Chat With Chuck:
“Visioning
From the Congregations UP”
By Dr. Chuck Traylor
When I
was called and began work among you in March 2004, it was made clear to me
by the calling committee that the priorities of the Presbytery were
congregational transformation, the development of collaborative ministries
and/or larger parishes, leadership development (including raising up
Commissioned Lay Pastors and officer training), and the importance of
strengthening Presbyterian identity in the churches of the Presbytery.
While I embraced those priorities and have worked diligently to the end of
the Presbytery as a whole embracing them, it has become clear that
although endorsed by the Presbytery as a whole, the Presbytery has not
embraced these concepts as Presbytery priorities. In some instances
Presbytery leaders have vocally opposed these priorities, or have been
unable to come to a consensus regarding what constitutes congregational
transformation.
What has become
evident to me is that until the Presbytery as a whole determines what its
priorities are, and determines how I can best offer leadership in pursuing
those priorities, my role as Executive remains ambiguous. Consequently, I
have little guidance from the Presbytery as to whether I can serve best by
leading from “out in front” (which is the natural place for me given my
personality, spiritual gifts, and 20 years of ordained ministerial
experience), or from “alongside” (which I can also do well but which I
need to be very intentional about).
Therefore, as I
begin year four of my tenure as Executive Presbyter, I believe it will be
important for the Presbytery, beginning with the congregations, to begin
an in-depth conversation about the presbytery’s vision for its ministry,
and to identify how I can best serve the Presbytery in fulfilling that
vision. The Power Point presentation that Bart Brenner, interim Executive
Presbyter of the Presbytery of South Dakota, and I have developed, which
Bart presented to our Presbytery Council in December, and I presented to
the South Dakota Council in January, presents a radically different idea
of how the “presbytery” might function in the future.
Our
suggestion is that the “presbytery,” in its “scattered” form, i.e., the
congregations, consists of mission outposts that already have mission foci
and networks of relationships in place that need to be resourced,
supported, and encouraged by the “gathered” presbytery, i.e., the
organization of the presbytery. This model takes the place of an
organizational model in which the “organizational presbytery” tells
congregations what their mission should be, and imposes artificial
networks of relationships upon them. Such a model means that the functions
of the Presbytery “office” and staff, in support of congregational
networks and natural relationships, will likely look significantly
different than in the past.
The Acts of the Apostles recounts the early history
of the Christian missionary movement. Luke reminds us, at the very
beginning, that this story is a continuation of “all that Jesus began to
teach and do.” The first Church was a lay-led house-church movement with
great zeal for the sharing of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
In 313 AD, Constantine opened a new chapter in church
history when he gave political legitimacy to the church. This chapter,
which persisted into the latter part of the 20th Century, has
often been identified with Christendom. During Christendom, the church
had a privileged place in society.
As we move into the 21st Century, we are
clearly in yet another chapter in the history of the church. The world
has changed dramatically in the past 15 years. Some observers have noted
that we are in the age of a newly emerging culture. Others have
suggested that the church is also emerging. While it may be too early to
accurately identify the ultimate character of this age, we are
unmistakably in a transitional time. Some have suggested that the
contemporary context for the church’s mission and ministry is most like
that of the 1st Century church.
The deep change - metamorphosis, renewal – what we
have been calling congregational transformation, takes place when the
church is shaped by attendance and obedience to God’s call and claim upon
the church. Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is
the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Many of us believe that such a congregational transformation will result
in a “mission-shaped” church that is formed by attending to and
participating in the mission of God - letting God send us as Jesus was
sent – namely, to proclaim and be a sign of the reign of God. Jesus said,
“As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world …
so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:18, 21)
I am persuaded that such a “mission-shaped” church
has begun the transformational journey toward reclaiming its God-given
identity when it attends to God’s Word, celebrates vibrant worship, equips
and cares for its members, and serves as God’s ambassador to the world.
Frankly, most of our leaders (pastors and elders) were trained in the 60s,
70s, 80s, and early 90s, and were equipped to lead churches that either no
longer exist or are passing away. In order to make the shift to
“mission-shaped” churches, we all need to learn new skills and adopt new
understanding of the relationship between the church and the world.
To this end, I am going to ask Presbytery’s Council,
at its retreat this month, to focus its energy and resources into this
task of leading congregations to become the “mission-shaped” church. When
the Council Agenda-Bylaws-Structure Subcommittee meets Feb. 5 to plan the
retreat I am going to encourage them to invite Diana Barber, Associate
Synod Executive for Leadership Development, to lead the Council during its
retreat in determining ways of inviting the congregations of the
Presbytery of the Northern Plains to embrace this “mission-shaped” church
concept. My hope is that the “organized” Presbytery’s focus will be to
assist, encourage, and help equip congregational leaders while they, in
turn, are helping their congregations become ‘mission-shaped” churches.
But beyond asking the question, “Does the Council embrace this model?” the
more important question is, “Are the congregations of the Presbytery
wanting, and willing, to embrace this model?”
Can the congregations help the Council to articulate
a vision for the “scattered” Presbytery that might best be supported by
such a model? I am willing and able to lead from “alongside,” supporting
and resourcing the congregations and the Council in the development of
such a vision. But for the vision to be realized it must be owned by the
congregations themselves. The congregations must build upon the relational
networks and ministries they are already engaged in to fashion a vision
for the “Body of Christ” in the Presbytery of the Northern Plains that
will truly define them as mission outposts on the edge of the new
frontier.
Please be in
prayer for the Presbytery Council, and me, as we wrestle with how best to
serve you, the congregations of the Presbytery, in the future. And be in
prayer for yourselves, as you try to discern the “mission-shaped” future
God has already planned for you.
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