Factors Influencing UMC Clergy Leadership Effectiveness

Lack of support from DS
Support from DS and cabinet
Punitive consequences for statistical data
Moves that have come with salary cuts
Value of intentional interims
Subjectiveness of process (cabinet playing “favorites”)
Sense that young people in leadership are not valued
Quality of conference leadership (or perceived lack thereof)
Lack of consideration for congregational needs during appointment process
-moving indecisive leader into an appointment in Matthew 28 process
-moving good leader too early in midst of congregational renewal

“What feels like little commitment from my DS and Conference to the needs of small membership churches. With great emphasis on our Conference initiatives small churches, and their pastoral leaders seem to fall through the cracks of assistance, concern and support from greater initiatives”

“I live in constant fear of the system. The bishop does not know me and only cares if there is a problem. The conference "elite" are so far removed from me as to be irrelevant. It is clear does not matter but who you are.”

“Being appointed to charges that could not afford me, the cabinet having other priorities than my charges in the appointment process, serving churches with no sense of mission or vision…”

Conference leadership “weak in interpersonal skills”

“Failed relationship led to feelings of abandonment by district and by conference.”

“A former ad council chair with mental health issues, including a controlling personality, and his extended family have used various tactics to run things "their way." Their tactics have included cutting locks off of doors, refusing to participate in joint services with others on the charge, attempting to intimidate other members, harassing phone calls, etc. With time and assistance from the Nominations Committee, many of these have been removed from their positions of power. My willingness to confront them on their bad behavior has encouraged other members of the congregation to do the same - in a loving, not bullying, manner.”

“Expensive conference structures makes it difficult for church finances and pastoral support.”

“Disengaged cabinet”


“The DS, the Annual Conference and the Bishop have very little on site experience with the rural areas of our Annual Conference and when they require or ask the local s to comply to their requests -whatever they may be- they have little or no comprehension of the struggles placed upon the laity and their struggle to fulfill that request.”

DS hears concerns but doesn’t “step in to back the pastor”

“My generation of Pastors have been told that we were "trained as managers when what the church needs are leaders." I found this to be offensive. I've been left to feel that I am somewhat of a dinosaur. But I have not been offered any substantive retraining. All continuing education opportunities along this line are grossly off point and ultimately unhelpful. They are full of current 'buzz words'. They just put it back on 'us' and basically say, "You figure it out." We were never well trained to make the switch to 'electronica'. If power points are the new future then there should be training/coaching on effective use of them. The societal shift away from organized religion is not being addressed by our leadership; at least not in any effective way. The more we bleed membership the more we are asked to report. Again, it's 'rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic'.”

District committees on ordained ministry need to “be more alert and active...with very careful attention to those entering the sheepfold door.”

“Having access to good libraries and support materials like "Discovery Place" is a great help to making me an model for others to emulate.”

“The ministry has been very isolating, and the split of the former Wyoming Conference has separated me from my support structures. The new conference has not been very welcoming, and that hurts my long term motivation and effectiveness. I also feel like the conference expects something new or different each year in what it means to be an "effective leader." We are getting way too caught up in counting the few things we can count (butts in the pews, dollars in the plate) and pretending these metrics are equivalent to "effective leadership." It creates pressure on us pastors from the conference level leadership without offering much in the way of support.”

“Reducing Districts from 11 to 7 is ludicrous and more expensive.”

“Almost everything from the conference and district seems to be "dumb down". Hi thanks that we are treated as pastors has sophomores and ministry that really do not know anything. Creativity is stifled. The opportunity to make risky ventures in the faith art canceled out by too much control at the top.”

“It is easy for the District & Conference to blame the local pastor for attendance & financial issues. The truth is sometimes it is the economy and other issues beyond the control of the local pastor.”