparation

What level of education did you complete prior to beginning your work as a minister?
What school(s) did you attend?
What degree(s) did you earn?

Career path

When did you first know you wanted to be a pastor?

What does it mean to be a pastor?

How did you learn to be a pastor?

What made you decide to go into the ministry?

Tell me a little bit about your work in the ministry from the beginning up until now.
Before you began your work as a pastor, what did you expect the ministry to be like?
How has it been like and different from your expectations? (Allen et al., 1999)

Vocational goals

What are your vocational values and goals?
How did you come to this understanding?
How have these changed over time?

How do you spend your time?

Personal characteristics

What do you see to be your professional assets and limitations?

Could you share an example of a moment when you were at your best as a pastor? How
about a moment of “growing pains,” when you wish you had done things differently?
How did you learn from each experience?

What experiences have been the most educative for you?

What draws out your creativity and enables you to express it?

Rewards and coping techniques
What are your sources of career satisfaction and frustration? (Agbo et al., 1992)

What kinds of problems do you typically encounter?
What are your usual problem-solving techniques?

197

Could you take a few minute now, and draw for me a pictorial representation of your
career path as a pastor? Or, What metaphor or image would you choose to describe what
it means to you to be a pastor?

Where have you been, where are you now, and where do you expect to travel on this
ministry journey?

Are there any key events that have influenced this journey?

Tell me about them.

Tell me about your professional development as a pastor.

Tell a story about a teacher or experience or learning that has made a difference for you.
What issues do you confront as you engage in your professional development?

What needs do you currently have for your professional development?

What barriers stand in the way of your professional development?

What continuing education experiences have you had?

Did you find them helpful? In what ways/Why or why not?

What are your current sources of professional support?

What kinds of professional support would you like to have (in an ideal world)?
What would you like to tell your congregation about your professional development
needs?

What would you like to tell your region about your professional development needs?
What would you like to tell your denomination about your professional development
needs?

How about your family?

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

How has it been for you to be a part of this interview experience?

If, as I am reviewing our conversation together, I discover any further questions I’d like
to ask you, may I give you a call?

Thank you VERY MUCH for our time together.

198

 

APPENDIX TWO

Survey on Clergy and their Work

199

 

Survey on Clergy and their Work
Thank you for your willingness to share your thoughts about your life as a pastor.
This survey will help inform clergy support and continuing education efforts

denominationally, as well as add to scholarly thinking about clergy professional
development.

Listed below are statements that some clergy are willing to make about
themselves. Others would not describe themselves in such terms. Please read

each statement, and indicate how much it is like you. Please use a scale from 0
to 7, where:

O = it is not like you at all 7 = it is like you completely

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1. I am very comfortable with my professional identity as a
pastor.

O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 2. My relationships with church members are strained at times.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 3. I feel unable at times to act on my convictions.

O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 4. I have all the skills I need to be effective in my ministry.

O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 5. My personal relationship with God is sometimes dry.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6. I have had helpful continuing education experiences in the
past three years.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7. My self-image is suffering a bit.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. I rarely have conflicts in the church.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9. I am able to articulate my personal theology.

O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10. | adequately understand the particular needs in my ministry
context.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11. l have clear goals I am moving toward over the next five
years.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12. I regularly take time to reflect on my personal growth.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 13. There are parts of myself that I am not satisfied with.

O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 14. l have meaningful relationships with other clergy in my
area.

200

 

012 34 56 7 15. lam a strong leader.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 16. I draw on other resources to make up for skills I lack in my
work.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 17. I feel I am currently in the right place vocationally.
O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 18. I enjoy receiving constructive critical feedback.

Below are six characteristics. Please rank them in order of importance to
you, with 1 being most important and 6 being least important.

19. self-acceptance 20. environmental mastery
21. positive relations with others 22. purpose in life
23. autonomy 24. personal growth

Continued on reverse

Please rank these professional characteristics in order of importance to you, with 1
being most important and 6 being least important.

25. professional identity as minister 26. professional relationships in

the church
27. personal theology 28. effectiveness in ministry setting
29. personal spirituality 30. self-reflection and critical self-
evaluation

31. What issues are you confronted with as you engage in your professional
growth?

32. What professional needs and interests do you currently have?

33. What barriers stand in the way of your professional development?

201

 

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. THE INFORMATION
BELOW IS OPTIONAL.

00

4. Age

35. Sex: M F

36. Highest level of formal education completed:

(JO

7. Current ministry setting (Check all that apply)
church pastor

senior pastor

associate pastor

campus ministry

institutional chaplain
bivocational ministry

pastoral counselor

seminary faculty/administrator
regional staff

retiree

(other)

 

 

38.Which of the following terms do you normally use to describe yourself?
African-American

Asian-American

Caucasian

Hispanic

Native American

ther (please specify)

0

 

39. Approximate membership/or description of constituency served:

40. Title:

 

41. Length of time in current setting:
42. Year of ordination: 19_

43. Type of ordination: Standard ABC

Local

Regional

Other (please specify)

202

All participants in this survey are guaranteed anonymity; that is, no reports on the
results of this study will reveal names or information that could lead to identifying
names of participants. The second part of the study will involve interviews with
clergy about their personal and professional well-being. Each person-to-person
or telephone interview will run approximately ninety minutes. If you are willing
to be contacted for an interview if needed, please complete the information
below. Interview participants will be asked to sign a release form, and will be
guaranteed confidentiality.

OPTIONAL —

Name:

 

Address:

 

City, State, Zip:

 

Phone ( )

E-mail

 

Best time to call:

 

Thank you for your participation in this study. Your contributions will help
advance understanding of clergy well-being, and may lead to the
development of strategies to enhance and empower the lives of clergy.

Please mail completed 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851. Thank youlform to:
The Ministers Council, P. O. Box

 

203

 

"Mi

 

APPENDIX THREE

Participant Letter and Consent Form

204

 

Letter of Invitation to Prospective Participants

Dear Colleague in Ministry:

This letter is to inquire about your possible interest in participating in a study of
American Baptist clergy. As you may be aware, I left my seven-year position as the
campus minister/director of the American Baptist Student Foundation at Michigan State
University in order to complete my doctoral work at MSU in educational administration
in higher, adult and lifelong education. My particular area of interest is the professional
development and support of clergy.

As part of my dissertation work, I will be conducting indepth (one- to two-hour)
interviews with a number of clergy in order to understand their perceptions of their career
paths, as well as their professional development needs. The interviews will be
audiotaped. As a participant, your name would not be used, and you would be
guaranteed confidentiality; that is, no information would be shared which would link you
with the study or with specific quotes. The purpose of the study is to gain a deeper
insight into the career development of clergy and their professional development needs.
Your participation in the study would allow you to engage in a process of reflection about
your vocation as well as contribute to scholarly thinking about clergy professional
development needs. It is my intention to seek publication of the results of the study, so
that these results will be available to clergy, as well as regional and national bodies, to
enhance the opportunities available for clergy professional development.

If you would be interested in interviewing with me in the next four to six weeks,
please complete the enclosed form, and return it in the self-addressed-stamped-envelope
provided. Alternatively, you can e-mail me with the information at kcnncvaqusucdu.

 

Thank you for considering the opportunity to participate in this important research
study. Please feel free to contact me if you would like more information before making a
decision about your participation.

Sincerely,

Rev. Patti Kenney

Information needed: Name, address, phone (work, home, cell), e-mail, preferred method
of contact, current ministry, length of time in current setting, age, date/type of ordination.

205

 

 

 

 

Dear colleague:

Please return this form to the address above in the envelope provided if you are interested
in participating in a one- to two-hour interview about your career path as a minister and
your professional development needs. The interview will be audiotaped. You are
guaranteed confidentiality; that is, your name will not be linked with the study or any
quotes.

Thank you for your consideration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name Phone ( )
Address Email

City, State, Zip Best time to call:
Age

Sex

Highest level of formal education completed:

 

Current ministry setting:

 

Ethnicity:

 

Approximate membership/description of constituency served

 

Title:

 

Length oftime in current setting:

 

Year of ordination: Type: Standard ABC
Local
Regional
Other (please specify)

 

 

206

 

 

 

Consent Form
C lergy Learning and Professional Development
Consent Form

In signing this form, you indicate that you understand that the research project in which
you are agreeing to participate concerns your perceptions of your career development as a
minister and the learning experiences that affect that development. You will be
interviewed for approximately 1 to 2 hours.

You understand that the researcher will hold your responses in strict confidence and that
no comments will be attributed to you in any reports on this study. Furthermore, no
details will be provided in any verbal or written reports that could identify you. You
recognize that your participation is voluntary and that you may decline to answer any
questions or withdraw your participation in this study at any time.

Please check one statement below:

I give consent that the interview be audiotaped. At any time I may ask that the
tape recorded be stopped.

I do not give consent that the interview he audiotaped.

 

 

Name Date

 

Signature

If you have any questions or concerns about your rights as a subject, please contact Dr.
David Wright, Michigan State University Committee on Research Involving Human
Subjects at (517) 355-2180, or Dr. Ann E. Austin, project advisor, Educational
Administration, Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education Program, 417 Erickson Hall,
Michigan State University, 355-6757.

For any other questions regarding the study, please contact Rev. Patricia A. Kenney, 328
West Newman Road, Okemos, MI 48864, 517-381-9099; kenncypfii‘msu.cdu.

 

207

 

.. AM‘fi Jfl

argon—no

 

APPENDIX FOUR

Vignettes of Each Interview Participant

208

 

Vignettes of Each Interview Participant
Bill

Bill is a middle aged Caucasian pastor of a 400 member rural congregation. He
grew up in a Christian household in a post-WWII Jewish community in a large
metropolitan area. He felt excluded from his community, and found refuge in his family
and his church. At the age of ten, he knew he wanted to be a truck driver or a minister.
He observed his home church pastor closely, and saw the church grow under his
leadership, though his parents complained that the pastor was too controlling.

While in college, Bill worked in youth ministry and Christian education. The
pastor he worked under avoided theological extremes, and was “rigidly organized.” He
gave Bill clear direction and lots of feedback. Halfway through college, Bill had
developed an image of who a pastor should be, and said, “It was too great for me. It was
more than I feel I could measure up to, even as a Christian person.” The pastor
confronted him with his perception of Bill’s call to the ministry, and told Bill that even a
sense of inadequacy is part of the call.

Bill went to seminary right out of college. He reported that he almost lost his
faith in seminary, due to the apparent lack of faith of some of his cohorts who were draft-
dodgers. At the same time, he developed a close friendship with five other seminarians,
with whom he still keeps in touch, and who provide inspiration for him. He was
disappointed when he looked for a job to learn that the only churches interested in him
were “urban dead or itty bitty ones in a cornfield.” He was worried about whether he
would be comfortable preaching. He remembers doing “dry runs,” practicing for Sunday
morning in his first church. He remembers the expectations of a pastor being clearer
when he began the ministry than they are today. He said, “It was easier to exceed them.”

Bill has been in his current church for two decades. He has associate ministry
staff. He struggles with dealing with the same things over and over again. And, he never
feels settled, like he has done a good job. He said, “Expectations are so varied, it would
be impossible to meet them all... No individual job is too hard, but the combination is a
killer. It’s hard to please people.” He sees changes happening so quickly that “we don’t
know what church or denomination looks like anymore... We’re in a shambles. The old
is falling apart, and it’s hard to figure out what the new is going to look like.” He feels
his seminary training did not prepare him for these changes. He buries a suicide every
year, and struggles with the church’s reticence to reach out to troubled youth.

Bill sees himself as good at finding resources, thinking critically and
theologically, and building relationships, often using humor as a bridge-builder. He
struggles with confrontation, and with setting limits. It’s hard for Bill to relax, and he is
starting to experience stress-related illness. He needs to take more time off. He keeps
praying he’ll make it without “blowing apart.” He is not sure that he can “physically
survive ministry.” He has observed clergy colleagues driven out of their churches, and
feels vulnerable, waiting for the “axe” to fall. He works hard at building “people equity,”

209

 

so he has the authority to act when a situation arises. Yet, he never feels confident in his
ability to lead, though his congregation is stable and growing, and he experiences himself
as being “very loved” in this congregation.

