Red
Light - Green Light
Determining
the Time for a Change in Ministry
By
John R. Cionca
CHAPTER
TWO: ASSESSING YOUR PRESENT MINISTRY
PERSONAL
SIGNALS
Responsible drivers exercise caution when arriving at an intersection. This same
type of care should govern the actions of a pastor when approaching a
ministerial crossroad. Along with the Parish Signals just examined, several
Personal Signals offer equally valuable guidance. Safety surrounds the cleric
who pays attention to the semaphores of personality fit, giftedness fit, job
satisfaction, job challenge, future possibilities, opportunity for impact,
family well-being, and adequacy of compensation. Again, any of these eight
signals can flash red, advising you to slow down or stop, or shine green,
encouraging you to proceed (with caution, of course).
Personality
Fit
A few months after I assumed a new pastorate, a man in my church commented:
"Pastor, I heard a powerful sermon on the radio yesterday, and you know,
the speaker didn't use humor even once." Now, I'm a pretty smart guy, and I
realized that Pete wasn't just giving a sermon report. He believed a pastor
ought to enter the pulpit with "fear and trembling," and that
obviously excluded the use of humor.
In general, I agree with Pete regarding the importance of pastoral dignity and
decorum. But I also believe that humor is a valuable tool. Appropriate humor can
lighten the soul; it can illustrate a principle; and it can diffuse the tension
surrounding a heavy subject. Humor is important to me philosophically, but it's
also part of my nature. Both heredity (parental "funny genes") and
environment (growing up on the Three Stooges) have contributed to who I am.
Because it is impossible for me not to see the humorous side of just about any
situation, curtailing my use of humor simply to please Pete would never work.
This example highlights only one character quality, yet each of us has dozens of
such traits. Some people are outgoing; some more private. Some are thinkers;
others are feelers. Some like structure; others flexibility. Some explode with
bursts of energy, while others are "steady Freddies." One person is an
idealist; another a pragmatist. One pastor prefers a hands-on approach day by
day, while another wants notification and personal involvement only when
problems arise.
Like Jeremiah, we acknowledge that God knew us before we were formed in the womb
and set us apart before we were born (Jer. 1:5). Each of us is unique, having
particular personality strengths and limitations. It follows that a minister
serving in harmony with his or her own personality serves with authenticity,
which in turn deepens trust within parishioners. Usually, the longer we serve a
church, the more likely the congregation will understand, accept, and even
reflect our personality. If we are free to be ourselves, we are in a strong
position to impact lives for the kingdom. When sensing this type of acceptance
of our God-given wiring, it's wise to stay put for additional fruitful service.
The "personality fit" criterion does not mean that everyone in the
church has to like you. Nor can it justify a "That's just the way I
am" attitude. But if you overwhelmingly feel, "I just can't be
me," a change is probably worth exploring. As one colleague expressed it:
"When factors or circumstances beyond your control put a cap on who you
are, then maybe it's time to move."
Giftedness
Fit
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Closely related to the semaphore of personality fit is the Personal Signal of
giftedness fit. Since "we have different gifts according to the grace given
us" (Rom. 12:6), it's important to ask, "To what degree do my
spiritual gifts and other abilities match the current needs of this
church?".
Congregations, like people, move through life passages. And at each stage
leadership needs to change accordingly. During the birth of a church, for
example, an evangelist/planter is usually called into service. Down the road, a
builder/developer may better advance the work. During yet another stage, a
gifted administrator may be needed to update organizational structure and
operations. Later on, a dynamic visionary may be needed to revitalize a stagnant
work.
Most of us know successful colleagues who at one time or another seemed to hit a
wall in their ministry. One pastor expressed it this way: "I felt I was
starting to lose my voice as a catalytic leader. People were affirming my
vision, but not joining in to do the work." After prayer and careful
evaluation, this man concluded, "Someone else would probably do a better
job than me in taking the church through a new chapter."
