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Filling Pastorates Remains a Challenging Task
CHICAGO, IL (December 26, 2005) - Specialization and economics are among the
factors that have made placing pastors in congregations increasingly
difficult, says David Kersten, executive minister of the Department of
the Ordered Ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Kersten says roughly 130 pastors currently have identified themselves as
open to a call (from another congregation). Each month averages between
60 to 80 openings. "But well over half of those are in staff ministry,"
Kersten notes.
Those staff ministry positions continue to be more specialized. Among
those are children, family and youth ministries. Church planters also
have been in short supply, with some of those pastors now coming from
outside the Covenant.
One of the most rapidly developing specialties is in the area of worship
arts, which includes a broad spectrum of needs and skills like soloist,
musician, choir leader, worship planner and technical expert, Kersten says.
"Churches expect a lot in their worship arts person," Kersten says.
"They also want them to be theologically trained."
Seminarians usually train for generalized ministry, but pastors will
need to do more, especially if they want more opportunities for
placement, Kersten says. "Everyone needs to be thinking of a
specialization that they can bring to the churches," he suggests.
The Covenant is unable to train an adequate number of its own youth
pastors, church planters or worship arts leaders, it is noted. The
seminary is looking at ways to further develop these specialties, but
many seminarians and current pastors are seeking senior or solo roles.
"We are in a historic time," Kersten says. "The number of staff and
specialized positions outnumber the senior or solo pastorates." He adds
that the Covenant has roughly 1,600 specialized positions and 750 solo
or senior spots.
Some large churches are beginning to hire staff ministers from within
and giving them much of their training. When that person fills a
position, that means another pastor will not fill it, and more openings
won't occur, Kersten says.
Kersten notes that a majority of Covenant churches have an average of
150 or fewer attendees. "We are undersupplied for small churches and
oversupplied for medium and large churches," he says.
Economics is a major factor in supplying the smaller churches because of
the difficulty in meeting salary, insurance, and pension needs. Economic
uncertainty sometimes causes churches to be apprehensive about hiring
staff, and for pastors to be nervous about moving their families.
Financial concerns could mean that more pastors will need to be
bi-vocational.
On the pastor's side, moving from one area to another could mean a
significant financial loss for the family. Also, a majority of pastors
have spouses who are developing their own careers and may need to remain
in the same location.
All of the challenges present their own opportunities and downfalls that
the Covenant will have to address, Kersten says. In the meantime,
filling openings may continue to take more time.
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