Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2018 Shema, Shabbat, Shalom, and a Savior: Implications for Pastoral Ministry Richard Hovey [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Hovey, Richard, "Shema, Shabbat, Shalom, and a Savior: Implications for Pastoral Ministry" (2018). Doctor of Ministry. 270. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/270 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY SHEMA, SHABBAT, SHALOM, AND A SAVIOR IMPLICATIONS FOR PASTORAL MINISTRY A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY RICHARD HOVEY PORTLAND, OREGON APRIL 2018 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Richard Hovey has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 21, 2018 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Spiritual Formation. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Michael Gama, DMin Secondary Advisor: Bob Henry, DMin Lead Mentor: MaryKate Morse, PhD Copyright © 2018 by Richard Hovey All rights reserved ii DEDICATION In the process of writing my dissertation, there are many who stood by me and supported me, including a close friend, Dale Empey. Dale shared my passion for the church and ministry. In October of 2017, our Lord God called Dale home following a battle with cancer. Dale, you not only encouraged me in the writing of my dissertation, but you were a confidant and partner in ministry, and a friend above all else. I am unsure as to why at this time our Lord and mutual Friend called you home to be with him. Aelred of Rievaulx once wrote: “Here we are, you and I, and I hope that Christ makes a third with us.” We know he did, my friend, we know he did! For this I thank him, and thank you – that our friendship was all the more sweet because it was a spiritual friendship. In due time I will seek another; in the mean time the presence of Christ’s Spirit continues to tarry here as you now tarry there. I dedicate this dissertation to you, Dale, in memory of your dedication to me not only as your pastor but as your friend. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ v ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1: DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM ....................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2: A BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE PASTORAL ROLE ........... 9 Pastoral Leadership in the Old Testament ............................................................... 12 Pastoral Leadership in the New Testament .............................................................. 20 Shema, Shabbat, Shalom and the Shepherd Role of Jesus ...................................... 26 CHAPTER 3: THE CONTEMPORARY EVANGELICAL PASTOR: HOW DID WE GET HERE? ...................................................................................................................... 38 A Brief History of the Development of the Pastoral Role ........................................ 39 Classical Pastoral Theology ........................................................................................ 45 A Call to Return to Shepherd Leadership ................................................................ 55 CHAPTER 4: A RETURN TO SHEMA, SHABBAT AND SHALOM IN SHEPHERD LEADERSHIP .................................................................................................................. 59 A Pastor’s Passion: Living the Shema ....................................................................... 59 A Pastor’s Rest: Practicing Shabbat ......................................................................... 77 A Pastor’s Peace: Finding Shalom ............................................................................. 86 CHAPTER 5: A CHURCH IN NEED OF RENEWAL .................................................. 91 Converting Church ..................................................................................................... 91 Evangelical Foundations: Moving Forward, Looking Back ................................. 104 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION ...................................................................................... 121 A Profound Realization ............................................................................................ 127 A Profound Rest ........................................................................................................ 130 A Profound Risk ........................................................................................................ 132 A Shepherd and the Sheep ....................................................................................... 134 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................... 140 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many who have helped me reach this point of having completed my dissertation, a handful of whom I would like to take the space here to thank. First, a thank you to my family who has put up with me during this process. To my wife, Julie, I promise I have no plans to pursue any further degrees; thanks for not only allowing but helping me get this far. To my girls (Maria, Jennifer, and Andrea), I thank you for making this journey easy with your grace and patience as I put in some long days. Secondly, a thank you to my church family and elders board who afforded me the time to work on this project, recognizing the direct benefit this will have on my continued ministry among you. (And yes, I plan to stay!). To Dr. Gama – your insights and reflections as my faculty advisor have been beyond helpful in making this paper more than just another project but rather part of my life. You challenged me to write from my heart’s experience in life and ministry. Thank you! Dr. Demoskoff – thank you for taking the time to read my dissertation, offering suggestions and corrections, without which it would not be the paper it is. It has been enjoyable to catch up with you again at this stage of life and to have you as part of this process. To my friend and colleague in ministry, Chrissy Dennis, thank you for your encouragement and accountability in the writing process (realizing I did not always take your good advice!). Thank you as well for your time editing, also without which this paper would not be the quality of writing it is. v ABSTRACT In the Global North there are disparaging figures within evangelicalism for both pastors and the churches they lead. Evangelical pastors have lost their moorings, suffering the consequences of a lost call and purpose in ministry. This has lead to an abandonment of post by the contemporary evangelical pastor in North America, and to a church left to drift in a secular sea. This project will suggest an answer in the return to a true pastoral ministry which will have positive implications for both pastor and church. Chapter 1 will provide an overview of the problem within contemporary evangelical pastoral ministry. This chapter will outline the intrapersonal disconnect that occurs within the pastor’s personal life and vocational calling as well as the interpersonal disconnect between pastor and church body when it comes to calling and purpose. In Chapter 2, the role of leadership within the biblical texts will be outlined, looking at the shepherd leadership expectations within the Old Testament and how these are continued in the New Testament. The themes of Shema, Shabbat and Shalom will be introduced in this chapter, looking at their fulfilment in the Shepherd ministry of Jesus. Chapter 3 will look at the historical development of the pastoral role, review the pastoral role in the classical tradition, with a call to return to the concept of shepherd ministry. Then in Chapter 4, the concepts of Shema, Shabbat, and Shalom shall be addressed in correlation with the contemporary pastor. This shall be followed by, in Chapter 5, providing the context within which the pastor finds him or herself – that of the contemporary evangelicalism and the challenges facing the church. Chapter 6 shall provide a concluding argument inviting the evangelical pastor to return to the profound faith which is part of the evangelical tradition. vi CHAPTER 1: DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM Before the altar of God, at the bedside of the sick, in conversation with troubled souls, befuddled before the biblical text, there is the pastor. Standing in that fateful intersection between God’s people and God, at that risky intersection between Christ and his Body, the church, stands the priests. It is no small thing to be in mediation between God and humanity, to offer the gifts of God’s people, to intercede for the suffering of the world in prayer, rightly to divide the Word