To some degree, all of us must stretch beyond our comfort zones. Occasions arise
when a gifted administrator must counsel or a skillful caregiver is expected to
lead in decision making. Nevertheless, your spiritual enablements and skill
developments can produce greater fruit in one type of congregation than in
another. Just as most shepherds are not comfortable with ranching
responsibilities, most ranchers are not as effective in moving one-on-one among
the sheep. Therefore, an assessment of your giftedness match with your present
congregation is essential when considering a transition.
Three questions can guide your study of giftedness fit. First, "What are my
two primary spiritual gifts, and to what degree are they presently
utilized?" Books and inventories are available to enhance your
understanding of where you shine, but the bottom line is whether or not you are
serving according to your strengths.
Second, "How often do I uses supportive endowments and skills in my present
work?" Some people are good with numbers, so they understand charts and
budgets; others are better with their hands. Some move with ease among
unbelievers; others enjoy political maneuvering. Some are good managers of
conflict; others are detail persons. God uses both natural endowments and
personal experiences to shape an individual's unique talents. These abilities
are also valid criteria for assessing giftedness match.
Third, "How does my leadership style match congregational
expectations?" Does the church want a C.E.O. or a colleague? Do the members
prefer a systems developer or an influencer? A number of instruments (such as
the Performax System) can help you understand your behavioral style as a leader,
and simple observation of people's reactions to you can reveal much as to the
acceptability of that style.
Pastoral ministry involves a diversity of tasks. Yet even though we are called
to preach, teach, counsel, visit, manage, and be caregivers, admittedly we are
not equally effective in all those areas. Therefore, the degree of giftedness
fit is an essential signal for transition guidance. If harmony exists between
our personal giftedness and congregational expectations, this red light signals
the benefits of remaining. Our most fruitful ministry may be just ahead in our
own back yard. But if the church seems to require gifts and abilities that are
not our forte, pursuing a new direction is probably a good decision.
Job
Satisfaction
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Just as road signs are strategically located to guide and protect us on our
journeys, direction and safety information are available to pastors who heed the
related signals of job satisfaction, job challenge, and future possibilities.
All three factors yield a reading on our sense of accomplishment, but the one
most easy to identify is probably job satisfaction.
Enthusiasm as a ministry validator is not new. Back in the Gospels we observe:
"The seventy-two [workers] returned with joy" (Luke 10:17), and that
even amidst persecution "the disciples were filled with joy" (Acts
13:52). The degree of our job satisfaction reveals how well our vocational needs
and desires are being fulfilled. This moves us beyond the specifics of our task
and queries how we feel about what we're doing. Sometimes things go well and
time seems to fly; other times they fall apart and we feel unproductive and at a
standstill. Finding joy in our work moves us toward people, but dissatisfaction
leads to withdrawal.
Hardships, crises, and misunderstandings aside, if you still have enthusiasm for
your task, the red light of job satisfaction suggests that you continue to serve
in such a profitable environment. This was the conclusion of one pastor, who
beamed: "Sometimes I just sit in my office and silently say, 'This is
great! I love it and can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing. Thanks,
God.”
But if your experience is more like the pastor who admitted, "If I could
feed my family any other way, I'd be gone tomorrow," then a move is
critical. When ministry robs you of joy, when it drains away your vibrancy, the
green light of dissatisfaction releases you to pursue a change.
Getting an accurate reading on job satisfaction is complicated, because all
ministries have their difficult and discouraging moments. In fact, recent polls
rank parish ministry among the most difficult of professions. Nevertheless,
while the ministry will always be taxing, the ratio of ups to downs, of joys to
discouragement, provides insight. The degree to which enthusiasm or
discouragement is your daily experience indicates how appropriate a move might
be.
Job
Challenge
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Another important Personal Signal is an evaluation of the nature and size of
your present assignment and whether you are able (and willing) to "make the
most of every opportunity" (Col. 4:5b). Although some things in your job
description are probably more stimulating than others, consider the overall
challenge of your task. Does it match your abilities and level of drive?
Some pastors have never seriously considered a move because they've sensed an
ongoing fulfillment in their present ministry. This was the feeling of one
colleague, who--in his twenty-third year at a church--related, "Though we
temporarily plateaued a few times, I never got tired of the challenge of leading
the congregation through a new chapter."