Bill expresses his creativity through identifying others with gifts for ministry, and
nurturing their growth. Even with all its problems, he is “utterly convinced that the
ministry is the best career a person can have.” He also loves to teach, both within the
church and at denominational events. He wants to move the church to a place of
financial security and conflict resolution. Before he retires, he wants to prepare his
church for new leadership, and to help them be open to “a different gender.”

Bill’s metaphor for ministry is papa. “My congregation needs to be able to trust
me, and feel like family. I need to have the attributes God has of love, truth and
reliability.” Bill works very hard at building an inclusive community, where everyone
feels welcome. He also works hard at building ecumenical relationships within the
community, extending the notion of family beyond the church bounds.

Bill would like more emotional support for his congregation, and also
encouragement to take time off. “It would be such a gifi if they could speak to me with
one voice,” he said, “but it’s impossible.” He places a high value on collegiality with
other clergy. Even after 25 years in ministry, he struggles with being God’s
representative. “How do you work for God, represent God, deal with the fact that
someone’s first impression of God is you?” The day he retires he will have some relief.

Deborah

Deborah is a Caucasian second-career pastor in her first ministry placement following
seminary. She is interim pastor for two small congregations, one urban and one rural.
She grew up in a Roman Catholic family, and became Baptist as an adult after marriage.
She traces the roots of her call back to her childhood, and her fascination with the nuns.
Her call is also informed by her commitment to the civil rights movement, and her desire
to advocate for “folks who didn’t have everything.”

Deborah’s first career was as a teacher. When she taught Sunday School as a
volunteer, she realized that she was “now teaching the most important thing.” This led to
her accepting a position as director of Christian education, and ultimately enrolling in
seminary. She found seminary to be an overwhelmingly positive experience, in part
because of the richness of the ecumenical environment for exploring questions about her
faith, and in part because of the opportunity to meet other women who were called into
ministry.

Deborah has had a number of surprises in her first year of ministry. She describes
the work as “relentless.” She pours herself into it. She finds that it takes over her life.
She sees that she has a need to find time to develop herself personally. She said, “I can’t
give my whole self to ministry. I have to keep a life myself with all my faults and
failings. Ministry can’t be so sacrificial to the point where it’s burnout. I have to resist

210

 

 

 

that.” Deborah struggles with claiming her authority as a pastor. She often feels she is
not taken seriously as a woman. Without women role models in the ministry for most of
her life, it has been a difficult journey for her to hear and accept her call to ministry. She
has come to realize that she can’t seek approval if she is going to be an effective minister;
she has to be a leader and claim her authority from within. “People have a hunger for
authentic teaching, integrity in ministry. My call compels me to do things I may not feel
confident in doing.”

Deborah enjoys ways ministry allows her to be creative. She loves to plan special
services. She finds there to be a lot of “synergy” in the planning process. She finds it
exciting to envision an experience and see it lived out. She loves to preach. It allows her
to give birth to new ideas. “Creativity,” she said, “is taking the Word and making it
relevant in this time and place with these people.” Yet it’s a struggle to find enough time
to prepare her sennons.

She also struggles with balancing her time. “I don’t know how to put boundaries
on my call,” she explained. She objects to people viewing part-time ministers as “a series
of tasks.” She finds there to be significant conflict between her responsibilities to her
family and to her work. “I feel like I have two marriages,” she said, “one to ministry, and i
one to my partner... I feel like I’m split, torn between trying to meet his expectations and '
sometimes my own for what our relationship should be, and still be faithful to this call,
which takes precedence over everything.”

 

She pictures her ministry as a story of a journey to a rock in a cornfield where she
goes to pray. There is a well near the rock with an underground stream, symbolizing the
living water she receives from Jesus. The water also symbolizes knowledge, and the
availability of Jesus to meet with her anytime. The cornfield reminds her of a story of
helping a slave escape through the field and across the lake to Canada, capturing her
commitment to civil rights. One time she visited a cemetery in the middle of a cornfield.
On an inscription were the words “amid the alien com.” This reminds her that difficulties
are part of the journey. This story makes her realize that ministry is a lifelong journey,
and that the Spirit has been there all along calling her. The journey story gives her
strength. “I thank God for the story. I need it sometimes.”

Guillermo

Guillermo is a Mexican American pastor of a bilingual urban congregation of about
150 members. He heard his call to ministry in the wake of two childhood events. He was
healed from a serious illness on the heels of his mother’s prayers; and he was rescued
from drowning. His parents’ expectations were for him to give his life to God, since God
had miraculously spared his life. He wanted to go to college, but felt an urgency to go to
seminary. So he went directly to a Spanish—speaking Bible college for ministry training
right out of high school. He did not make this choice easily. He told God he did not
want to go into ministry, because of how he saw his home church pastor suffer at the
hands of the lay leadership. The call was confirmed for him when a stranger at a church
he was visiting asked him if he had ever thought of being a pastor.

211

He relies much more on personal study than on formal training for his learning. He
said, “I don’t care for degrees. I have a Master’s degree from the Master.” He studies,
becomes aware, and develops a level of proficiency essentially on his own.

Most of his years in the pastorate have been serving in bivocational ministry. He
said, “A Spanish pastor is a do-it-all.” He reads as much as he can, but wishes he had
someone older to go to, who could be a listening post for him, someone who is deeply
spiritual and would hold his confidence. But in his experience, “You can never never
have someone to confide in here on earth. You can’t rely too much on people.”

Afier many years in the ministry, he went through a crisis of faith. His daughter died
of a massive hemorrhage while in the hospital, despite the prayers of many people. He
found himself asking God “Why?” This shook him in his spiritual life. He finally let go
and cried for the first time almost a year after her death. While he still doesn’t know why
his daughter died, he expressed his conviction, “1 strongly believe the Lord has every
step. I believe in the sovereignty of God.”

He believes that effectiveness in ministry is rooted first of all in personal faith, and on
reliance on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. His image of himself as a pastor is of Mount
Fuji with a cloud in back. The light filtering through is the glory of God. “It reminds me
of how I want to be,” he related, “with a strong powerful stand. I believe a pastor has to
be strong.” He believes he has to stand firm doctrinally, with his Baptist distinctions. He
must be willing to be identified with what he believes. He also believes in a theology of
love, which reaches out to others with the love of God as well as doctrinal firmness.

Hezekiah

Hezekiah is an African American pastor of a small mixed urban congregation. He
has recently returned to ministry after being retired less than one year. He also teaches
part-time in an ecumenical seminary.

Hezekiah’s father was a pastor. Hezekiah began preaching as a pre-adolescent.
His father gave him opportunities to preach in church, and also kept an eye on Hezekiah
as a teenager, attempting to “protect” his call. Hezekiah went to college, then joined the
army. While stationed overseas, his experience watching the prostitutes treat the
servicemen with kindness challenged his rigid theological upbringing, and Hezekiah
found he had to rethink his beliefs. He built a theology on a foundation of love.
“Anything I believed had to be reconciled with love.”

He still felt a call to ministry, but his didn’t want to be a pastor of a church.
“After seeing all my dad had been through, it was too restrictive, you’re too much at the
mercy of the people. I didn’t want to put myself into people’s hands to that degree.” He
decided to pursue psychology and counseling and pastor part-time. He pastored 2 small
churches, then became an associate at a large church. He was “heir apparent” in that
church, but when the pastor died the church did not call him. So he resigned the

212

 

 

 

associate pastorship. He went on to pastor in another church, then start a new church
before retiring.

Hezekiah talks animatedly about ways he has been able to express his creativity in
his work. He sees himself as a pastoral midwife. “My role is to call people forth. I am
not the origin of the baby. Once the baby’s out, I go on to the next one.” He sees being
a midwife as a prophetic role, as well as a shepherding role, “knowing who your sheep
are and serving them as best you can.”

Hezekiah is in transition, just beginning his new ministry. “Rehearsing” his story
through the interview process helped him “reflect and remember I am prepared for this. I
am where I’m supposed to be.” But he is still uneasy, yet looks forward to the challenge.

Hezekiah finds risk-taking to be crucial in his learning. He needed to face up to
his father. “We have to change to learn how to survive.” He also finds being focused on
the people he is ministering to is helpful to his learning. “Once you give people freedom
to be who they are, boy do they teach you a lot.” He believes you have to trust that God
is in charge of the process.

Hezekiah’s positive attitude, openness, and excitement as he looks to his future
create a climate for learning. These qualities, and his metaphor of ministry of being a
“pastoral midwife” have helped him navigate many transitions throughout his ministry
career.

Joseph

Joseph is a Native American interim pastor of a small congregation in the west.
He is in his 705, and lefi retirement to accept this pastorate. He has experience working
as a pastor, a college chaplain, as well as a denominational leader.

Joseph’s parents were of different tribes. They lived in “the white man’s world,”
“where the iron road [railroad] was built.” His mother taught him that because he was an
Indian, he had to strive harder. His father was a lay pastor, who started several mission
churches, though he didn’t finish high school. Joseph didn’t anticipate going to college,
but when he was in high school he met a college president who encouraged him in that
direction. Joseph is the first person in his family to get a college education. He worked
for one year after college, then went on to seminary.

Joseph heard a call to ministry early in his life, but he didn’t acknowledge it until
he heard someone speak at the Indian assembly after his first year of college. “I felt the
call before that, but my dad was a lay pastor and I didn’t want to be treated like that kind
ofsecond class citizen.”

Joseph began ministry while in seminary, helping churches minister to Indian

people in urban areas. After graduation, he pastored an Indian congregation for three
years, then was an associate pastor and youth director for a few years. He went through a

213

divorce, and felt he could not continue in the preaching ministry. His career path moved
in a number of diverse directions, including education, work with troubled children, and
business. Along the way, he became American Baptist by conviction. It took him many
years to reclaim his call to preach.

In his first church, he struggled to learn to be a minister. Seminary did not
prepare him to lead a church. Joseph believes the only way to succeed is to strive to learn
along the way. “Sometimes you don’t see until you take action. The action brings you
up the mountain, so you can see clearly.”

Joseph’s story of ministry is climbing up a mountain. “There are downgrades, a
lower path, downhill. But I keep looking ahead, the higher path leads me to God, I keep
striving for that.” He acknowledges he has not always taken the higher path, but finds
forgiveness and grace to keep striving. He credits his mother with his commitment to
always doing his best. “I don’t look back and say I wish... I try to always look forward,
to be positive.” He believes in change. “I take my life and make it look like I feel it
ought to be, rather than accepting the status quo.” He is always moving forward, and
disciplines himself not to look back. For him, “The journeyt IS the learning. If you don’t
have a vision, you begin to drift.”

He enjoys people, and is not afraid to “be [him]self.” He enjoys hunting and
walking, connecting with nature. He is a perfectionist, and doesn’t accept his limits
easily. He tends to be gullible—he’d rather be taken advantage of once, than mistrust
someone.

Joseph believes in education, and have found people along the way to be
particularly helpful in his learning. Yet, he struggles with “having the openness to accept
that help.” He feels inferior, yet uses that feeling to motivate himself to strive harder.
His faith in God helps him. Over time, he has developed a “broader concept of God.”
His divorce devastated him; he felt it was all his fault. He had to work to feel good about
himself again. Learning that God loves him, even with his faults and mistakes, has
transformed his life and his theology.

At the same time, Joseph believes “there is too strong an emphasis on theological
education.” What’s essential for ministry, in his view, is the empowerment of the Holy
Spirit, and a perspective of lifelong learning.

One of his particular passions is trying to help the Indian church reclaim its
culture. “We must blend our culture in with Christian teaching to be the people of God.”
One can’t engage in ministry unless one is truly oneself. “Ministry is who we are,” he
said, “transformed by the power of God.”

Juan

(Juan’s interview was conducted in Spanish. The quotes represent the interviewer’s
translation of Juan’s words into English)

214

Juan is a pastor of a very large (over 2,000 member) congregation, and is planning
to retire in the coming year. His church emphasizes evangelism, spirituality and social
ministries, and he has been their pastor for over 30 years. He has a large staff with
several associate ministers.

