Commentary: Finding new ways to attract new clergy
Clergy give prayers of support as young people offer
commitment cards indicating their interest in ordained ministry during
EXPLORATION 2006 in Jacksonville, Fla.
A UMNS file photo by Vicki Brown.
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A UMNS Commentary
By the Rev. Meg Lassiat*
Feb. 19, 2008
It’s a phrase heard a lot these days: Leadership development.
Bookstore shelves overflow with "how to" guides for employees, managers
and CEOs. Service organizations, high schools, colleges and universities
profess leadership development as a core value as they work to attract
students. Young children are even part of the leadership emphasis. Every
morning on my way to work, I pass Tomorrow’s Leaders Pre-School!
The Rev. Meg Lassiat
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Equipping the right people with the right tools, and training them with
the necessary skills to do a good job today and in the future, has
always been important. Samuel grew up in the temple, where he received
training and guidance from Eli. When God called Samuel to serve, Eli
taught him how to respond. Mordecai gave Esther the guidance, motivation
and instruction to confront the king at the right time and save the
Jews from destruction. As a young man, Paul trained Timothy so that as
he matured he would learn how to lead his faith community.
The church needs well-trained, well-equipped, effective leaders. That
hasn’t changed; but the world has. And the church is therefore
challenged to respond to today’s culture in meaningful, relevant and
appropriate ways. Indeed, in The United Methodist Church, leadership
development is the first of the four churchwide areas of focus for
program development and funding for the next four years.
In 2005, the Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr. reported that 850 of the 18,141
probationary or ordained elders in the United States were 35 years of
age or younger. Only 4.69 percent of elders were in this age group––down
from 15.05 percent of elders in 1985. This alarming percentage has
helped to crystallize the church’s need to critically reassess and
retool its efforts to invite, train and retain young adult clergy.
Today’s young adults approach the world differently than young adults
did 50, 25 or even 10 years ago. Programs and structures that may have
worked in 1985 will not engage today’s young adults in the life of a
local church, annual conference or even the general church.
At all levels––local church, annual conference and globally––The United
Methodist Church must ask itself: Are we prepared to respond to young
adults in ways that invite them into meaningful service and allow them
to learn new skills and hone their gifts and talents? Furthermore, are
we prepared to change outdated or ineffective practices to respond to
the way that young adults are leading in the church today?
Missing the picture
As part of my work, I am regularly involved in conversations about
the critical need for young adult leaders. The conversation often turns
to the reasons we need them. More often than not, people say these new
young leaders must be prepared to lead the church 20 years from now.
They insist that we need people who we can train to "take over the
reins" when today’s leaders retire.
While this may be a legitimate goal, they are missing the big picture.
Young adults are not only leaders for tomorrow’s church. They are
leaders in the church today.
If the church is to fully integrate young people in ordained leadership
positions, all levels of the church must find new ways to invite them to
consider ordained ministry and then respond to the gifts and skills
that young people already bring.
The first goal of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and
Ministry’s strategic plan is to "reach young people to assist and
support them in identifying and forming their vocations as Christians
for leadership in the global church and the world."
I work with both the Division of Higher Education and the Division of
Ordained Ministry to address systemically how the church can invite,
train and retain youth and young adults as church leaders. In addition
to several ongoing programs (EXPLORATION, Student Forum, the United
Methodist Student Movement and the Young Adult Seminarians’ Network),
three new emphases are under development: www.ExploreCalling.org, The National Leadership Development Advisory Team and The Campus Ministry Internship Program.
New resources for new leaders
ExploreCalling.org is a Web site for youth, young adults and those
who work with them that provides tools for discerning God’s call to
vocation. The site has links to United Methodist colleges, universities
and theological schools; a resource page of books and articles about
vocation; information on loans and scholarships available to United
Methodist students; details about upcoming leadership development
events; and links to other relevant sites. New downloadable resources
are added about every two weeks, and news stories are updated weekly.
Additionally, visitors can e-mail questions about ministry and sign up
to receive e-mail updates. It's the one place in The United Methodist
Church where information about vocational discernment and answering
God’s call to ministry is centralized.
“If the church is to fully integrate young
people in ordained leadership positions, all levels of the church must
find new ways to invite them to consider ordained ministry and then
respond to the gifts and skills that young people already bring.”
The National Leadership Development Advisory Team creates tools to
train those involved in all stages of the invitation and candidacy
process for young adults. The team writes articles and resources that
can be used to ensure that young adults receive the information they
need as they work through the candidacy and probationary processes.
These resources will be used by pastor/staff parish relations
committees, district committees on ordained ministry, annual conference
boards of ordained ministry, district superintendents and bishops as
they work with young adults.
The team also sponsored a meeting in October 2007 for representatives of
annual conferences that are already effective at inviting and retaining
young adult clergy. This group began developing "best practice"
resources to be shared among annual conference leaders involved in young
adult clergy development.
The Campus Ministry Internship Program, based on a program created by
the Northwest Missouri State Wesley Foundation, will replicate
throughout the United States an effective tool for engaging college
students in vocational discernment and ministry development. Students
will work with a team of other students and their campus minister or
chaplain to serve a local congregation where they will lead worship and
preach regularly.
Changing world
Just as the world has changed, the church must change to meet the
needs of the Millennial Generation––those born between 1982 and 2000.
Most of us would agree: We need young adult leaders!
But how does the church accomplish this? We must use the tools that
work. We must build relationships, equip and train young adults for
leadership, find ways to assist them in the discernment and candidacy
process as they explore ordained ministry, and work with annual
conferences to find ways to retain young adult clergy.
You can make a difference as an individual. Find ways you can encourage
young people and develop relationships with them as they discern how God
is calling them to serve. Look to make changes that enable our church
to invite, train and retain its newest leaders.
Young people are ready to answer God’s call. Are you ready to help them?
*Lassiat is Director of Student Ministries, Vocation, and Enlistment at
the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
News media contact: Linda Green, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
Related Articles
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Major efforts get under way to recruit young clergy
Resources
United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry
Lewis Center Report on Clergy Age Trends
Explore the Calling |