The experience of other pastors is quite different, however. Feeling either
overwhelmed or bored, many have chosen to get a fresh start. One pastor
expresses his frustration like this: "every day was like drinking from a
fire hose. I was way over my head." Stretched beyond capacity, he
eventually transitioned to a new church. Such situations led one denominational
leader to conclude, "When the church grows past the ability, skills,
training, and adaptability of its pastor, and the minister begins to feel
inadequate, the 'Peter Principle' suggests it's time for a change."
On the other hand, most of our associates who have moved in response to this
semaphore made their transition because they felt under-utilized. As one friend
explained, "The congregation was so affirming, it would have been easy for
me to coast. But for my own growth I felt I needed a new situation where I'd
have to be my very best." This pastor's decision paralleled the advice of
two other colleagues. The first observed, "When you realize you are no
longer growing in a situation, or you've taken the church as far as you can,
it's time to move." The second suggested, "When a pastor grows beyond
the challenge of his church, he should start planning to move."
Pastors receiving an inquiry need to ask themselves which church presents the
greater challenge. Some ministers are continually challenged right where they
are, while others find a tremendous challenge in moving to a new opportunity.
Clergy who find their work stimulating sense an important reason for remaining
with their parish. Those faced with a job that's either mundane or overpowering,
however, often profit from a move.
Future Possibilities
"Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:18 KJV), and
without a dream, a pastor merely "parishes." Neither minister nor
congregation should tolerate simply playing church. We're reminded: "Be
very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise, but as wise, making the most
of every opportunity…"
The pastor who envisions new programs, targeting new audiences, and strategizing
daughter churches has good reason to remain with his or her present
congregation. As one minister stated bluntly, "When God gives you a dream
and it's not yet finished, you'd better stay." This red light is especially
brilliant for the pastor with sufficient credibility to pull off the dream.
But, as another colleague suggests, "When the fire is gone and the creative
juices are zapped, it's probably time to begin looking." Pastors without
dreams lose their present effectiveness and their hope for the church's future.
One friend admitted, "My feelings at that point included a difficulty in
futurizing. I found it impossible to think in terms of any kind of vision."
Another confessed, "I got to the point in my relationship with the church
that when I went calling on a healthy family that had visited us, I urged them
to go to one of the churches nearby." When bright dreams are replaced by
darkness, a move may preserve the health of both the cleric and congregation.
Finding joy in our work is important. For that, realistic challenge is critical,
as is the need to see possibilities just ahead. Where ideas and dreams are
intact, wisdom suggests staying to enjoy such possibilities. But if
"internal drive, motivation, and vision to take the church through another
chapter is lost," as on minister put it, it's probably time to move
elsewhere.
Opportunity
for Impact
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Most of us would not use a savings account yielding 3 percent interest if we
could find one offering a 10 percent return. Neither is it prudent to spend 50
to 60 hours a week in a low-yield ministry if a higher return on our investment
is possible. It makes good sense to serve the Lord wherever we can make the
greatest contribution. For the apostle Paul, this occasionally meant remaining
in one place: "But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a
great door for effective work has appeared to me" (1 Cor. 16:8-9). At other
times, a greater opportunity for discipleship meant a move. As one pastor
summarized, "The point is, we don't want to do just what is comfortable; we
want to change lives."
Now, "opportunity for impact" doesn't necessarily imply serving a
larger church. For example, one senior pastor of a multiple-staff church
accepted a solo, rural pastorate in order to carry on a broader ministry. Over
the years he had become an accomplished author, touching thousands of lives
through the written word. Moving to a church with fewer programs and pressures
allowed him to continue both shepherding and writing.
Assessing your opportunity for impact means you stay or move according to
whichever situation maximizes your outreach. I know one associate pastor who
receives over a dozen letters of inquiry a year, but now, in his sixth year at
the same church, he still feels, "I can't see myself doing anything more
significant than I'm doing right here." But, for another associate
minister, this signal meant moving to a senior pastorate where he could preach
more regularly and give leadership to an entire flock. Another colleague left a
senior pastorate to work in a staff position where he could disciple a
burgeoning ministry for adults. Still another pastor moved to a seminary
classroom, where a passion for parish work could be ignited among young
theologians.