As a young adult, Juan went to college for a degree in business administration.
Then he worked in a number of business-related jobs and made a lot of money. He called
himself a “playboy” at that time in his life. Juan became a Christian at the age of 30.

His pastor encouraged him to be a pastor. Initially, he rejected the idea, believing
it to be too high a calling for him. Then one day, he visited a church and that pastor
preached “with authority.” At the end of the sermon, the pastor made an altar call, and
Juan instantly felt compelled to go forward to accept the call to the ministry. He had a
wife and children to support, yet immediately resigned from his job and went to
seminary. He became associate pastor at his church, sold his home and car, and also did
administrative work in the church office. His pastor became a mentor for him, and taught
him a lot about the church. He slept only one hour per night during that time.

Juan found that seminary helped him to develop a strong theology, but did not
equip him adequately for church administration. In retrospect, he wished seminary would
have helped him more with working with volunteer leaders, and with constituency issues.
“When you encounter people in the church, you are looking at a microcosm of the world.
30% of the people are in need of psychiatric help.” He found the seminary experience to
be partially negative, in the sense that it didn’t nurture his faith development. His
associate pastorate at the same time with the senior pastor, however, was extremely
formative for his learning to be a pastor.

After finishing seminary, he spent 3 years in his first pastorate. He was in shock;
his “romantic idea of the church” was shattered. He described his first two years of
ministry as really tough, with “two groups of leaders who were carnal.” He almost left
the pastorate because of this struggle. He went through a very bad time of burnout and
depression from the fighting in the church, and had to take two weeks at the beach for
healing. Yet, when he did leave, he felt sad. He had grown to love the people, with all
their faults. He thought of all the things he could have done better, such as emphasizing
more spiritual growth instead of focusing so much on numerical growth.

He went on to spend ten years in his second church, before moving to his current
ministry setting. He dealt with conflict and divisions in each church context, and each
church grew both in membership and spiritually significantly during his tenure as pastor.

His sense of calling helps him through the tough times. “God never sent me to
the church where I wanted to go, always to the churches in trouble. I obeyed God... I
feel it is a privilege to be called of God.” He has developed the capacity to get along
with all kinds of people from all walks of life. As an associate pastor, his senior pastor
helped him deve10p that ability. He is a strong administrator, and a good delegator. He

215

 

 

arrived at being able to see himself as a pastor, when his own father accepted Christ in
response to his preaching.

His involvement in healing relationships is especially meaningful to him. He
loves when people accept Christ, when he can see a changed life, and when he can
counsel people in trouble. He is able to confront people and still treat them well, yet he
struggles with the cabros “goats” in the church. He never feels capable. He struggles to
make decisions, to be visionary, and to implement new ideas. “The idea comes through
brainstorming all of a sudden, but then it has to go out into the congregation. I tell them
indirectly, then I know they’re ready when the idea comes back from the people, and then
I implement their idea, the idea they have owned as theirs.”

He loves to express his creativity through preaching, to “give God’s message to
the people.” He prides himself in presenting the Scripture professionally, but without
theological language. “Even a nine year old child can understand what I am saying. One
little girl told me, ‘Pastor, I loved your sermon.’ In that moment, I felt complete.”

Juan sees ministry as ministry among friends. He considers himself a friend of
Jesus, sharing God’s love as a friend with the people. Because his congregation is very
large, he can’t be with everyone all the time. “But, they know I will be where and when
and with whom I have to be.” He makes sure the people sense his presence with them in
their time of need. “At the hospital, with a dying daughter, if they want to see me, they
will be able to.”

As he nears retirement and looks back on his career, he is fi'ustrated by the idea
that he could do more. He is preoccupied by the reticence of others in the church to
accept responsibility. “I work with the leaders to make joint decisions, but I end up
taking the blame alone.” In retirement, expects to continue working with pastors in the
areas of stewardship and church growth, areas of particular interest to him.

Kerin

Kerin is an associate pastor in a 300-member church in a large metropolitan area.
She is Caucasian, and hails from the south. She is a divorced mother of several children.
After receiving her BA in education, she earned her MBA while raising a family, then
went on for her Master of Divinity after wrestling for several years with her call to
ministry. She had a part time associate ministry position for a year before moving to her
current ministry setting, where she has been for five years.

Kerin grew up in church, and was very active as a youth. After marriage, she had
her first exposure to a woman minister, who was in charge of the preschool children’s
ministry. Kerin volunteered in a number of roles in Christian education. When she and
her husband planned to move to a major city, this minister commented to Kerin her hope
that the move would give Kerin an opportunity to go to seminary. Kerin had never
considered seminary, but five years later determined that if God provided an opportunity,

216

 

 

 

that she would in fact attend seminary. She anticipated studying for a master of arts in
Christian education.

Kerin’s church sponsored her to go to seminary, but the only program available at
the extension center was a Master of Divinity. “That took the guilt away of having been
taught women don’t get those (Mdiv’s).” She did an internship while in seminary, in a
small church with a woman pastor who became her mentor, and who gave her
opportunities for experience in a variety of ministry areas, including preaching. Kerin
found herself learning through being forced into new situations by God’s action. The
process of ordination was a significant landmark for her, in terms of forming her identity
as a pastor. She has discovered that she likes ministry in its many aspects, and she would
like to be the sole pastor of a church in the future.

Kerin had some surprises as she began ministry after seminary. She expected to
be “like being on a pedestal,” but has come to understand that ministers are regular
people. Now she thinks of it as “depedestalizing” the pastoral role. She has developed
abilities of being transparent, sensitive to others, planning creative worship, and being
with people in crisis. She has worked intentionally on spiritual formation. She struggles
with dealing with politics in the church, particularly the “good old boys” network. She
has had to deal with significant conflict, without authority and without recourse. She also
feels lonely as a woman in ministry. “To date and be a minister, they look at you like
you have 3 heads or something.”

She doesn’t feel like she has much professional support. She relies on two
women in ministry, one of whom has been her mentor, for personal support.
Additionally, she sees a spiritual director. She sees her spiritual development as key to
effective ministry. “If you’re empty inside, you don’t have anything to give.” She tries
not to take her work home with her, and her spiritual discipline helps with that. She is at
her best as a pastor when she is with people who are in crisis, with a family where one
member is dying. She has learned to trust God in those moments.

She loves to exercise her creativity by planning special services. She would like
to go on for her Doctor of Ministry, but finds funding to be a barrier. She also feels
excluded from the “inner circle” of colleagues in her region. She describes her journey
as a pastor as building on steps of surrender, education, letting go, discovery and use of
gifts, and spiritual growth. These are layers, and landmarks. The goal is the cross, being
like Christ. Surrender to the call undergirds all of it, she declares.

Mary
Mary is a Caucasian pastor of a small mixed urban congregation in the east. She
has been in her current setting for 20 years. She started the church after graduation from

seminary, where she received a master of arts in theological studies.

Her call to ministry emerged from her desire at the end of college to pursue a
service profession. She consulted with a trusted professor who encouraged her to pursue

217

 

ministry as a vocation. She didn’t pursue the Master of Divinity, because she felt women
couldn’t do that. She did supervised ministry while in seminary, and in particular,
developed her own Bible studies to teach, a creative outlet she has pursued throughout
her career. She loves to see the light go on in someone’s eyes when Scripture comes alive
for them. Because she had a nontraditional degree, and more importantly because she was
a woman, she encountered some opposition to her quest for ordination. But she finally
achieved it, with encouragement from family, colleagues in seminary, and professors.
“I’ve been learning to accept the fact that the call comes from God, even though it’s not
always recognized by the church.”

She feels quite surprised that God would choose her for ministry. She struggles
with a lack of confidence, which she feels impedes her ministry effectiveness, and with
exhaustion from fighting the same congregational battles over and over again. She
struggles with the tension of being inclusive of others with different faith traditions, and
openly sharing her own faith and experience. She would like to take a course in
comparative religions to help her deal with this tension.

“""T

J-

She struggles with limits in her ministry. Her congregation is a family church,
and they want to be together all the time. They call her on her day off. She doesn’t feel
free to take vacations because the core of leadership is so small. 1.,"

 

She keeps up with current issues in psychology, since she does a lot of counseling
in her ministry. She likes to attend courses in an ecumenical seminary for the intellectual
challenge and spiritual dialogue.

Her church is open and accepting. Mary has demonstrated creativity and
resourcefulness in her approach to defining ministry, use of space, and program
development based on emerging community needs. She doesn’t think of her ministry in
terms of vocational goals. “I never had any vocational goals. God led me by the hand
step by step.”

She wishes she could have deeper collegial relationships with other pastors. She
wishes she could find more intellectually challenging continuing education opportunities
offered denominationally, and that her pastor colleagues would be more open about what
they believe. She enjoyed the interview very much, as an opportunity for reflection and
learning.

Her image of what it means to be a pastor is “Sitting in the back of an ambulance
holding someone’s hand, telling them I’m not gonna leave them. Being the eternal
presence of God for people.” Her deepest struggle with this was after her daughter was
raped by a young man in the church. She wrestled over a long period of time with
forgiveness, her daughter’s healing, the young man’s responsibility, and the need for the
church to know what happened and hold him accountable. Ten years later, she has seen
healing in all of them, and embraces this story as “an example of what we’re about... If
we don’t have forgiveness, we don’t have anything. That’s the way I can stand before
God.”

218

 

 

 

Olivia

Olivia is a Native American copastor of two very small rural congregations out west.
She is a second—career pastor. While she remembers wanting to be foreign missionary as
a child, she heard her call to ministry as an adult. She heard a speaker at a national
gathering describe her vision that “in every Indian church there will be an Indian pastor
and not only an Indian but a woman pastor.” In response to that call, Olivia quit her job
as a day laborer and began to attend Bible school. Her husband followed some time later.

She has learned to be a pastor partly through life experience and partly through
school. In Bible school, she learned how to give Bible studies and preach. Her life
experience has helped her to learn to “zero in to what the need was and to the people
without letting them think I was getting after them.” She believes it’s important to be
transparent, and uses her own life struggles as examples for helping others.

When she and her husband began copastoring in their first church, they didn’t know
enough about dealing with “different personalities” or church administration. They
didn’t know all the details about how to perform a funeral service. Over time, Olivia has
developed a support system. She is “continuously processing, asking the Lord for
guidance and direction.” She seeks personal uninterrupted quiet time alone with God.
She reads books and listens to “teaching tapes, I take them in like a sponge.” She has one
woman pastor friend who is a source of support for her, but she would like to have time
with other women pastors. But where she lives, the closest woman pastor is several
hours away by car.

She struggles with acceptance as a pastor on two levels—as a Native American,
particularly if she is not part of the tribe of the church in which she is serving, and as a
woman. “I get tired of everyone always looking to my husband for the answers and
ignoring me, even though sometimes I know the answer better than he does. I get tired of
being the token woman pastor and the token Indian. I become invisible.”

She would like to learn how to deal better with church growth. It took her and her
husband a long time to “change the focus of the church body to the community. To make
the new ones comfortable we had to make the old ones uncomfortable.” Now, there are a
lot of young people from the community coming to the church, and she feels
overwhelmed. These “unchurched” young people come with a lot of problems, problems
that Olivia doesn’t feel equipped to adequately address.

She struggles with getting church members to take more responsibility in the church.
The old “missionary way” was for the white missionary pastors to do everything. She
sees this as “codependent,” and she wants to model a healthier way of doing ministry
together. She wants to help bring healing to a community struggling with the systemic
effects of alcoholism.

219

 

 

 

Paul

Paul is a Caucasian senior pastor of a charismatic mid-sized church. He grew up as a
Methodist, and vividly remembers a vision he had in high school which inspired him to
give his life to Christ, and commit himself to a vocation in the ministry. He started to
attend a Baptist church during his college years. A good friend of his shared his faith
with him, and invited him to an event where he had a charismatic experience. After
experiencing the “baptism of the Holy Spirit,” Paul felt led to be baptized in water. Soon
after joining the Baptist church he took on a leadership role, teaching the Bible to young
people. The pastor was a mentor for Paul. He met with Paul weekly to give him guidance
in working with the youth. They talked an hour a week. This mentoring had a profound
impact on Paul. “He modeled for me what it means to be true to the ministry.”

