Choice Points for Clergy
by Joel Pancoast, Pinnacle West Associate
Some “seasoned” church leaders know the work of Roy M. Oswald, who worked as a consultant with the Alban Institute for many years, and in these more recent years as the executive director for the Center for Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations Skills. I have learned many valuable pieces of wisdom from Oswald over the years, especially around strategic planning, emotional intelligence, and self-care.
One piece I gained from Roy many years ago is called “Choice Points for Clergy.” I do not even know which of many conferences or seminars I got it from, but it is a simple worksheet, only one page that has ten “choice points,” rostered leaders face on a regular basis. These “choice points” are those moments of ministry when you have a week full of chaos or crises and only limited time left, and you are forced to make difficult decisions to respond to one ministry task or another. For example, if you have limited time do you choose A or B?
A Visit a congregant in the hospital who is having surgery in the morning
B Keep a scheduled supervisory session with a new youth worker
A Visit some parents within the congregation whose teenage son has just been arrested for trying to sell drugs
B Complete the work on a half-finished sermon
Everyone, including clergy and church leaders, often looks at the choice points and says or thinks, “I can do both.” But that’s not the point. The point is to think about those really, really stressful, chaotic days and weeks of ministry when you just cannot fit another ministry activity into the schedule.
There is not a right or wrong answer. This is not a pass/fail quiz. This is an exercise that invites lay leaders and clergy to work together to set a vision for pastoral and congregational ministry as a partnership in the gospel. When there is a mutual agreement between lay leaders and called leaders, it is easier to shape ministry around the gifts and resources of the congregation. For example, if the pastor is expected to do more administrative and leadership tasks, there are many ministries for the congregation to enter into the ministries of care, like Stephen Ministry, home communion ministries, and so on. On the other hand, if the pastor is expected to provide the majority of pastoral care, other administrative, leadership, and discipleship ministries can be taken up by members of the congregation.
If you’re still reading, you probably are thinking I’m setting up false choices. That’s fair. Many of these choice points relate to congregational size, the gifts of the pastor, the resources within the church, and many other factors. But it is so helpful to have mutual expectations between lay leaders and called leaders, so in those moments of ministry when there just isn’t time to do everything, and someone is breathing down your neck to do something that is not in those mutual expectations, you know you have back up.
Next time you have an opportunity to do some leadership training with your lay leadership, consider sharing a dozen or so real-life choice points you have faced in ministry, asking what they would want you to do. Do not prompt them with answers. Do not share these choice points to prove how busy you are or how difficult your call is. Do not share these just to be seen and appreciated. Share these choice points to test if you’re priorities for ministry match your lay leaders’ priorities. Then, use the results to see what kinds of ministries can be created to invite others to partner with you in ministry.
For nearly twenty years, I have led council retreats, and “Choice Points for Clergy,” is one simple exercise I have used many times. If you are interested in having someone help you lead your next council or leadership retreat, contact me directly or any of our associates through Pinnacle West. Through coaching and consulting, we are eager to help you as an individual or your church as a body grow to be who God created you to be.
