So, in a response to one of Caine's posts I mentioned that I believe one way to develop a healthier pastoral ministry (and therefore a healthier church) is to have a team based approach.
I guess in a lot of ways this is a bit of a new idea for majority of our churches here in Australia and its something that I have spent a lot of time thinking about.
In my short time in full time ministry I have been both a sole pastor and worked in a team. I believe that the team approach has made me a better minister, cut down on my stress levels and helped me to narrow the things I work on, allowing me to develop areas for which I have a passion.
My question is, how do we develop this more and more? Has anyone read anything good books or articles about team ministry? Is there a possibility of someone speaking on this topic at our next conference? If this is really a direction that we want to head in as a denomination, then I think we need to devote some time to developing it.
One thing I do know is that simply putting 2 or 3 people together and calling yourselves a 'team ministry' does not necessarily make it so.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Visitors
Posts
Gifting, passions, compatability, complimenting each other are intial words/thoughts that spring to mind as to what 'helps' team ministry in our own personal experience.
ReplyDeleteSingle 'vision', by this i mean that the church has its 'vision' and pastoral team works together on the vision/purpose. This helps keep focus and also does not shape vision around an individual.
I guess maybe there are several models of 'team ministry'
1. a pastoral team with a senior pastor
2. pastoral team with no senior pastor, pastors have areas of responsibility
3. pastoral team with no senior pastor or 'clergy' leadership, a ministry team included lay and clergy 'run' the church together.
4. a senior pastor who has not clergy as pastors but gathers lay people aorund them to form the 'team' ministry.
any other? thats all i could think of off the top of my head?
any other thoughts?
I have not read one book on small church team ministry. does anyone know of any?
peace