Paul went right from college into seminary. He found seminary to be good in some
ways; but at the same time described it as detrimental to his spiritual growth. “In
seminary, I’m sorry to say, I learned how to play political games.” He found that
seminary caused him to lose his spiritual focus, and thus his practice of ministry and
connection with church life.

Paul’s first placement was very difficult. Very soon after arriving he realized that the
church was not a good match for him. The church had split just before he came. One
startling learning experience happened when he brought out his guitar, and found that the
congregation regarded it to be “the devil’s instrument.” On a more positive note, he
learned to preach, focus his ideas, state them clearly, and bring illustrations. He also
learned he needs “to ask more questions in the search process.” He was there only one
year.

Paul had one more short-term pastorate, though this was a much more positive
experience, before serving in the current church (his first American Baptist congregation)
where he has been more than 15 years. Before he started ministry, Paul wasn’t aware of
the amount of committee work, “or some of the petty stuff church members do.” He
wasn’t aware of “the sheer amount of work. It seemed like it would be easier than it is.”

Paul takes a two-day prayer retreat each quarter, where he addresses both personal
issues and church envisioning. He attends seminars and workshops, and regularly meets
with three other local pastors for collegial support and idea sharing. He also meets
monthly with the local denominational minister’s cluster. He does not read as much as he
should, to his own detriment, he laments. He struggles with time management. He feels
a need to learn more about congregational transformation, and how to better hear and
communicate the voice of God.

For Paul, to be a pastor is to be a servant leader. On the one hand, he is called to care
for the “flock” and their spiritual needs. On the other hand, he is called to be a leader for
the church, “to help it find and fulfill its calling in the corporate nature.” He finds these
functions to be at odds with one another at times. In his early years, he was too prone to
just do what the people wanted.

220

Paul expressed a strong need for creativity in his work. “I have to keep it fresh, keep
reinventing the wheel, doing things differently, to keep continually changing, growing,
empowering.” One avenue for creativity for Paul is creating his own materials for Bible
studies. He keeps changing and improving them with each generation of usage. Finding a
renewed vision that’s continually changing keeps him excited and refreshed about
ministry. He imagines in retirement that he will continue to pastor.

Peter

Peter is an Afiican American pastor of a very large urban African American
congregation in the east. Peter always knew he was called to the ministry. He went to
seminary right out of college. He found that field education during seminary, that is,
working in a church in a supervised ministry setting, was helpful in determining his
readiness for ministry, and in providing an opportunity for beginning to put theory into
practice. Nevertheless, once he began ministering in his first parish, he encountered a
number of surprises. “So much about ministry is not writing, not calculated, not
scientific,” he asserts. “There is an element of surprise. It always evolves.” Peter
remembered what his pastor did when he was growing up, as he attempted to make sense
of the ministry. He learned a lot from growing up in church, observing worship styles
develop, for example, but as an outsider looking in, he “didn’t know Monday to Saturday
night.” He “didn’t know what was demanded of a minister.”

Peter is always engaging in self-evaluation. He critiques his sermons, evaluates
programming. He finds strength in the comeraderie of colleagues, through
denominational and ecumenical minister’s councils. He attends two to three educational
events every year. He regrets not having had a mentor in the ministry. Instead he has
“learned to deal with my parishioners through trial and error.” Peter believes that
competition prevents ministers from being of more support to one another. He would
like to see a higher trust level, so pastors could pool their strengths “in an effort to perfect
ministry.”

Peter has found the most difficult times in his ministry to be times of transition.
He struggled with making the decision to leave his previous church, for he was very
comfortable. He struggled with telling the congregation, and observing them react with
anger and bitterness. He struggled with financial matters related to relocating: selling the
house, finding adequate housing in his new location. He struggled with helping his
family adjust to the new living situation, which took a long time. “My wife cried for four
years when we moved, until our financial situation improved.” He was concerned about
his effectiveness during this time of stress: “I prayed to God that my personal crisis
would not affect the quality of my ministry.”

Though Peter is now near retirement, he is still struggling with a number of issues
related to his learning, including finding more effective ways to deal with conflict and
time management. “I’m absorbing too much responsibility, working 7 days and 7 nights,
no weekend, no days off, it’s wearing me out.” He feels the congregation needs to take

221

 

more responsibility: “Congregations need to know they do not own their pastor. They
must not be so possessive that they must be in complete control of their pastor’s life.” At
the same time, pastors “must know they are not indispensable. We must not be so
emotionally involved in an issue that we become dysfunctional. We must not become
paralyzed, we must keep a much broader perspective.”

Peter’s image of what it means to be a minister is a cross with a heart on it. There
are rays of light emanating from the cross. He is at the foot of the cross receiving those
rays, which are the power of God to become strong and to endure suffering so that others
might know God’s grace, and the resurrection that follows the suffering. He accepts the
pastorate as Christ accepted the cross. He sees self-sacrifice as part of “the package.” A
minister also has personal pain and suffering, he asserts. But “just because a pastor has
pain, doesn’t mean the needs of the people stop... You have to pull yourself up out of the
stuff you’re in. One has to acknowledge one’s own discomfort, hurt, anger, pain and
receive vertical healing from God in order to help others.” In spite of all the struggles he
has endured, he says if he had to choose his vocation over again, he would do the same
thing.

Rita

Rita is a middle aged Caucasian pastor of a small urban church with two small
diverse congregations. She is a second career pastor, having moved into the ministry in
the last ten years after a career in clinical psychology.

When she was a child, her whole family was involved in church. She first heard a
call to ministry when she was in elementary school, and considers her whole life to be
ministry, even before her time as a local church pastor. After moving away from her
health care setting for her (then) spouse’s job, she accepted an associate pastorate, then
went to seminary concurrently with working in the church. She noted disciplinary
differences between psychology and ministry. “Ministry is more subjective, it helped me
to get away from an instrumental model of learning. You don’t do Bible studies to teach
the nuance of the literary form.”

She found ordination to be a very important process for her, as an affinnation of
her call and a statement of accountability. After serving for five years as associate pastor,
she accepted a call to pastor a very small church whose doors were about to close. She
has been there a little over five years. She began her ministry there with the
understanding that drastic changes were needed quickly. Still, there was tremendous
conflict and some church members left. Rita sought out support through this process
from a friend who had training in conflict management. She was tougher than she might
have been in another context. “I claimed my authority. It was the church’s only chance
to survive.” She read avidly on “turnaround churches.” She struggles with training lay
leadership, particularly in this context where there are no leadership models, and where
very few people have jobs requiring similar leadership skills.

222

 

Her metaphor for ministry is midwife. “I am there to see them through first being
born, and to mentor them on their journey.” She sees little life changes as part of the
rebirthing process, and sees her role as also helping the community to “be ready for what
God might be birthing in it.” She sees herself as a companion rather than a guide. She
shares her experience, strength and hope with them, which encourages them to seek God
in their lives. She loves to help people discern their “gifts and callings, and empower
them for ministry.” This is a tremendous avenue for creative expression for Rita.

She worries that her age, sex, and marital status will prevent her from ever being
considered for another ministry context. In her former role as an associate pastor, she felt
she had been treated as a “second class citizen,” and anticipates prejudice against her as a
woman in ministry from those who do not know her. She has been able to develop
friendships in her church, but finds herself lacking for professional support. She has cut
herself off from clergy colleague support since her divorce, anticipating criticism.

She struggles with finding time for sermon and Bible study preparation, despite
spending long hours every day working. She has developed her abilities as a counselor
and administrator, and advocate for the church in the community. She wants to spend
more time developing her own spiritual life and training as a spiritual director. She is
working at finding balance in her life, and acknowledges that prior to her divorce, she
used work to run away from problems at home. She wants to learn more about emerging
models of the church, and is convinced that church “as we know it isn’t going to
survive.” She believes in system and institutional change.

Samson

Samson is an African American pastor from the south who recently completed a
five-year associate pastorate at a 300-member African American middle class urban
church. He has just begun a religious administrative leadership position. He believes
strongly in education and has several degrees, including a bachelor of business, a master
of divinity, and a doctor of ministry. Before entering the ministry, he worked in business
and education. He served as an associate minister in two churches prior to the full-time
associate pastorate.

Samson traces his call to ministry back to his childhood. As a boy, he admired
the doctor and the “preacher” in his community. He learned about African American
heroes in school such as Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, and George Washington Carver.
His community encouraged him to pursue education, though racism in the deep south
prevented many educated black men from getting commensurate employment. “People
with college degrees worked in post offices. You had to get a master’s degree before you
were hired to teach.” In college, he initially pursued medicine, but when that didn’t pan
out, he was reticent to pursue the ministry. After going through a painful divorce and job
loss, his attitude changed and he began to seek spiritual guidance. He recognized that
God was calling him to focus on ministry. He went to talk to the pastor of his church,
who moved him through the process of being licensed to preach. Then Samson enrolled
in seminary.

223

 

His experience as a [volunteer] associate minister with his mentor pastors was
mixed. The first pastor doubted his commitment and was slow to encourage him, then
ultimately became threatened by his emerging leadership. His second senior pastor was a
wonderful mentor, who allowed him to preach, lead Sunday School, and even counsel
people. He learned from these pastors both as models, and through critical reflection on
how he would do things differently. Both of these preachers were very conservative
“fundamental,” and didn’t believe in women in ministry. Samson was “converted” in
seminary, when he heard a preacher challenge them, “How dare those of you who have
been oppressed participate in the oppression of someone else?” He also received
significant support from women colleagues in seminary. Finally, he was offered a paid
position as an associate pastor. He accepted it, and quit his academic job, despite a
significant cut in salary. He was not prepared for the power struggles that emerged
within the church leadership. People attacked him as pastor. There was conflict, and the
church was “dysfunctional.” He found the church did not adequately value his work. He
handled this disappointment by seeking options, through further education (Doctor of
Ministry) and building relationships in the community. “I always created options for
myself. This helped me not to feel trapped... When you don’t have to be there, you can
be there.”

His image of ministry is a servant. He recognizes that even little things are
significant, and sees the work he does as having eternal value. He values ecumenical
relationships and collaboration. He loves to share resources, help, offer comfort,
encourage, support, be a cheer leader, to make a difference in someone’s life. One
pastoral colleague told him, “ I’ve been able to comfort everyone in the family. But, I
haven’t been able to grieve myself, that’s why I’ve come to you.”

Along the way on his spiritual journey, Samson has struggled with such issues as
raising his kids, comforting emergency room staff when they broke down, watching his
congregation caught up with such insignificant issues as the color of drapes, how to hold
his marriage vows, and visiting people in nursing homes. These experiences have
stretched his faith. The high points on his journey are “landmarks where I know I’ve
made a professional step,” such as graduation. The experience of reaching a landmark
gives him a sense of completion and satisfaction.

He has learned that the most important thing he can do is to be a listener, express
care and trust the process. He found himself at his best as a pastor with people at times of
struggle or transition, such as someone dying, getting married, or teens with struggles
who come to see him for counseling. “1 get so much joy from being with folks in that
journey. It’s immediate. I try to hold onto it.” What really matters in life, Samson
contends, is relationships.

He doesn’t feel confident or worthy to be a minister. He says “there is no such

thing as being competent.” Life is a journey, and you learn all along the way. He
struggles with the mundane aspects of the work, and he wants to be able to “fix it all.”

224

 

He worries about the next generation of pastors, because the efforts to become a pastor
are great, “with so little benefits and financial rewards.”

He has a passion for the care and nurture of other pastors. He loves to engage in
problem solving, and creating a new vision. He would like to learn more about
congregational transformation. He does a lot of reading. He wants to surround himself
with people who are on the cutting edge as ministry professionals. And, he yearns for a
church to call him as [senior] pastor.

