Spiritual business and the range of traditional pastoral tasks you list seem virtually identical. Of course this is precisely why the pastorate keeps losing members. Those in the ministry must carefully choose which tasks are essential and those whose doing can be farmed out or delayed. I have observed that “shared ministry” often results in the minister waiting to see what doesn’t get done, then needing to rescue that. But if the minister is the one being paid, delegation may be the single most important skill to practice.
I think your task list accurately reflects the nearly impossible job of leading a church. Is it accurate to assume that in contrast you begin as an entrepreneur and build your work from the needs that come to you? In that sense the two ways of ministry resemble each other — except in the regularity of the paycheck. Would you feel comfortable in comparing (without income numbers) how the two organizations compare?
(Gosh darn I enjoy running questions and discussions around the barn with you. I’d likely lose any race I’d be foolish enough to undertake.)
Many prayers and callings for our dear, troubled nation.
Hi Kathie - ooo you hit my sore spot on this. I don’t see anything useful in what seems very dumbed-down. People surely would not come if they felt unwelcome. We agree on this, but the solution is, I believe, to make the worship a richer, more connected to the spiritual life we seek. The Episcopal Church has a very rich history of worship to draw from. If what we do is compete with coffee shops and Star Search tv shows, we lose the chance to be a Christian presence and source of the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit. No other institution carries this singular message. I believe there is currently a move away from pop-based worship to historically informed worship. We benefit from showing the culture that it can be a part of liturgical worship.
Not sure I'm clear on "spiritual business" ? (I hit the keys wrong, so this is a second comment.)
Spiritual business and the range of traditional pastoral tasks you list seem virtually identical. Of course this is precisely why the pastorate keeps losing members. Those in the ministry must carefully choose which tasks are essential and those whose doing can be farmed out or delayed. I have observed that “shared ministry” often results in the minister waiting to see what doesn’t get done, then needing to rescue that. But if the minister is the one being paid, delegation may be the single most important skill to practice.
I think your task list accurately reflects the nearly impossible job of leading a church. Is it accurate to assume that in contrast you begin as an entrepreneur and build your work from the needs that come to you? In that sense the two ways of ministry resemble each other — except in the regularity of the paycheck. Would you feel comfortable in comparing (without income numbers) how the two organizations compare?
(Gosh darn I enjoy running questions and discussions around the barn with you. I’d likely lose any race I’d be foolish enough to undertake.)
Many prayers and callings for our dear, troubled nation.
Blogger, podcaster, author, musician, traveling preacher, spiritual director, clergy coach/consultant, Christian formation specialist, wedding/funeral specialist, retreat leader, chaplain, pastoral caregiver.
the list keeps getting longer!
Hi Kathie - ooo you hit my sore spot on this. I don’t see anything useful in what seems very dumbed-down. People surely would not come if they felt unwelcome. We agree on this, but the solution is, I believe, to make the worship a richer, more connected to the spiritual life we seek. The Episcopal Church has a very rich history of worship to draw from. If what we do is compete with coffee shops and Star Search tv shows, we lose the chance to be a Christian presence and source of the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit. No other institution carries this singular message. I believe there is currently a move away from pop-based worship to historically informed worship. We benefit from showing the culture that it can be a part of liturgical worship.
Hi Floyd!
As always, thanks for your comments!!
I wonder if we really do disagree, though. I see nothing in your comment that I disagree with, anyway.
Church *should* be a rich, in-person experience with a singular message.
Do you object to spiritual businesses that support such ministries?