Factors Influencing UMC Clergy Leadership Effectiveness

UMC Denomination/System Factors Influencing Clergy Leadership Effectiveness

Lack of support group
Mentors
Obligations of being an ordained elder
Rewards a business model of ministry (rather than Biblical)
Theological persuasion of the denomination
Not enough freedom to innovate
Inability to share things in confidence with superiors
“The massive amount of administrivia tasks we are required to perform”
Too focused on numbers
Frequent moves
Experiences from previous appointments prepares clergy
Lack of collegiality
Shares of ministry/apportionments
Trust (lack of, need for more)
Need for succession planning.
Current denominational struggles (i.e. trials, division over issues, etc.)
Desire to take salary out of appointment process (propose flat salary with bonuses for growth).
System doesn’t allow us to take unused vacation time to new appointments.
Laity are not held accountable.
Lack of cooperative ministry creates competition vs. partnership .
Lack of foresight and poor leadership.
Communication (from denomination/conference)
Too much paperwork (and too little assistance completing it).

“I find it difficult to lead through necessary and significant change when you are not sure how long you will be in one place. It is easy to lose your effectiveness or your motivation to lead when there are not intentional transitions between pastors. There are many churches that have seen healthy change only to again decline.”

“The heirarchical (sic) nature of the U.M. and egos that get in the way sometimes.”
Itinerant system fosters “co-dependency”

Need for “Less ‘busy work’ from denominational officials who create "requirements' upon to justify their positions.”

“Need an overhaul of appointment system.”

“Transformational ministry takes time, but pastors are often moved too soon.”

“We desperately need to collectively turn our hearts to prayer and faithfulness and off of marketing - Our leading with business tools is a VERY low ecclesiology. We collectively also need to come to grips with the fact that the changes we will need to make are not evolution but revolution if we want to exist in the next 20-40 years. We are killing churches by pushing constant technical changes with tools like dashboards and surveys. I believe miracles would happen if there was as much emphasis on repentance, prayer, and connectedness to Christ.”

“The turning away from the business/ world to define . We need a model of understanding based on followership (Leonard Sweet) and discernment. Congregations would discern what they need in a leader. What they hope to achieve based on a discerned mission and vision. Churches would discern their gifts and graces. Appointments would be based on best pairings. Success would be defined based on discernment and agreed upon goals and responsibilities. The current system holds pastors accountable for things they cannot control. Often what is valued in terms of vitality/ and health is numbers. Regardless of whether the numbers are sustainable, reproducible, discerned, or will survive the next appointment. Our current understanding looks to leaders for success. The Bible always attributes success to God. As long as we look to the world for ways to understand vitality, , and define , we will not be the or who God calls us to be. We will be little more than a social club, religious entertainment, or promoters of civil religion.”

“My congregation is growing -- mostly though, in ways that "do not count" -- we have several new active families -- but they are not NEW Christians. . . .”

“Walking around an institution which breeds fear of " being moved" as a means of controlling its is a joke.”

“We do not have an open honest way to have gather. Often the support is either unhealthy or unsafe.”

“Guaranteed appointment for ineffective pastors is dragging us down as a denomination & certainly the local church I'm serving in right now.”