Sandi

Sandi and her husband are Caucasian copastors of a medium-sized country church
in the midwest. They have been there for about ten years, and share responsibility for
every aspect of ministry, including preaching.

Sandi grew up Roman Catholic, and had a sense of vocation for the ministry at a
young age. She thought at that time that she would become a nun, but gave that idea up
in high school once she realized she wanted children of her own. Her mom was also a
role model for her—a devout Catholic woman who prayed the rosary every day. As a
teenager living overseas, she worked at the Red Cross and saw children dying of
starvation, and she saw racial prejudice. In college, she had an experience of personal
faith and commitment to God. She married her husband, who went on to seminary and to
be a pastor. Sandi was a pastor’s wife for many years before going into the ministry. She
felt that prepared her well for the “realities inside the church,” in particular for the ways
the church as a system can be dysfunctional.

Sandi completed her bachelor’s and master’s of education, and her Master of
Divinity prior to beginning ministry. She also had experience counseling battered
women. Before making the decision to go to seminary, it was discouraging to her to see
“the slow anguish of women-trying to find placement.” Therefore, she wrestled with God
over the call to go to seminary. Several people in her life confirmed her call to ministry,
which helped her decide to go. While in seminary, she was a teaching assistant. Her
professor encouraged her to go on for a Ph. D. She declined to follow that path, because
she wanted “to teach lay people to understand the Bible as a life source.” She felt a
particular moment of clarity upon making that decision. She came to understand that she
is “called to be prophet, to see what’s happening now, and how we need to relate to God
to go in the right direction.” Seminary confronted her to articulate what she believed.
She became drawn to the issue of justice.

Learning to listen has been an important challenge for her as a pastor. She also
struggles with a bad temper, and wishes she could create greater accountability as a
pastor. She was surprised when she began pastoring how much “spiritual energy it takes
to preach a sermon.” She worried about acceptance as a woman. She expresses her
creativity through a Bible study method she has developed, and she has shared it not only
in her church but with colleagues in her area as well. She also enjoys being creative in

225

 

her preaching. “It means the world to me when I can be the transmitter of God’s word in
such a way that someone’s life is transformed because of it.” She loves to problem solve.

She believes it’s very important to maintain your integrity as a pastor. “Never let
yourself be bought.” Overall, the church has affirmed her role as a minister, though
occasionally she has to deal with people who “have never accepted my pastoral
authority.” She struggles with a lack of time and resources. She wishes she had more
opportunity to interact collegially with other clergy. She wishes she had a mentor as a
new pastor, and would like more training in evangelism, spiritual formation, and
congregational transformation.

She is careful to take her days off, and to guard time for prayer. Her motto is to
love the church, and trust God. She has experienced people attacking her. “Some don’t
think before they speak; some are deliberately harmful.” She changes what she can, and
“what can’t be cured must be endured.” She has learned that if you tend to people’s
needs during decision-making processes, that things work out.

Tyler

Tyler is the African American senior pastor of a large urban African American
congregation in the midwest. He has been there over ten years.

His parents were active as lay leaders in church when he was growing up. In
college, he studied government, expecting to be a lawyer. When he broke up with his
girlfriend, he rethought his life direction. He became disillusioned about the government.
By his junior year, he knew he was called to ministry. A speaker at a church event talked
about ministry as a vocation, and spent a lot of time with Tyler after the event. Tyler still
has a letter he sent him.

Divinity school helped him gain a strong intellectual and academic foundation. It
challenged his beliefs. He was not prepared to encounter students and faculty who had
no profession of faith. While in divinity school, Tyler worked as a campus minister. He
noticed that much of what the congregation needed had little to do with what he was
learning in seminary. They needed less theoretical, more practical teaching.

After seminary, he was called as an associate pastor at a church with a well-
known African American preacher as his mentor. He had a lot of opportunities for
ministry, and was critical of the ways he saw things done. Quickly, he wanted his own
congregation, but it took longer than he would have liked to receive that call. He moved
to his first senior pastorate after a little more than 2 years as associate.

In his first senior pastorate, he learned how much he didn’t know. “I felt like I
was flying by the seat of my pants.” In the pulpit he learned that ministers are not that
different from everybody else. His contacts with other pastors disappointed him, and he
challenges himself not to “stoop to that level.” He had to learn how to work with the
diaconate, to deal with “fractious groups,” as well as financial problems. He had a lot of

226

 

“administrative hurdles” to overcome. He knew how to prepare sermons, but had to work
hard to find time to think it through every week, to find illustrations, and to identify the
movement of ideas. After five years, with the intervention of his mentor, he received a
call to his current church.

Tyler has faced tremendous challenges in trying to move his current congregation
toward change. The congregation had its heyday 50 years ago, and has been declining
steadily for decades. The aging membership resists change, yet blames the pastor when
changes doesn’t happen. He is trying to lead the church to change the worship style to
attract growing families and children, but is frustrated. “An older congregation’s
determination ought not be underestimated.” He has not seen the kind of change he
would have liked. He asks God, “Why?” He wants to see the results of his labor. He
brought a vision statement to the church for review, reviewed it in a Bible class, and
strategized with key members how to live it out. On the one hand, he is hopeful that next
year will be the “tum-around year.” On the other hand, if it’s not, he will begin looking
for a new ministry context.

Tyler has a strong will. He tries to be open-minded early on, but once he has
made his mind up, he finds it hard to change. He likes taking on projects where success
and failure can be seen and measured, like shoveling snow. Pastoring is not like that; it’s
hard to measure success.

He struggles with a number of limitations. He is quiet and reserved, and people
sometimes perceive him as being distant or unfiiendly. He doesn’t give his associate
ministers enough feedback. He doesn’t like having to depend on others in order to
achieve success, and so resists teamwork. He sees his ego as a barrier on the one hand,
and fear and hesitancy and lack of confidence on the other.

He seeks out collegial relationships with other ministers, and listens to sermons to
hone his preaching skills. He spends time with young people, to keep himself in tune
with the world they live in, and make his preaching relevant. He needs training as a
supervisor, volunteer leadership training, and time management.

His image of what it means to be a pastor is transformation, like a caterpillar
becoming a butterfly (what it’s meant to be) as oppOsed to a chameleon (copying what it
sees). He sees himself transformed from his college years, when he never saw himself as
a pastor, to having fully embraced a pastoral identity today. He prays he will never be a
disgrace to his calling.

Walter

Walter is a Caucasian pastor of a large Caucasian urban congregation. He grew up
in church, “in the fundamentalist world.” Both of his parents were involved as lay
leaders in the church. He remembers his pastor being an articulate speaker and excellent
congregation developer. He grew up immersed in the church. He “inched his way” to a

227

 

call to ministry, not remembering a particular moment when he knew he was called. In
high school he recalls planning to go into law or pastoral ministry.

On his way to college, he had his first “encounter” with God. He remembers an
emerging awareness that it was okay to ask questions now. During college, he became
involved in the civil rights movement. He was inspired by such leaders as Martin Luther
King J r., Frederick Sampson, and Clarence Jordan. This created a “tremendous
dissonance” with his upbringing, and ultimately he was kicked out of his church over
civil rights. He was a “firebrand.”

He went right from college to seminary, deciding to attend for a year “to see how
it goes.” Many among his student cohort were draft dodgers. He examined a number of
denominations and was pleased to discover the American Baptist church, so he could
retain his Baptist heritage. His way out of southern fundamentalism was “through my
head, in intellectual thoughts.” He found help in seminary professors and theologians,
especially appreciating learning about liberation theology. He said his intellectual journey
“forms” his ministerial identity.

After seminary, he spent a year in Europe in a pastoral internship. He leamed a
lot about transcending cultural differences and dealing with people in grief. He learned
to value ecumenism.

Following the internship, his first ministry placement was as an associate pastor.
He spent a lot of time working with Christian Education and youth. His senior pastor
mentor was an “intellectual” pastor. Walter saw the church decline in spite of good
preaching. During this time, he attended a continuing education program that exposed
him to “meditation, visions and dreams, before spirituality became popular.” His area
minister helped him to make peace with his Southern Baptist heritage.

After about five years, he heard a call to pastor his current congregation, which at
that time had fewer than 50 members. He became their first full-time pastor. He has
been there over 20 years. Along the way, he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree. He
spent some time during those years also working in seminary administration. He wore
out from working two full-time jobs, even though he has a lot of “life energy,” because it
was not being replenished.

Walter is energized by intellectual challenge and spiritual depth. He develops
good church leaders and managers. At the beginning, he built the church around his
personality. He realized later that he had to build “interlocking networks to sustain the
church.” He had let them trust him too much, and not taught them how to evaluate. So
he worked at building a system of accountability.

He continued his passion for civil rights by leading his church to develop a sister
relationship with an Afiican American church. He began attending the minister’s council
of black Baptist pastors. “I’m closer with the black clergy because they tend to stay.” He
was also part of a small accountability group of clergy that presented case studies to one

228

 

another. He laments the fact that his ministerial colleagues move away; it makes it
difficult to develop long term fiiendships, which he needs.

Walter expresses his creativity through preaching, and exercising visionary
leadership. “Leadership involves a number of aspects, thinking about where you are
going, casting a vision, building relationships, evaluating how it isn’t working, sharing
uncritical love, and growing a people of God.” He loves to “be a bridge builder.”

He took a recent sabbatical to the Holy Land (middle east), paid for by the church.
It helped him “reenergize” after doing the two jobs. He was pleased to see that the
church was able to “survive” while he was gone.

He has a strong commitment to inclusiveness. “Worship must be open to all
God’s people. Soul freedom is the core.” He will fight for anyone’s right to disagree.
He sees the local church as the core of ministry, and “waste[s] little time with
denominations.” He believes that denominations have forgotten that they were created to
serve the local church. He believes drastic change is needed, “a radical surgery.”
Intellectual growth is key for him; he demands of himself and his colleagues good,
thoughtful, critical work. What unites people in Walter’s view is love.

In his early 505 Walter had prostate cancer surgery. It caused him to reflect on his
life, and begin to think about retirement. He can’t imagine life without ministry. He
said, “I resonate with what Dean Smith, basketball coach at Chapel Hill said, ‘I will stop
coaching when I don’t have any fire in the belly.’”

Wanda

Wanda is an African American pastor from a major west coast city. In the last ten
years, she has moved from a career in nursing to the ministry. She works as a chaplain
and pastoral counselor, and serves in her church as an associate minister.

Wanda was raised in a Baptist church. As an adult, she attended a
nondenominational church, she “was in a searching mode,” on a quest for the truth. She
worked for ten years as a licensed nurse while studying part time to complete her
undergraduate degree. She encountered women in ministry for the first time while in
college. She began to see a spiritual director, a minister, who became her mentor. She
helped Wanda develop a spiritual autobiography and to explore various ways of thinking
about ministry.

Wanda sees her call to ministry as linked with her spiritual journey. When she
was a nurse in a psychiatric care center, she observed that the children needed spiritual
care. At the same time, she became aware of a need to express her spiritual life
professionally. She felt compelled to complete her schooling in order to follow her call.
When she was first called to ministry, she didn’t even have the language for it. She knew
she wanted to work with kids on their spiritual needs. She went to seminary to develop
her own spiritual life, and clarified her call to ministry while there. One night she woke

229

 

up, and heard Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God,” in her mind. This
showed her “the direction my life was already taking.” Her seminary experience helped
Wanda to “define and clarify what the journey is about,” and to integrate psychology and
spirituality.

While in seminary, she returned to the Baptist church, where she became an
associate minister. She works with the youth, teaches women’s Sunday School, and
preaches when the senior pastor allows. She limits herself in ministry there, because of
her perception that the senior pastor is “not too secure.” At the same time, she thinks she
needs to be more assertive, and own her prophetic voice, and be “really passionate, so I
can’t be silenced,” and not allow other people’s opinions about what women ought to be
doing to shape her ministry. She wishes her pastor would encourage her more in her
Christian education work, allow her to teach more. She has attempted to talk with him
“to flesh out the issues,” but hasn’t “gotten very far.” She feels he just criticizes, and
doesn’t appreciate her dedication to the work she does.