Change for change's sake is usually unwise. A high-impact ministry in your
present church suggests that you remain with this significant sphere of
influence. But if greater outreach seems possible elsewhere, you should not fear
proceeding through this green light. To quote one of our colleagues: "You
need to have a fair estimate of your abilities and honorable motives, but if you
want to do more for God than you are presently doing, go for it."
Family
Well-Being
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This semaphore is fairly easy to read. Whereas size of impact or giftedness fit
may require much deliberation, family contentment, or the lack thereof, is
usually obvious.
At one end of the well-being continuum, family members are blossoming and fee to
be themselves. They feel loved and esteemed as the "first family" of
the congregation. Perhaps the children receive special favors or the family is
encouraged to vacation at a parishioner's cabin. More significantly, acceptance
is felt through the regular smiles and verbal affirmations of the congregation.
At the other end of this spectrum, a pastor's family feels stifled and
distressed. Unrealistic expectations placed on the pastor, the pastor's spouse,
or their children erode ministry joy. One clergy spouse, feeling the sting of
rejection, commented, "Living in a fish bowl is bad enough. But if the
keepers of the aquarium don't even like the kind of fish that are in the bowl,
why even bother swimming?" A suffering dysfunctional family evaporates joy
and effectiveness in the home and at work. Sometimes a transition to another
church can help the family recuperate and grow.
Care and management of our families is essential to ministry effectiveness (see
1 Tim. 3:5). Conversely, being in a caring congregation is equally essential to
family well-being. So, if you find yourself identifying with the pastor who
said, "I love how they make my kids feel special," remaining at your
present church is probably a wise choice. But if your experience is more like
the colleague who conceded, "We couldn't stay any longer--my wife was
increasingly unhappy, close to a nervous breakdown--and I wasn't too far behind
her," a green light is signaling that a move is probably just down the
road.
Adequacy
of Compensation
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We pastors cannot expect to get rich through parish service, but neither should
we become impoverished. When serious financial pressures persist, we must first
determine whether they are caused by inadequate compensation from the church or
poor financial management on our part. If our money shortage is due to financial
ineptness or poor discipline, a move will not resolve the problem. But a change
may be appropriate when a shortfall of funds persists in spite of careful fiscal
management.
A "fair wage" is not one that supports all our financial wants and
perceived needs. For example, I know pastors who have requested salary
adjustments because they purchased a new car, had another baby, or enrolled a
child in a Christian school. Their requests may have been based on financial
need, but the expectation that the church should meet their every need was
unrealistic. If their counterparts employed in the corporate world had
approached IBM or AT&T with similar requests (e.g., asking for a $4,000
salary increase in order to pay tuition at a Christian school), they would have
been ridiculed. Adequacy of compensation is a valid semaphore only when sound
financial management is present and contextual variables are considered.
Congregations use many different formulas to determine appropriate compensation
for their pastoral staff. Among the more common practices are:
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Using
averages of comparably sized churches within the denomination.
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Keying
staff salaries to local administrative and teaching scales (some
churches multiply this figure by twelve-tenths, thus
accommodating the clergy's additional months of service).
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Taking
comparisons of other churches with similar sociogeographical
situations.
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Relating
remuneration to typical salaries in the congregation.
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Setting
the senior pastor's salary at an equivalent white-collar
executive salary in the congregation, with associate pastors
approximately 75% of that salary.
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Adapting
results from national surveys to the local context (see figure 1
and figure 2 at the end of this chapter).
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Appropriate remuneration is required of a church (1 Tim. 5:18), and providing
financially for one's family is expected of the clergy (1 Tim. 3:4-5). The
signal of "adequacy of compensation" asks you to assess the dollar
exchange you receive for the time and effort invested. A district supervisor
tells pastors, "You have a biblical responsibility to face up to finances.
If finances are not adequately being met by the church--given that fact you are
a wise manager of money--it may be time to move." But if the compensation
package provided by a congregation is appropriate, or even generous, the pastor
is seeing another red light and has another reason to remain.
