CHICAGO, IL (December 26, 2005) – Specialization and economics are among the factors that have made placing pastors in congregations increasingly difficult, says David Kersten, executive minister of the Department of the Ordered Ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Kersten says roughly 130 pastors currently have identified themselves as open to a call (from another congregation). Each month averages between 60 to 80 openings. “But well over half of those are in staff ministry,” Kersten notes.
Those staff ministry positions continue to be more specialized. Among those are children, family and youth ministries. Church planters also have been in short supply, with some of those pastors now coming from outside the Covenant.
One of the most rapidly developing specialties is in the area of worship arts, which includes a broad spectrum of needs and skills like soloist, musician, choir leader, worship planner and technical expert, Kersten says.
“Churches expect a lot in their worship arts person,” Kersten says. “They also want them to be theologically trained.”
Seminarians usually train for generalized ministry, but pastors will need to do more, especially if they want more opportunities for placement, Kersten says. “Everyone needs to be thinking of a specialization that they can bring to the churches,” he suggests.
The Covenant is unable to train an adequate number of its own youth pastors, church planters or worship arts leaders, it is noted. The seminary is looking at ways to further develop these specialties, but many seminarians and current pastors are seeking senior or solo roles.
“We are in a historic time,” Kersten says. “The number of staff and specialized positions outnumber the senior or solo pastorates.” He adds that the Covenant has roughly 1,600 specialized positions and 750 solo or senior spots.
Some large churches are beginning to hire staff ministers from within and giving them much of their training. When that person fills a position, that means another pastor will not fill it, and more openings won’t occur, Kersten says.
Kersten notes that a majority of Covenant churches have an average of 150 or fewer attendees. “We are undersupplied for small churches and oversupplied for medium and large churches,” he says.
Economics is a major factor in supplying the smaller churches because of the difficulty in meeting salary, insurance, and pension needs. Economic uncertainty sometimes causes churches to be apprehensive about hiring staff, and for pastors to be nervous about moving their families. Financial concerns could mean that more pastors will need to be bi-vocational.
On the pastor’s side, moving from one area to another could mean a significant financial loss for the family. Also, a majority of pastors have spouses who are developing their own careers and may need to remain in the same location.
All of the challenges present their own opportunities and downfalls that the Covenant will have to address, Kersten says. In the meantime, filling openings may continue to take more time.
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