Also during seminary, Wanda was hired as a chaplain at the hospital where she
had been a nurse. Initially, the first few years, she was trying to figure out what she was
called to do. She “got caught up” with other people’s expectations. People would ask
her how come she doesn’t have her own church yet. “It makes you feel illegitimate if
you’re not called to preach.”

Her role as hospital chaplain has really allowed her to express her creativity. She
wrote her own job description, and “started to create my own expectations along the
way.” She is a free thinker, and has the ability “to not get caught up in how it’s
‘supposed’ to be.” When she gets an idea, it permeates all of her life and ministry.
“Everything I do has to do with that particular idea until I’ve worked it through.” She
enjoys working with all kinds of people, and accepts them where they are.

Like her mentor, she has developed a focus on spirituality in her ministry. At this
point in her career, Wanda wishes she could have a different kind of mentor, who has
extensive ministry experience and who “would be willing to give me advice and not
sweeten it.” She wants someone who could push her thinking and challenge her.

For Wanda, learning is about being. When she preaches, she asks herself, “How
can I be true enough with myself that they will listen?” She loves waking something up
in people, touching them where they live. Learning is also being free to question, to
“think beyond the box.” She has appreciated exploring different faith traditions as she
has developed her spiritual life.

She wants to learn more about problem solving techniques, and how to support
women in a male dominated profession. “In the protestant tradition, men are taught that
women are inferior. We haven’t arrived yet.” Wanda is the only ordained black Baptist
woman in her city. She is accused of being a “women’s libber.” Within her
denomination, she feels she is invisible, that all people see are stereotyped ideas of
African Americans and women. She would like to learn more about ministry to women.

230

 

Her image of ministry is of a spiritual center of being. From that place, she has
been led from the institution out into the community. They are all connected. Yellow
light from the Spirit permeates all of it. Part of the journey is getting a call to go on an
adventure. There are obstacles, and an apotheosis, where it all comes together, “it’s a
matter of life and death.” You pass the test, “meet the bogey man,” kill the dragon, and
bring your people a reward. “As a minister,” Wanda avers, “I have to go through the
deep waters of the journey. If I don’t, I can’t help enybody.”

Her experience of the interview was enjoyable, enlightening.

231

 

 

APPENDIX FIVE

Chart of Participants’ Developmental Tasks and Influences

232

 

Chart of Participants ’ Developmental Tasks and Influences

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assig Meaning Integration Interaction Developmental Quest for
ned Image of Intellect with other Tasks or Issues Creativity
name and Spirit clergy

(mentors,

role models,

colleagues)

Bill papa Struggles Peer Creating an open Bringing
with relationships, caring community others into
balance, acts as of faith, reaching the family
never lets go mentor for out in love to the of faith and
of others broader ministry
responsibilit community
y for others

Debor Journey Embracing Peer relation- Struggles with Planning

ah to the God’s ships with owning ministerial meaningful

well mystery, other women authority worship
social justice

Guille Mount Sees truth as Can’t bring Standing firm in Communi-

rmo Fuji inflexible, himself to one’s faith and eating the
rigid trust, but faithfulness gospel in

wants mentor language
that touches
others

Hezek midwife Self- None, but Call forth gifts, Finding

iah differentia- serves as then move on to a ways to
tion, mentor for new setting; unlock
developing a others frequent people’s
theology of transitions gifts for
love ministry

Josep Journey Embracing Seeks To always be Integrating

h up the each new job solitude, also learning and ministry

mountain as the most to encourage growing in every with the
important, others situation, never whole
learning all looking back person
he can
Juan Friend of Integrating a His pastor a To create a caring To give his
Jesus strong faith lifelong community and a life,
“greater with mentor, he knowledge of his sacrifice to
love has administrativ mentors asoc. presence and see others
no one...” e wisdom pastors and availability even grow and
“wise as others in a very large receive
serpent and church healing
harmless as
dove”

 

 

 

 

 

 

233

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assig Meaning Integration Interaction Developmental Quest for
ned Image of Intellect with other Tasks or Issues Creativity
name and Spirit clergy

(mentors,

role models,

colleagues)

Kerin Cyclical Seeking the Field To be honest and Creative
steps of Center education real with people, worship,
surrender through woman pastor walk with them on being with
and spiritual mentor, their journey, people in
learning discipline current create experiences crisis

while woman that open them to
building colleague encounter with
knowledge mentor God, teach them
through about the Bible
reading and

pondering

Mary Christ’s Being open Professor To always be Create
presence to others, mentor in present to the Bible study
in crisis new seminary, people (but resources

knowledge, wishes for struggles with that build
and the fiiendships setting limits in bridges
possibility of with women ministry), never across
God’s pastors give up on them or cultural or
transforrnati on believing what social

on in all God can do differences
situations

Olivia example Taking Bible No mentor, Sharing the Bible Create

learning in lonely, and life opportuni-
“like a wishes for applications, using ties to build
sponge” contact with own life journey a healthy,
women as an example, not co-
colleagues help Indian people dependent
take leadership in community
church

Paul Servant Seeks Pastor mentor To balance the To create

leader knowledge while in servant with the Bible study
rooted in college leader, to care for materials
experience ministry, peer the spiritual needs that address
of God’s mentors of the people the specific
presence and (comfort the life
guidance afflicted) and situations of
move people the people

 

 

 

 

toward change
(afflict the
comfortable)

 

 

234

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assig Meaning Integration Interaction Developmental Quest for
ned Image of Intellect with other Tasks or Issues Creativity
name and Spirit clergy

(mentors,

role models,

colleagues)

Peter Cross Inspired by Mentor “from To give oneself Rushing to
with a theological afar,” wishes sacrificially for the the altar to
heart on it challenge for closer, people, to not let welcome

and more honest one’s personal people into
interaction, collegial crisis interfere the
learns by relationships, with one’s community
teaching and functional effectiveness in of faith,
mentoring loner ministry, struggles preaching
others in to inspire effective compelling
formal and consistent lay sermon
learning leadership, and to
settings set limits

Rita midwife Integrating No mentor, To train lay To see
psychology but sees leaders that do not people take
and herself as a have developed on
theology, mentor for leadership skills in responsibi-
spirituality her their jobs, to lities and do
to seek community empower the them well.
transformati people to express
on their spiritual

. gifts.

Sams Mountain Seeking Spiritual To develop one’s To build

on top of intellectual father pastor authority as a relation-
completio and spiritual mentor, (senior) pastor and ships that
n peaks, mixed inspire the are honest

completion; relationship, confidence of the and deeply
studying formal role people. To walk thoughtful,
mentoring mentoring faithfully and to help
relationships other pastors patiently through people
among men the valleys, through
inspiring others to crisis
aspire for the
mountaintop.

Sandi Glori fy Never let I wish every Call to ministry Bible study,

God yourself be new pastor over time, problem
bought, could have a obedience, “do solving,
choosing mentor, wish justice, love preaching
pastoral she had a mercy, walk
ministry mentor as a humbly with your
over PhD new pastor God” listening,

 

 

 

 

 

 

235

 

 

 

“teach lay

temper, love the

 

 

 

 

 

people to people, trust God,
understand “what can’t be
the Bible as cured must be
a life endured.”
source”
Assig Meaning Integration Interaction Developmental Quest for
ned Image of Intellect with other Tasks or Issues Creativity
name and Spirit clergy
(mentors,
role models,
colleagues)
Tyler transform To bring Senior pastor As an introvert, to Preaching
ation one’s mentor from be perceived as God’s word
intellectual associate first present with the well with
knowledge position out people and not illustrations
to affect of ministry, “aloof,” to get that capture
spiritual independent people to “buy the meaning
transformati and feels into” the need for of the
on and inadequate in change, to fashion passage for
systemic his mentoring worship that will today,
change in of his touch the lives and relating to
the church ministry staff needs of young young
families people
Walte Intellectu The journey Seeks To create a church Preaching,
r a1 out of collegial where: worship is and
journey, southern cross-cultural open to all God’s engaging in
bridge- fundamentali relationships people, local visionary
builder sm is providing church is the core leadership
through intimacy, of ministry,
intellectual depth over intellectual growth
thoughts. time, and is at the core, and
Valuing soul personal love binds the
freedom and challenge to people together.
each grow as a
person’s bridge-
right to builder
disagree and
build their
own
theology
Wand Mythic Applying Spiritual To be true enough Waking
a journey one’s deep director with herself that something
thinking to mentor, now people will listen up in peo-
spiritual wants to God’s voice ple, touch-
growth and someone to speaking through ing them

 

 

 

 

 

 

236

 

 

 

 

 

 

deeper self- give her her. Learning is where they
understand- critical also being free to live. Be-
ing, to feedback in question, to “think coming so
listening to ministry and beyond the box.” absorbed in
the voice of not “sweeten an idea that
God within it” it penne-
ates all of
life while
you work it
through.

 

 

 

 

237

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABC-USA. (1994). The call and nurture of ministers : Educational Ministries.

ABC-USA. (1999a). Regional continuing education programs for clergy. Paper presented
at the National Continuing Education Team, Techny, Illinois.

ABC -USA. (199%). We Are American Baptists. American Baptist Churches in the USA.

Ackerman, R. J. (1990). Career developments and transitions of middle-aged women.
Psychology of women quarterly, 14, 513-530.

African American Pulpit, (2001 ). Valley Forge: Judson Press.

Agbo, A. 0., Price, T. L., & Mueller, C. W. (1992). Discriminant validity of measures of
job satisfaction, positive affectivity and negative affectivity. Journal of
Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 65, 185-196.

Allen, T. D., McManus, S., & Russell, J. (1999). Newcomer Socialization and Stress:
Formal Peer Relationships as a Source of Support. Journal of Vocational
Behavior, 54, 453-470.

Amatea, E. S., & Fong, M. L. (1991). The impact of role stressors and personal resources

on the stress experience of professional women. Psychology of Women Quarterly,
15, 419-430.

Anson, O., Antonovsky, A., Sagy, S., & Adler, I. (1989). Family, gender, and attitudes
toward retirement. Sex Roles, 20, 355-370.

Apps, J. W. (1988). Higher Education in a Learning Society: Meeting New Demands for
Education and Training. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Aryee, S., Luk, V., Leung, A., & Lo, S. (1999). Role Stressors, Interrole Conflict, and
Well-Being: The Moderating Influence of Spousal Support and Coping

Behaviors among Employed Parents in Hong Kong. Journal of Vocational
Behavior, 54, 259-278.

Baldwin, R. G. (1979). The Faculty Career Process--Continuity and Change: A Study of
College Professors at Five Stages of the Academic Career. Unpublished Doctoral

Dissertation, University of Michigan.

Baldwin, R. G. (1980). Adult and Career Development: What Are the Implications for
Faculty? , 13-20.

238

 

Baldwin, R. G. (1990b). Faculty Career Stages and Implications for Professional
Development. In J. H. Schuster, and Daniel W. Wheeler (Ed.), Enhancing Faculty
Careers: Strategies for Development and Renewal (pp. 20-40). San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.

Baldwin, R. G. (1990a). Faculty Career Stages and Implications for Professional
Development. In D. W. W. a. a. Jack H. Schuster (Ed), Enhancing Faculty
Careers: Strategies for Development and Renewal (pp. 34). San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.

Baldwin, R. G., & Blackburn, R. T. (1981). The Academic Career as a Developmental
Process. Journal of Higher Education, 52(6), 598-614.

Baldwin, R. G., & Blackburn, R. T. (Eds). (1983). College Faculty: Versatile Human
Resources in a Period of Constraint. (Vol. 40). San Francisco: Jossey—Bass.

Baldwin, R. G., & Chronister, J. L. (20013). Teaching Without T enure--Policies and
Practices for a New Era. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

 

Baldwin, R. G., & Krotseng, M. V. (1985). Incentives in the Academy: Issues and ,
Options. In R. G. Baldwin (Ed.), Incentives for Faculty Vitality (Vol. New
Directions for Higher Education, no 51, pp. 5-12). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bandy, T. G. (1997). Kicking Habits-- Welcome Relief for Addicted Churches. Nashville:
Abingdon Press.