SUMMARY
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The overall question to be answered by heeding the eight Personal Signals
examined in this chapter is "Can I, rather than some other pastor, serve in
this church as a good steward?" Here the emphasis is on the "I,"
the personal qualities and considerations that may or may not make it suitable
for you to minister in one particular parish rather than another.
The chart that follows will help you assess your degree of personal match with
your present church. Again, as with the chart after the chapter on Parish
Signals, note where your rankings are clustered. Do you see more red lights than
green? More green than red? Or, if your answers lie in the middle range of the
continuum, a yellow warning signal that a hasty decision may be dangerous?
ASSESSING
YOUR PRESENT MINISTRY
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Personal
Signals
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Stop
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Go
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6.
Authenticity Accepted
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__|__|__|__|__|__|__
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Stifled
Personality
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7.
Good Giftedness Fit
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__|__|__|__|__|__|__
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Poor
Giftedness Fit
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8.
Enthusiasm for the Task
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__|__|__|__|__|__|__
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Restlessness
or Withdrawal
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9.
Challenging Work
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__|__|__|__|__|__|__
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Job
Mundane or Overwhelming
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10.
More Dreams and Visions
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__|__|__|__|__|__|__
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Silence
or Nightmare
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11.
Good Opportunity for Impact
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__|__|__|__|__|__|__
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Limited
Opportunity for Impact
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12.
Family Happy and Growing
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__|__|__|__|__|__|__
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Family
Distressed and Stifled
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13.
Appropriate Compensation
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__|__|__|__|__|__|__
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Insufficient
Compensation
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[This
assessment guide can help you identify directional responses to the Personal
Signals studied in this chapter. As you mark each item on the continuum, notice
whether your answers cluster toward the red-light side or the green-light side.
You may find that you place a number of marks near the middle of the scale.
In that case, a yellow light of "caution" warns you not to make any
hasty decisions. But many of you, after completing this inventory (and the
guides on Parish Signals and Pastor/People Signals), will see directional
patterns emerge. These semaphores can shed light on whether the benefits
of continuing in your present service outweigh the advantages of pursuing a
change.]
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Figure
1
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CHURCH
ATTENDANCE AND THE COST OF A SOLO PASTOR
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Church
Attendance
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Average
Total Pastoral Cost
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Average
Amount per Attendee
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Average
Weekly Amount per Attendee
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Under
50
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$24,900
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$498
or more
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$9.58
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51-100
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$32,199
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$322-$631
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$8.26
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101-150
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$38,426
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$256-$380
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$5.91
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151-200
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$43,085
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$215-$285
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$4.73
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201-300
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$47,100
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$157-$234
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$3.62
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Copyright,
Spring 1992 Leadership, a publication of Cti. Used with
permission.
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Figure
2
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AVERAGE
PASTORAL COMPENSATION
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Senior
Pastors
38%
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Solo
Pastors
62%
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Total
Group
100%
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Average
Compensation
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Cash
Salary
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$27,142
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$18,728
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$21,940
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Housing
Allowance/Parsonage equivalent value
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12,307
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8,623
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10,092
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Pension/Retirement*
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4,286
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3,486
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3,810
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Self-employment
Tax*
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3,575
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2,412
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2,871
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Insurance*
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4,080
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3,513
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3,745
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Average
Benefit Package*
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7,724
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5,636
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6,431
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(salary,
housing, benefits)
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$45,515
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$32,163
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$37,260
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Average
Reimbursements*
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Auto*
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$2,958
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$2,489
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$2,669
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Convention/Continuing
Ed.*
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919
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629
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750
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Professional
Expenses*
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695
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590
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639
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Entertainment/Hospitality*
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941
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684
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827
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(reimbursements)
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$3,758
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$2,927
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$3,256
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Average
Package
(compensation plus reimbursements)
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$48,560
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$34,426
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$39,821
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*Average
of those who receive this kind of compensation, not of entire
group.
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Copyright,
Spring 1992 Leadership, a publication of Cti. Used with
permission.
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