PASTORS E-NEWSLETTER
JUNE 2011
Hi fellow Pastors!
With many commitments recently, this newsletter is a little late getting out but it does address some crucial matters that are important for us as pastors. I have taken a little more space than usual to focus on the upcoming decisions we are considering as a family of churches.
Yesterday you would have received an email from me regarding a serious car accident that Viv Grice’s wife, Rhonda, was involved in on Wednesday and a request for prayer. Thanks for all who have been praying for them. Rhonda is doing well and hoping to be allowed out of hospital soon as thankfully it appears she will not need surgery. However, recovery will take some time. She does have facial, upper body and upper limb injuries but is expected to make a full recovery. Viv hopes to be able to be back on deck early next week, but his priorities for a time will need to be with Rhonda so I ask you to be patient and understanding. Continue to pray for Viv and Rhonda and family.
DIRECTIONS 2012 – APPROPRIATE SUPPORTIVE STRUCTURES
In a few weeks’ time as well as meeting to celebrate a year of collaborative ministry as a movement of churches at the AGM, we will also be gathering to consider a proposed re-structuring of the denomination to better facilitate our mission as a community of churches. At our May Mini-Assembly meeting we affirmed as a family of churches what we believe to be our denominational focus and priorities as we move forward. This related to encouraging the growth of a mission-shaped family of churches where we will seek to support the health of our churches, church planting, pastors and leaders and other ways to help resource these initiatives.
As Baptists, we understand the purpose of the denomination as existing to support the life, mission and ministry of the local church and to also pursue collaborative endeavours that many are unable to do individually (such as theological training, global mission, aid and development and community services). These discussions in a few weeks are about identifying the preferred governance structure at this time in our history which will best enable us to pursue the purpose, values and vision we believe God has for us. Governance structures do not create purpose, values or vision but they have the potential of either inhibiting these pursuits or providing responsible and accountable processes which support the vision. [If only we could all be more passionate about mission as some are about governance and structure.]
These decisions we are facing are not just relevant for those of us who are on staff with the denomination but it potentially will impact the capacity we might have to more effectively serve our family of churches. Our current structures were designed to serve our churches in another era when most of our churches were quite homogenous and society as we know it today was quite different. Today, our Baptist churches are quite diverse and aspects of our society are changing rapidly for good and bad. Therefore, I believe it has been appropriate for us to consider what structures might we now need to enable us to better serve our churches and pastors.
This does not mean we will set up a perfect structure. Any organisational structure will have its strengths and its limitations. It is our human attempt to systemise the ways we do things so as to maintain some level of order that clarifies responsibility, authority and accountability. It will be flawed, but is this the best way we know at the moment to support our purpose and vision? I believe this proposal will give us the best way forward at this point of time.
What we need to do even better is to ensure that we don’t institutionalize our structures in such a way that we have to go through such a long process again to restructure. Organisational structures do need a level of flexibility to adjust to changing circumstances. Therefore I believe we need to ensure we have a process of ongoing review of any structure we adopt.
May I express the appreciation of MSD to those who have spent the last three years labouring on this governance taskforce. It hasn’t been an easy task with many challenges and perspectives to consider. I know that they have prayerfully considered numerous proposals and options before settling on the recommendations they are now bringing. They have done this on our behalf. While the taskforce members may have been misunderstood at times and we might argue that a few things could have been done a little better, I know they have sought to do this in a way that has been consultative and inviting various contributions at different stages along the way. I commend them for going about this in a more collaborative way than some of our decision-making processes in the past.
As we approach these decisions, let me share some brief reflections on decision-making and the will of God as they relate to God’s people seeking to collectively respond to God’s leading. The purpose of any church meeting ought to be an occasion when we seek to encounter God in worship and to discern His will and the desires of His heart so we can make an appropriate response. This is fundamental to our Baptist theological understanding of being the gathered community. Sadly, however, most of us know from experience that often our church meetings have deteriorated into nothing more than a political forum in which we use debate to try and convince others to ‘come over to our side or our way of thinking’. This is a process that as Baptists we have borrowed in past centuries from local city councils. It has also led us to mistakingly assume that if we can convince 50%+ to agree with our position then we have determined the will of God.
I believe there are healthier ways to seek after God’s heart. I resonate with a colleague who recently remarked that maybe the only persons we should allow to be part of any decision-making process are those who have spent long hours in prayer seeking after God. Of course we wouldn’t want to be legalistic about imposing such conditions but I warm to the spirit of the sentiment. The first step in any process of decision-making is to seek after God’s heart and mind and will; that is, not telling God what we want Him to approve but asking Him to reveal to us what is His desire.
A significant place to begin to listen to God is to engage His Word. Any decisions we make need to be consistent with the Scriptures as our final authority. While there is much to be learned from other disciplines and studies, these should always be considered in light of the Scriptures. At times we become very pragmatic and don’t theologically reflect on issues. This is one of the roles we have as pastors; to be theologians who bring the Word of God to those with whom we minister and serve.
A further part of a discerning process is to listen to each other. It is often through dialogue and conversation that we get a greater understanding and to learn from and appreciate each other and what God may want to say to us. The Scriptures particularly encourage us to listen carefully to the elders/the spiritually mature among us (eg. 1 Tim 5:17; 1 peter 5:5). On some matters there are those who have particular expertise to speak into the situation. At time we have to trust their wisdom and discernment.
