Presbyterian News Service: Expectations, meet reality
Theological educators grapple with leadership needs in changing times.
SAN ANSELMO, Calif. — More than 100 leaders of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) theological education institutions gathered on the campus of San Francisco Theological Seminary Nov. 16 to discuss emerging leadership needs in the church and how seminaries might concentrate dwindling resources to meet those needs.
The “fishbowl” exercise — four participants providing initial comments with others weighing in in response — took place during the semi-annual meeting of the PC(USA)’s Committee on Theological Education (COTE) as part of the ongoing work of the Joint Committee on Leadership Needs, sponsored by the Office of the General Assembly and the General Assembly Mission Council.
“Our charge is to study the pastoral and leadership needs of the church and recommend policies and strategies to address those needs,” said the Rev. Landon Whitsett, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Liberty, Mo., and a COTE representative to the joint committee. “We’re starting with questions like: What is the identity and function of a church leader? Who are they? Who are we missing? What [leadership] gifts are we missing? How can we nurture leaders now for future leadership …?”
The traditional norm of a seminary-trained pastor serving one congregation full time is gone, said the Rev. Marcia Myers, director of vocation for the denomination.
“More than half our congregations are not served that way,” she said.
The Rev. Jeffrey Bullock, president of the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, agreed.
“It’s important to understand not what we want the situation to be but what it actually is,” he said. “I’m concerned that two-thirds of churches in my presbytery are no longer able to afford full-time [pastoral] ministry.
But there is also opportunity there, Bullock said, noting growing programs to train Commissioned Lay Pastors and distance learning, a non-residential educational approach that’s having considerable success at Dubuque. …
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