First, I was wondering if there are statistics kept on the number of Pastors or churches who go through an article 17. Second, I realize that not all article 17 applications are negative: one pastor from our classis used article 17 to return to Seminary to work on a Doctorate: he wants to go into the teaching ministry, either at a college or at a Seminary some where. He's a young guy. But the majority of cases are not like his. But I am interested to know if more pastors are going through article 17 in the last decade or two than in previous decades, and to what factors we might attribute an increase if there is one. I wonder also if our way of doing things like calling pastors to a church for an indefinate amount of time, or without a regular review of the pastor's work and the congregation's vision/fit, contribute to "surprises".
I also wonder whether or not unordained staff, like Youth Pastor's or Youth Leaders or Evangelists should be given any kind of opportunity for classical intervention when they are suddenly "terminated".
Thanks for the data. I was reflecting on the incredible increase in the stats of Pastors and Churches that have gone through an Article 17. I have a hunch that a few cultural things are happening: first of all the Baby Boomers are now in council: the generation that has less denominational loyalty, less respect for "titles and positions of authority", and so we tend to be quicker to publically criticise and move to "remove" those we are not seeing eye to eye with. We are the ones who prefer to be called Pastor, rather than Rev. and certainly not "Dominae". We want to meet the congregation as friend and colleague, and at the very same time, place ourselves either at the very same plain or even see ourselves as "less than" members of the congregation. Perhaps I am exagerating things a bit, but if it isn't true of the pastor himself, it may often be true that the perishioner sees us that way. We are certainly not "beyond rebuke". It can be a good thing in the sense that a Pastor will not last if he doesn't make the effort to do his job. Slothfulness or disfunctionality probably isn't going to be tollerated like it was in the past.
All I have said is based on a hunch, I wonder if research might have been done that verifies the hypothesis.
Posted in: What has been your experience with Article 17 A?
First, I was wondering if there are statistics kept on the number of Pastors or churches who go through an article 17. Second, I realize that not all article 17 applications are negative: one pastor from our classis used article 17 to return to Seminary to work on a Doctorate: he wants to go into the teaching ministry, either at a college or at a Seminary some where. He's a young guy. But the majority of cases are not like his. But I am interested to know if more pastors are going through article 17 in the last decade or two than in previous decades, and to what factors we might attribute an increase if there is one. I wonder also if our way of doing things like calling pastors to a church for an indefinate amount of time, or without a regular review of the pastor's work and the congregation's vision/fit, contribute to "surprises".
I also wonder whether or not unordained staff, like Youth Pastor's or Youth Leaders or Evangelists should be given any kind of opportunity for classical intervention when they are suddenly "terminated".
Posted in: What has been your experience with Article 17 A?
George,
Thanks for the data. I was reflecting on the incredible increase in the stats of Pastors and Churches that have gone through an Article 17. I have a hunch that a few cultural things are happening: first of all the Baby Boomers are now in council: the generation that has less denominational loyalty, less respect for "titles and positions of authority", and so we tend to be quicker to publically criticise and move to "remove" those we are not seeing eye to eye with. We are the ones who prefer to be called Pastor, rather than Rev. and certainly not "Dominae". We want to meet the congregation as friend and colleague, and at the very same time, place ourselves either at the very same plain or even see ourselves as "less than" members of the congregation. Perhaps I am exagerating things a bit, but if it isn't true of the pastor himself, it may often be true that the perishioner sees us that way. We are certainly not "beyond rebuke". It can be a good thing in the sense that a Pastor will not last if he doesn't make the effort to do his job. Slothfulness or disfunctionality probably isn't going to be tollerated like it was in the past.
All I have said is based on a hunch, I wonder if research might have been done that verifies the hypothesis.
Ken