Now all this doesn’t imply that there will not be differences. We are all human and therefore flawed. We will make mistakes. We will see things from differing perspectives. At times we will have conflicting values and priorities. It would be worrying if it wasn’t so. What is crucial is the spirit in which we seek to address these differences and remain ‘partners in the Gospel’ (Phil 1:5).
As much as these reflections relate to how we discern God’s will for us as a church, it is equally appropriate in the way that we consider issues as a family of churches. I must admit that I left the May Mid-Year Assembly quite distressed in heart and spirit. While on one hand I was excited about the Assembly overwhelmingly affirming the directions we believed God was taking us into the future as a family of churches, I was saddened but the nature of the discussion on some other unrelated issues. Rather than seeking to listen to each other and to ‘work together’ towards what might be an appropriate way forward, the meeting deteriorated into a political affair. Whatever one’s position is, I don’t think it is appropriate to cheer and clap certain speakers when they give a point of view they hold and then ignoring others who may respond from a different perspective. [It reminded me of going to a sports event and cheering on your team against the opposition.] For me this lacks respect and hardly reveals the fruits of the Spirit. It also reveals a lack of trust. It reminds me of times past and is not a way to behave as God’s people.
No doubt there will be some differing perspectives to the recommendations from the Governance taskforce to be considered at the Assembly. My prayer is that we might all engage in this together in a way that glorifies God. I urge you to be there and to model to each other how as mature Christians we can be a genuine community.
A time of Prayer and fasting has been called by MSD in preparation for the Assembly and Directions 2012 meetings. Details will be up on the website shortly and I encourage you to join with us in prayer.
ACCREDITATION SERVICE
On Friday evening July 22, an Accreditation Service will be held following the AGM for 10 ministers who will be accredited as part of our denomination. May I strongly URGE you to be present to encourage and support your fellow pastors. These men and women are at the beginning of their journey as pastors and I cannot emphasise enough how crucial it is to thriving in ministry than to have a group of supportive peers. You know that better than anybody. We have not done this well in recent history and these pastors need to know that their ministerial colleagues stand beside them as they commit to ministering among our churches. It also shows that we value ministry and we value accreditation.
REVIVE 2011 – HOPE
Revive registrations are open! Revive is on Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th August. Revive is about inspiring the church in building Kingdom Communities. You can now find out heaps of info and register online at www.revive.org.au.
A dinner for pastors and spouses will again be held at the Bel Parco Restaurant, Bicentennial Park, on the Friday evening of the 26th. Secure this date in your diary as there will be limited seats available. I’m waiting for a response to an invitation to a speaker who is currently overseas. Our guest artist will be Russell Ixer (from Northside Baptist). Christian Super will again be sponsoring the dinner enabling us to offer discounts for rural and regional pastors and those pastors who are only paid part-time.
FINANCIAL BOOTCAMP for PASTORS
Due to the success of this seminar last year, MSD and Christian Super will be holding a similar seminar on August 25th. This has intentionally been arranged on the day before Revive so that rural and regional pastors may more easily attend. Details will be available in the next edition of this newsletter.
RETREAT for PASTORS and for PASTOR’S SPOUSES
Planning is well under way for a retreat for pastors and for pastor’s spouses to be held at Collaroy Plateau on October 16-18. Our keynote speakers for the few days will be Murray and Marj Robertson from New Zealand. There will also be elective options for pastors, for spouses and for couples.
FOUNDATIONS for COACHING and MENTORING SEMINAR
Due to the popularity of these coaching seminars, another seminar day will be held at the Baptist Ministry Centre Epping on Saturday 17th September. This is not only open to pastors but also to others in your congregation who you think would value such training. It is also an introduction to more advanced training. This is a good way to invest in leadership development. See more details at www.msd.org.au/resources.
MISSIOLOGIST (full time) POSITION for MORLING COLLEGE
Due to the resignation of Dr Phillip Marshall, Morling College is now seeking a full-time missiologist to work with the creative team at the Tinsley Institute, the mission study centre on campus.
The new missiologist will teach or supervise a full-time teaching load, as well as offering a range of extra curricula mission-oriented programs to students. The role will also involve the promotion of the Tinsley Institute and its ministry through missionary circles, as well as liaising with national and international resource personnel for use in the Institute’s mission programs.
The successful candidate will also build a relationship with the Baptist missionary agency, Global Interaction, as well as peak bodies such as Missions Interlink and its related bodies.
The missiologist should be able to commence teaching from the beginning of the 2012 academic year.
Applications can be submitted to the Principal of Morling College (Principal@morling.edu.au) by July 30, 2011. A full job description can also be obtained from the Director of the Tinsley Institute, Dr Michael Frost, on mikef@morling.edu.au.
GENERAL DIRECTOR of GLOBAL INTERACTION
Due to the pending retirement of Keith Jobberns as the General Director of Global Interaction, applications are being invited to succeed Keith in this role from early 2012. If you are interested in this position or know someone who might be an appropriate candidate, I encourage you to bring this matter to their attention. Applications close on August 31, 2011. See the advertisement at www.msd.org.au/resources.
If you have an article or link that you would like to share with your colleagues in ministry, please pass it on so that I can include it in further newsletters.
Ken Clendinning
Director of MSD
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