Imagination and Preaching
Why is Imagination important for preachers?
A number of recent Christian leadership books focus on this key competency, which also emerged in my recent Human Resources research as a valuable commodity, especially for preachers.
The Pastoral Tie – a useful model for reflection
How do ministers reflect on the strength of their ongoing call to a particular congregation or role?
Although the call to ministry in general may still be strong, sometimes there are cues to the fact that the relationship is becoming fragile or unsustainable.
Why Vocation is Important for Pastors
“Being a pastor – the worst of all jobs, and the best of all callings.”
(John Newton, C18 Anglican priest)
My 2015 thesis identified the salient features of a clergy evaluation – Formation, Collaboration, Imagination and fourthly Vocation.
Why Imagination is important for pastors
What is the place of visionary leadership in church ministry? How can thinking about the future be assessed and developed? Prayerful consideration of the future can enrich dialogue, foster creativity and deepen a sense of partnership with God in mission.
Why Collaboration is important for pastors
An authentic participative polity appeals to postmodern spirituality. Churches in mission will not only find that collaboration is key to effective governance and management, it is also appealing to people in the wider community with whom we are called to connect.
Why Formation is important for pastors
Ministry work is said to be like no other job; goals are abstract and difficult to quantify. And changing social patterns means pastors can feel demoralised and depleted. One answer for pastors is personal and professional development.
CAIRA Supervision
Ministry Supervision is a tool that helps pastors reflect on their ministry, in depth, through a monthly, pastor-initiated, self-review exercise that can helpfully complement other components of minisTerial formation. The supervisee normally sets the agenda, and the supervisor acts as a ‘wise listener’ in a conversation about skill, capacity and questions raised by the minister’s daily work.
What is a Mentor?
What is a Mentor? The word actually dates back to ancient Greece, where a man named Mentor acted as an advisor and life coach to the young nobleman Telemachus….today one professional organization helpfully defines a mentor as “an experienced person who goes out of his/her way to help another person set important life goals and build skills to reach them.”
The Power of Encouragement
World champion tennis coach John Newcombe was once asked about the most important thing he does for young tennis players he mentors. He said that it is giving encouragement. While they needed skill and motivation, he said, without encouragement they would give up.
Better Together – Small Groups for Discipleship
In July 2017, I visited a Catholic charismatic community in Fulda, Germany, and enjoyed the generous hospitality of their guest house, a former US Army barracks. One of the sisters talked with me about sharing your life with others. In response to the question, “what is the hardest part of being in community?”, she responded that it was the self-awareness and needed growth it provokes.
