Clergy Effectiveness Adopted by the Board of Ordained Ministry, October 2014
An effective clergy An effective clergy An effective clergy personifies: practices: produces: (a1) A strong, articulate (b1) A strong, spiritually (c1) Growth in worship Wesleyan theology disciplined prayer life. (a2) Maturity reflected in (b2) Self‐care and respect (c2) Disciples who are a respectful, humble, of boundaries. lifelong learners and mature and evangelists. coachable nature (a3) Adaptively, (b3) Generosity in (c3) Mature and healthy creativity, and risk‐ resources, words and leaders with a vision for taking. actions. the local church and community. (a4) A joyful, engaging (b4) Responsibility, and (c4) Missional churches and faithful servant heart helps others to do the and other new same. ministries. (a5) An ability to (b5) A work ethic that is (c5) Financial strength motivate, equip, smart and kingdom‐ and viability. encourage, and give oriented permission
Explanation of Traits
(a1) An effective clergy is one (b1) An effective clergy is one c1) An effective clergy who possesses and articulates who begins with an essential produces growth in worship a working knowledge of and vibrant faith, lived out in in numbers and in spiritual Biblical faith and social a spiritually disciplined life vitality. The clergy uses the holiness. The clergy that includes prayer and worship experience to draw demonstrates the ability to other means of grace. people closer to God and to communicate and apply the Attention to this primary each other. The clergy gospel of Jesus Christ in foundation and practice as a accomplishes this through culturally relevant ways. The disciple of Jesus Christ sets an music, prayer, preaching and clergy understands, knows, example by the clergy. The the sharing of the sacraments and celebrates the power of clergy intentionally moves that is relevant to the context the triune God to bring into a deepening life devoted and culture of the people and healing, reconciliation, and to Christ. the community in which peace to the lives of individual he/she serves. These worship
Clergy Effectiveness Adopted by the Board of Ordained Ministry, October 2014
congregations and experiences need to be communities. inviting and welcome to diversity and dialogue. (a2) (b2) An effective clergy knows (c2) An effective clergy An effective clergy is a lifelong him/herself, recognizing the produces disciples actively learner. This is enabled by a need for clear boundaries and engaged in learning and humble, coachable attitude the p roper balance in all aspects growing in Christ through submits to the promptings of of life, taking steps to keep intentional Bible study, a the Holy Spirit, God’s Word and those disciplined prayer and the help and advice of others. boundaries and that balance devotional life, faithful Such an attitude also enables healthy and evident. The worship attendance and the clergy to learn from clergy seeks to care for participation, and evangelistic successes as well as failures. her/himself physically, service beyond church walls. The clergy person’s disciplined maintaining and The clergy helps disciples to spiritual life makes his/her strengthening healthy identify, develop and use their accountable in one’s work and relationships among family, spiritual gifts to build up the actions. The clergy gives up the friends and parishioners. The church, the community and quest for status and power clergy knows when to say “no” the world. following Christ’s example. to activities that weaken good boundaries, and how to respect times of rest and renewal to keep a healthy perspective and discipline of making good choices in his/her life. (a3) An effective clergy can (b3) An effective clergy gives (c3) An effective clergy set and accomplish goals with up the emotion of jealousy in develops and empowers flexibility and responsiveness life. Instead, the clergy leaders who have a vision for while managing conflict in a practices a heartfelt their local church, community way that leads to healthy expression of joy in the and world for which they take resolution. The clergy thinks success of others, growing responsibility and work to outside the box and is willing others into healthy and achieve. The clergy stays to take oneself and others in faithful disciples. He/she uses abreast of, provides creative, new directions, all means ‐ financial, prayer information about, and responsive to and trusting in and pastoral skills ‐ to assist encourages attendance at the moving of the Holy Spirit. others to training opportunities and move forward in their own workshops that help leaders ministries. address an ever-changing world. (a4) An effective clergy is (b4) An effective clergy lives (c4) An effective clergy guides faithful to their ordination with integrity in his/her life. and encourages the people in
Clergy Effectiveness Adopted by the Board of Ordained Ministry, October 2014
vows and their relationship He/she takes clear reaching beyond church walls with Jesus Christ. The clergy is responsibility for the failure of in ever growing and joyful and engaging with a ministry under the clergy’s developing ministries. The heart for serving a world that care, and as w ell, includes clergy leads by example by is hurting. The clergy serves others in the expression of participating alongside the God and others without praise in the success of people in outreach events and complaining or drawing ministry. In those situations, activities. attention to oneself. The in which others fail to live up clergy’s servanthood I others to to live in like manner. the call of ministry or disciples hip of Christ, the clergy carefully and lovingly leads others into a place of repentance and forgiveness, and asks the same in return. (a5) An effective clergy is (b5) An effective clergy does (c5) An effective clergy relational and cultivates the not waste time. The gifts, skill, develops financial gifts of the Spirit in others and energy and time used by the commitment among the empowers them to claim their clergy are well used and people so that developing and call and continue to create both solid emerging ministries have the assists in helping them find foundations and promising resources needed to sustain their place in ministry. futures. As the season of a these ministries as long as ministry comes they are relevant to the to a close, the effective clergy community. is the one who can celebrate its ending and to direct others to dream of new expressions of ministry yet to be experienced.
Measurement
The role of the Board of Ordained Ministry for clergy effectiveness falls in providing standards, best practices and healthy examples for a life of clergy ministry in the Dakotas Conference.
The measurement of these standards and practices of the effective clergy occur under the supervisory work of the superintendent and the ongoing review and support of the staff‐parish relations committee or other personnel committees for those in extension ministries or the deacons in ministry beyond the local church. As mutually agreed upon expectations and goals are created in consultation with these groups, the effective clergy will be able to honestly ask and answer the questions: How clearly and fully have I been able to create this ministry environment over the past period? Where could I have been clearer or more focused? How else may I continue to grow in each of these areas to prove my effectiveness? Am I being faithful to my ordination vows, family and my relationship to God.
With mutually agreed upon goals, the evaluation becomes a team effort, and not an opportunity to unduly critic a pastor for not doing what he/she never realized they were expected to do in the first place.