Bandy, T. G. (1998). Moving Off the Map: A Field Guide to Changing the Congregation.
Nashville: Abingdon Press.

Bandy, T. G. (1999). Christian Chaos--Revolutionizing the Congregation. Nashville:
Abingdon Press.

Bandy, T. G. (2000). Coaching Change--Breaking Down Resistance, Building Up Hope.
Nashville: Abingdon Press.

Bartlett, G. E. (1978). The Authentic Pastor. Valley Forge: Judson Press.
Bennis, W., & Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders. New York: Harper and Row.

Berglund, B. (2001). Reinventing Sunday: Breakthrough Ideas for Transforming
Worship. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Best-Boss, A. (1999). Surviving Your First Year as Pastor: What Seminary Couldn't
Teach You. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

239

Best-Boss, A. (2000). Heart of a Shepherd: Meditations for New Pastors. Valley Forge,
PA: Judson Press.

Bhaghat, R. S., Allie, S. M., & D. L. Ford, J. (1991). Organizational stress, personal life
stress and symptoms of life strains: An inquiry into the moderating role of styles
of coping. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 6, 163-184.

Blackburn, R. T., & Lawrence, J. H. (1996). Aging and the Quality of Faculty Job
Performance. Review of Educational Research, 23 n3(Fall 1996), 265-290.

Bloom, P. J. (1998, April 1998). Navigating the Rapids: Directors Reflect on their
Careers and their Professional Development. Paper presented at the AERA.

Bosse, R., C. M. Aldwin, Levinson, M. R., Workman-Daniels, K., & Ekerdt, D. J. (1990).
Differences in social support among retirees and workers: Findings from the
normative aging study. Psychology and Aging, 5, 41 -47.

 

Brayfield, A. H., & Rothe, H. F. (1951). An index of job satisfaction. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 35, 307-31 1.

 

Bridges, W. (1980). T ransitions--Making Sense of Life's Changes. USA: Addison-Wesley
Publishing Company.

Brooks, P. R., Morgan, G. S., & Scherer, R. F. (1990). Sex role orientation and type of
stressful situation: Effects on coping behaviors. Journal of Social Behavior and
Personality, 5, 627-640.

Burt, S. E., & Roper, H. A. (2000). The Little Church that Could: Raising Small Church
Esteem. Valley Forge, Pennsylvania: Judson Press.

Buttry, D. L. (1988). Bringing Your Church Back to Life: Beyond Survival Mentality.
Valley Forge: Judson Press.

Campolo, T. (1995). Can Mainline Denominations Make a Comeback? Valley Forge,
Pennsylvania: Judson Press.

Caplan, R. et. al. (1975). Job Demands and Worker Health. U. S. Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare, Publication No. 75-160.

C hao, G. (1997). Mentoring Phases and Outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
51(1), 15-29.

C heatham, H. E. (1990). Africentricity and career development of African Americans.
Career Development Quarterly, 38, 334-346.

240

Cherniss, C. (1991). Career commitment in human service professionals: A biographical
study. Human Relations, 44, 419-437.

Coles, R. (1993). The Call ofService--A Witness to Idealism. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Conger, J. A. e. a. (1994). Spirit at Work: Discovering the Spirituality in Leadership. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cook, J. D., Hepworth, S. J., Wall, T. D., & Warr, P. B. (1981). The experience ofwork:
A compendium and review of 249 measures and their use. London: Academic
Press.

C ooney, T. M., & Uhlenberg, P. (1989). Family-building patterns of professional women:
A comparison of laywers, physicians and postsecondary teachers. Journal of
Marriage and the Family, 5], 749-758.

Corey, M. S., & Corey, H. (1998). Becoming a Helper. (Third Edition ed.). US:
California.

Covin, T. J ., & Brush, C. C. (1991). An examination of male and female attitudes toward
career and family issues. Sex Roles, 25, 393-415.

Crohan, S. E., Antonucci, T. C., Adelmann, P. K., & Coleman, L. M. (1989). Job
characteristics and well-being at midlife: Ethnic and gender comparisons.
Psychology of Women Quarterly, 13, 223-236.

C roucher, R. (1999). How Many Ex-Pastors? C lergv/Leaders'Mail-list, 863(July 31,
1999), l.

Crow, G. M., & Matthews, L. J. (1998). Finding One's Way: How Mentoring Can Lead
to Dynamic Leadership. ERIC Document ED414263, 202.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). F low: T he psychology of optimal experience. New York:
HarperCollins.

C sikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: F low and the psychology of discovery and
invention. New York: HarperCollins.

C sikszentmihalyi, M., & LeFevre, J. (1989). Optimal experience in work and leisure.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 815-822.

C ullinan, A. R. (1999). Sorting it Out: Discerning God '5 Call to Ministry. Valley Forge,
PA: Judson Press.

Denzin, N. K. (1989a). The Research Act. (Third ed.). New York: Prentice-Hall.

241

 

Denzin, N. K. (1989b). The Biographical Method. In Denzin (Ed.), The Research Act: A
Theoretical Introduction to Sociological Methods (pp. 182-209). Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Denzin. N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds). (2000). Handbook onualitative Research.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Diener, E., Emmons R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life
Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71-75.

Dubois, D. (2000). The Seven Stages of One's Career. training and Development, 54
n12(Dec 2000).

Eagle, B. W., et. al. (1997). Interrole conflicts and the permeability of work-family
domains: Are there gender differences? Journal of Vocational Behavior, 50, 168-
184.

Easum, B. (2000). Leadership on the Other Side. Nashville: Abingdon.

Edelwich, J. (1980). Burn-out: Stages of Disillusionment in the Helping Professions.
New York: Human Sciences Press.

Eden, D. (1990). Acute and chronic job stress, strain and vacation relief. Organizational
Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 45, 175-193.

Erdner, R. A., & Guy, R. F. (1990). Career identification and women's attitudes toward
retirement. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 30, 129-140.

Fletcher, W. L., & Hansson, R. O. (1991). Assessing the social components of retirement
anxiety. Psychological Assessment, 6, 76-85.

Fox, M. (1995). The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood for Our Time. San
Francisco: HarperCollins. ’

Fretz, B. R., Kluge, N. A., Ossanna, S. M., Jones, S. M., & Merikangas, M. W. (1989).
Intervetion targets for reducing preretirement anxiety and depression. Journal of
Counseling Psychology, 36, 301-307.

Friedman, E. (1985). Generation to Generation: Family process in church and
synagogue. New York: Guilford Press.

Fugate, A., & Amey, M. (2000). Career Stages of Community College Faculty: a

qualitative analysis of their career paths, roles and development. Community
College Review, 28 nI5(Summer, 2000), 1-22.

242

 

Fund for Theological Education. (1999). Churches identify need for young clergy.
Horizons, Spring 1999(Volume 11 Number 1), 2,6.

Gemignani, M. (2001). T 0 Know God: Small Group Exercises for Spiritual Formation.
Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Goetz, D. (1996). Forced Out. Leadership, 17(1), 40-49.

Gottfredson, L. S. (1981). Circumscription and compromise: A developmental theory of
occupational aspirations. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 28, 545-579.

Gould, R. (1978). Transformations. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Hackett, G., Lent, R. W., & Greenjaus, J. H. (1991). Advances in vocational theory and
research: A 20-year retrospective. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 38, 3-38.

Haines, V. A., Hurlbert, J. S., & Zimmer, C. (1991). Occupational stress, social support,
and the buffer hypothesis. Work and Occupations, 18, 212-235.

Hall, D., & Mirvis, P. (1995). The New Career Contract: Developing the Whole Person at
Midlife and Beyond. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 47 n3(l995), 269-290.

Hall, D. T., & Nougiam, K. (1968). An Examination of Maslow's Need Hierarchy in an

Organizational Setting. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 3, 12-
35.

Hamilton, M. L. J. (2001). All I Needed to Know about Ministry I Learned from Fly
Fishing. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Hanisch, K. A., & Hulin, C. L. (1990). Job attitudes and organizational withdrawal: An
examination of retirement and other voluntary withdrawal behaviors. Journal of
Vocational Behavior, 37, 60-78.

Hansen, D. (1996). The Church of Your Dreams: and why it's dangerous to minister
there. Leadership: A Practical Journal for Church Leaders, 17(1), 34-38.

Herbert, J. I. (1990). Integrating race and adult psychosocial development. Journal of
Organizational Behavior, 1 1, 433-446.

Herzog, A. R., House, J. S., & Morgan, J. N. (1991). Relation of work and retirement to
health and well-being in older age. Psychological Assessment, 6, 202-211.

Hesketh, B., Elmslie, S., & Kaldor, W. (1990). Career compromise: An alternative
account to Gottfredson's theory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 3 7, 49-56.

Hewett-Ellis, M. (2001). No Sanctuary for Clergywomen. Zion 's Herald, J an-Feb 2001 ,
5-7.

243

Hill, L. A., & Elias, J. (1990). Retraining midcareer managers: Career history and self-
efficacy beliefs. Human Resource Management, 29, 197-218.

Hines, S. G., & DeYoung, C. P. (2000). Beyond Rhetoric: Reconciliation as a Way of
Life. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Houston, J. (1982, 1997 second edition). The Possible Human: A Course in Enhancing
Your Physical, Mental and Creative Abilities. New York: Jeremy P.
Tarcher/Putnam.

Houston, J. (1997). A Passion for the Possible: A Guide to Realizing Your True Potential.
San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.

Howe, L. (2000). A Pastor in Every Pew: Equipping Laity for Pastoral Care. Valley
Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Howe, L. (2001). Angry People in the Pew: Managing Anger in the Church. Valley
Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Hunt, R. A., & Hunt, J. A. (1982). Called to Minister. Nashville: Abingdon.

Imel, S. (2000). Surviving the Career Doldrums: Practice Application Briefs. Eric
Clearinghouse, ED438451, 4.

Johnsrud, L. K., & Wunsch, M. (1991). Junior and senior faculty women: Commonalities

and differences in perceptions of academic life. Psychological Reports, 69, 879-
886.

Jones, G. D. (1998). Retirees Remain Ministers Council Colleagues. The Ministers
Council Newsletter, ABC- USA, February 1998, 6.

Jones, K. B. (2001). Rest in the Storm: Self-Care Strategies for Clergy and Other
Caregivers. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Keck, L. R. (1992). Sacred Eyes. Boulder, CO: Synergy Associates.

Kemper, R. G. (1979). The New Shape of Ministry-T aking Accountability Seriously.
Nashville: Abingdon.

Kennedy, E., & Heckert, V. (1972). The Catholic Priesthood in the US, Psychological
Investigations. Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference.

Kenney, P. A. (1999). Survey on Clergy and their Work . East Lansing, MI: Michigan
State University.

244

 

Kerka, S. (1999). Career Development and Gender, Race and Class. ERIC, January
1999(Digest #199).

King, S. (1989). Sex differences in a causal model of career maturity, Journal of Career
Development, 68, 208-215.

Koberg, C. S., Boxx, R. W., & Goodman, E. (1998). Factors and Outcomes Associated
with Mentoring among Health-Care Professionals. Journal of Vocational
Behavior, 53(1998), 58-72.

Kotter, John P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Kuhnert, K. W., & Palmer, D. R. (1991). Job security, health, and the intrinsic and
extrinsic characteristics of work. Group and Organization Studies, 16, 178-192.

Kuhnert, K. W., Sims, R. R., & Lahey, M. A. (1989). The relationship between job
security and employee health. Group and Organizational Studies, 14, 178-192.

Lawrence, J. H., & Blackburn, R. T. (1988). Age as a Factor of Faculty Productivity.
Journal of Higher Education, 59 n1 (J an-Feb 1988), 22-38.

Levinson, D. J. (1986). A conception of adult development. American Psychologist, 41,
3-13.

