This past week I attended the first gathering of my Lewis Fellows cohort in and around Washington D.C. I blogged about the whole program and the reasons why the Lewis Center for Church Leadership focuses on young clergy. It was a wonderful experience to connect with other young clergy because there are so few of us. Also, ministering in Upstate New York, I do not get opportunities like this. It was extremely affirming to be in a gathering where younger clergy are seen as critical to the present and future Church.
Our sessions were thoughtfully led by experts and leading pastors. Much of our discussion revolved around leadership, vision, practice of ministry, dealing with conflict, and transforming churches. Not only was the theoretical covered in our meetings, but practical learning. We visited churches and talked with pastors who were able to transform their churches or in some cases bring a church back from death.
As I participated in the discussion, it was clear that not only do clergy need to understand leadership, but lay people need to understand certain realities of church leadership:
- Leadership begins with vision.
- Leadership is change.
- Leadership involves everyone.
If you are a part of any organization there is a text you need to read: The Leadership Challenge. It’s packed with a ton of info and practical ideas on leadership. Not only that, it is back with empirical data.
As young clergy, there are many misconceptions that are placed upon us. Many in the church think that we cannot lead because we are young. The U.S. Constitution allows any 25 year old citizen to be elected to serve in the House of Representatives, yet young clergy are sometimes seen as a “not-ready-for-prime-time-player”. After four years of college and three years of graduate school, you’d think we would have the tools. Twenty-somethings are running multi-billion dollar companies with thousands of employees, yet young clergy are seen as “not ready” to serve vibrant churches. Studies conclude that congregations often feel highly satisfied with a younger pastor in their congregation.
A highlight of my time with the the Lewis Fellows was visiting Western Presbyterian Church and Emory United Methodist Church both in Washington D.C. Both churches were able to engage the community and grow. Both had “young” pastors lead the congregations into vision, change, and growth (either in the past or currently).
My time with the Lewis Fellows was fruitful and I pray that my congregation will welcome the ideas learned. I am also appreciative of a congregation that sensed God’s calling and looked past my age to see my gifts as a “young” pastor.
: fel·low
Pronunciation: \ˈfe-(ˌ)lō\ Function: noun Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English felawe, from Old English fēolaga, from Old Norse fēlagi, from fēlag partnership, from fē cattle, money + lag act of laying
Date: before 12th century
1 : comrade, associate
2 a : an equal in rank, power, or character : peer b : one of a pair : mate
3 : a member of a group having common characteristics; specifically : a member of an incorporated literary or scientific society
2 Comments
Alan,
Sounds like you had a great trip. Glad to hear it! I feel young clergy are able to reach out and relate to an audience that is often overlooked or ignored. Keep up the great work at FBC!
Good post, glad you were able to participate in such an event. You have to keep fresh tread on the tires, it’s quite easy to get burned out. I enjoyed our visit at the end of your trip, and hope you’ll get to swing by again soon.