Levinson, D. J. (1996). The Seasons of a Woman's Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Levinson, D. J., Darrow, C. N., Klein, E. B., Levinson, M. H., & McKee, B. (1978). The
Seasons of a Man 's Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Lincoln, Y. (2001). Reconsidering Rapport: Interviewing as Postmodern Inquiry
Practice. Paper presented at the Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the
American Educational Research Association (Seattle, WA, April 10-14, 2001).

Lincoln, Y.. & Guba, E. (l985a). Naturalistic Inquiry. London: Sage.

Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985b). Postpositivism and the Naturalistic Paradigm,
Naturalistic Inquiry . Newbury Park: Sage.

Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Tracks toward a Postmodern Politics of Evaluation. Evaluation
Practice, 15 no 3(October 1994), 299-309.

Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). From Understanding to Action: New Imperatives, New Criteria,
New Methods for Interpretive Researchers. Theory and Research in Social
Education, 26 n I (Winter 1998), 12-29.

245

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1986). But is it Rigorous? Trustworthiness and
Authenticity in Naturalistic Evaluation. New Directions for Program Evaluation,
n30(June 1986), 73-84.

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1988, April 5-9, 1988). Criteriafor Assessing Naturalistic
Inquiries as Reports. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American
Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.

Ludeker, D. (1997). Survey of Lifeong Learning and Growth Needs Throughout the Life
Cycle of Ministry. , American Baptist Churches in the USA, Valley Forge, PA.

Magen, Z. (1998). Exploring Adolescent Happiness: Commitment, Purpose, and
Fulfillment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

'1 “PI-‘1

Marty, M., & DeWire, H. (1966). The Guidance of Ministerial Candidates. Washington, ]
DC: Ministry Studies Board.

Mathis, R. C. (1980?). Academic Careers and Adult Development: A Nexus for ;
Research.

Mazen, A. M. and Lemkau, J. P. (1990). Personality profiles of women in traditional and
nontraditional occupations, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 37, 46-59.

McEnrue, M. P. (1989). Self-development as a career management strategy. Journal of
Vocational Behavior, 34, 57-68.

Melamed, T. (1996). Validation ofa Stage Model of Career Success. Applied
Psychology, 45(1), 35.

Mills, E. (1973). Peer Groups and Professional Development. Nashville, Tennessee:
United Methodist Church.

Moore, T. (1994). Discovering Everyday Spirituality: an Eight-Part Video Series [video].
New York, New York: Trinity Television, Parish of Trinity Church.

Morseth, S. E., BVM. (1998, August 15-19, 1998). Worshipful Work. Paper presented at
the Minister's Council Senate, Green Lake, Wisconsin.

Nicholson, Roger S. (1998). Temporary Shepherds: A Congregational Handbookfor
Interim Ministry. USA: Alban Institute.

Niebuhr, H. R. (1956). The Purpose of the Church and Its Ministry. New York: Harper
and Brothers.

Nouwen, H. (2001). Turn My Mourning into Dancing. USA: W Publishing Group, a
division of Thomas Nelson.

246

 

Omstein, S., Cron, W. L., & J. W. Slocum, J. (1989). Life stage versus career stage: A

comparative test of the theories of Levinson and Super. Journal of Organizational
Behavior, 10, 117-133.

Osipow, S. H. (1983). Theories ofcareer development. (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, N. J.:
Prentice-Hall.

Osipow, S. H. (1990). Convergence in theories of career choice and development:
Review and prospect. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 39, 291—296.

Palmer, P. (1983). To Know as We are Known: A Spirituality of Education. San
Francisco: Harper and Rowe.

Palmer, P. (1990). The Active Life: Wisdom for work, creativity and caring. San
Francisco: Harper and Row.

Palmer, P. (1993). Good Talk About Good Teaching. Change, 25(Nov-Dec 1993), 8-13.
Palmer, P. (1997a). The Heart of a Teacher. Change(November/December 1997), 15-21.

Palmer, P., & J acobsen, E. (1974). Action Research: A New Style of Politics in
Education. An IRE Report . Boston, MA: Institute for Responsive Education.

Palmer, P. J. (1997b). Teaching and Learning in Community. About Campus, 2 n5(Nov-
Dec 1997), 4-13.

Palmer, P. J. (2000). Let Your Life Speak. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Patton, M. (1997). Toward Distinguishing Empowerment Evaluation and
Placing It in a Larger Context. Evaluation Practice, I8-2(Spring-Summer 1997),

147-63.

Patton, M., & Westby, C. (1992). Ethnography and Research: A Qualitative View.
Topics in Language Disorders, 12n3(May 1992), 1-14.

Patton, M. Q. (1987). How T 0 Use Qualitative Methods in Evaluation. CSE
Program Evaluation Kit, Volume 4. Second Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Patton, M. Q. (1996). A World Larger than Formative and Summative. Evaluation
Practice, 17-2(Spr-Sum 1996), 131-144.

Payne, B. C. E., & Beazley, H. (2000). Reclaiming the Great Commission: A Practical

Model for Transforming Denominations and Congregations. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.

247

 

 

Perelman, L. J. (1992). School 's Out: A Radical New Formula for the Revitalization of
America '5 Education System. New York: Avon Books.

Perkins, J. C. (1999). Building Up Zion 's Walls: Ministry for Empowering the African
American Family. Valley Forge: Judson Press.

Poole, M. E., Langan-Fox, J ., Ciavarella, M., & Omodei, M. (1991). A contextualist
model of professional attainment: Results of a longitudinal study of career paths
of men and women. The Counseling Psychologist, 19, 603-624.

Reilly, N. P., & Orsak, C. L. (1991). A career stage analysis of career and organizational
commitment in nursing. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 39, 31 1-330.

47.!

Rouch, M. (1971). A Young Pastors Pilot Project: An Experiment in Continuing
Education for Ministry. Journal of Pastoral Care, 25(March 1971), 4.

Rudolph, F. (1990). The American College and University: A History. Athens, Georgia:
University of Georgia Press.

 

Sample, T. (1984). Blue-Collar Ministry: Facing Economic and Social Realities of
Working People. Valley Forge: Judson Press.

Sample, T. (1998). The Spectacle of Worship in a Wired World: Electronic Culture and
the Gathered People of God. Nashville: Abingdon.

Scanlon, K. (1997). Mentoring Women Administrators-Breaking Through the Glass
Ceiling. Initiatives, 58(Fall 1997), 39-59.

Schuller, D. S., Strommen, M. P., 8L Brekke, M. L. (Eds). (1980). Ministry in America.
San Francisco: Harper and Row.

Schwandt, T. A. (1997). Qualitative Research: A Dictionary of Terms. Thousand Oaks:
Sage.

Seymour, J. (1995). A Time for Healing: Overcoming the Perils of Ministry. Valley
Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Sheehy, G. (1976). Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life. New York: E. P. Dutton.

Sherwood, A. (1986). Breakpoints--Making Career Stages Work for You. Garden City,
New York: Doubleday.

Sinetar, M. (1987). Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow. New York: Dell.

Smart, R., & Peterson, C. (1997). Super's Career Stages and the Decision to Change
Careers. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 51 (1997), 358-374.

248

Smart, M. (1998). Career Stages in Australian Professional Women: a Test of Super's
Model. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 52n3(1998), 379-395.

Snyder, L. (2001) Introduction to Interim Ministry. Southfield: American Baptist
Churches of Michigan, Conference, November 12-13, 2001.

Spong, J. S. (1990). Living in Sin? A Bishop Rethinks Human Sexuality. San Francisco:
HarperCollins.

Stanley, C. (1985). How to Listen to God. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Stein, D. (2000). The New Meaning of Retirement. Eric Digest #27.

Stewart, C. W. (1974). Person and Profession--Career Development in the Ministry.
Nashville: Abingdon Press.

Stickel, S. A. and Bonett, R. M. (1991) Gender differences in career self-efficacy:
Combining a career with home and family. Journal of College Student
Development, 32, 297-301.

Stitt-Gohdes, W. L. (1997). Career Development: Issues of Race, Gender, and Class.
Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career and Vocational Education,
Information Series No. 371.

Strohl, L. (2001). Why Doctors Now Believe Faith Heals. Reader's Digest(May 2001),
108-1 15.

Sullivan, S. E. (1992). Effects of Career Stage on Retirement: A Longitudinal Analysis.
International Journal of Career Management, 4(1).

Super, D. E. (1957a). The Psychology of Careers: An Introduction to Vocational
Development. New York: Harper and Row.

Super, D. E. (1957b). Vocational Development: A Framework for Research. New York:
Teacher's College Press.

Super, D. E. (Ed). (1984). Career and Life Development. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Super, D. E. (1990). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. In D. a. L.
B. Brown (Ed), Career choice and development (2nd ed., ). San Francisco:

J ossey—Bass.

Super, D. E., & Hall, D. T. (1978). Career Development: Exploration and Planning. In M.
R. a. L. W. P. Rosenzweig (Ed.), Annual Review of Psychology (Vol. 29).

249

 

Super, D. E., Savickas, M. L., & Super, C. M. (1996). The Life Span, Life Space
Approach to Careers. In D. a. L. B. Brown (Ed.), Career Choice and Development
(pp. 121-178). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Swanson, J. (1992). REVIEW: Vocational Behavior, 1989-1991: Life Span Career
Development and Reciprocal Interaction of Work and Nonwork. Journal of
Vocational Behavior, 4 I , 101-161.

Sweet, L. (1994). Faithquakes. Nashville: Abingdon.

Sweet, L. (1998). A Cup of Coffee at the SoulCafe. Nashville: Broadman and Holman
Publishers.

Sweet, L. (1999a). Soul Tsunami: Sink or Swim in New Millennium Culture. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Sweet, L. (1999b). AquaChurch. Loveland, Colorado: Group.

Switzer, D. K. (1979). Pastor, Preacher Person: Developing a Pastoral Ministry
Indepth. Nashville: Abingdon.

Thorpe, J. and Willhauck, S. (2001) The Web of Women's Leadership: Recasting
Congregational Ministry.

Tierney, W. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Teaching Qualitative Methods in Higher
Education. Review of Higher Education, 17 n 2(Winter 1994), 107-24.

Uris, A., & Tarrant, J. J. (1983). Career Stages--Surmounting the Crises of Working Life.
New York: Seaview/Putnam.

Vasil, L. (1992). Self-Efficacy Expectations and Causal Attributions for Achievement
among Male and Female University Faculty. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 41,
259-269.

Vondracek, F. W. (1992). The Construct of Identity and Its Use in Career Theory and
Research. Career Development Quarterly, 41 (December 1992), 130-144.

Vondracek, F. W., Lerner, R. M., & Schulenberg, J. E. (1986). Career Development: A
Life-Span Developmental Approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Eribaum.

Wagner, J. P. (1998). The Enneagram and the Spiritual Journey. (Vol. 1998-2). Kansas
City, KS: Midwest Ministry Development Service.

Wakefield, D. (2001). Releasing the Creative Spirit. Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths
Publishing.

250

 

Wasserman, M. (1999). Beating the Clock. Federal Bank of Boston Regional Review,
9(1), 8-15.

Watkins, W. T. (1999). Gospel, Grits and Grace: Encountering the Holy in the
Ridiculous, the Sublime, and the Unexpected. Philadelphia: Judson Press.

Whitcomb, H. W. (2002). Practicing Your Path--A Book of Retreats for an Intentional
Life. Philadelphia, PA: Innisfree Press.

Whyte, D. (1994). The Heart Aroused: Poetry and the Preservation of Soul in Corporate
America. New York: Doubleday.

Wicks, R. J. (2000). Simple Changes--Quietly Overcoming Barriers to Personal and
Professional Growth. Allen, TX: Thomas More Publishing.

Winebrenner, J., & Frazier, D. (1993). When a Leader Falls-- What Happens to Everyone
Else? Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers.

Woodd, M. (1999). The Psychology of Career Theory--A New Perspective. Journal of
European Industrial Training, 23(4-5), 18-23.

Woods, C. J. (2001). Better than Success: 8 Principles of Faithful Leadership. Valley
Forge, Pennsylvania: Judson Press.

251