CHANGES IN THE COVENANT MINISTERIUM
A few weeks ago I was asked to do a short presentation on the issues and changes that I am observing in the Covenant Ministerium -- from a "practitioner's perspective." I happen to be the president of that organization, which is the college or community of ministers and missionaries credentialed by the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Here are some of my notes. Those in other church bodies will find some but not all of this applicable.

ORGANIC CHANGES

1. Growing diversity of the Ministerium -- ethnic changes -- even Mestizo --diversity of style and sizes of churches. What does the pastor of a 60-member-church in Podunk, Iowa have in common with the pastor of a Super Megachurch in Southern California?

2. Diversity of calling -- Our people are not all moving in the same direction. Growth of the number of people who are "Ordained to Specialized Ministry" and staff ministries. We have identity issues -- what constitutes the "ordered ministry"?

3. Lines are blurring between missionary/minister, lay/clergy

4. Fewer natural ties -- We are no longer "family size." Not as many common tracks for everyone in the Ministerium -- e.g. not everyone has had the common experience of seminary together at North Park. We no longer ALL gather for the same common events

5. Shifting expectations -- The old unwritten expectation that we ministers are entitled to a healthy ministry situation for our entire "careers" is unfulfilled. It was perceived that if you did good ministry and if you were faithful in service that the Covenant had an obligation to provide a ministry setting. However, many are now serving outside the denomination and in non-parish ministries because we can't provide enough opportunities in Covenant parishes -- at least for ministers who are trained to serve small to mid-size Midwest style congregations.

6. Who is in charge? Who do I work for? -- Congregations aren't sure if ministers are employees or contract workers or what! Creates tension and conflict over the role of the pastor. Compounded by the fact that there is no longer a single model that we all share.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES

1. Tug of perceptions regarding the role of the Covenant Ministerium -- Is the Ministerium primarily a self-care/support organization responsible for the care of the pastors? Or is it the responsibility of the denomination as a whole to be actively caring for the pastors? Who takes the lead?

Are the members of the Ministerium the denominational agents in the local churches? That is, are they there to do the work of the denomination? To do the denomination's bidding? Some administrators perceive that as a role of the minister and the Ministerium.

Is the Ministerium the "union" for the ministers and missionaries -- primarily concerned about advocating for greater benefits and rights for the members?

2. Decentralization of the ECC and the Ministerium -- Movement from a synod to a network of churches where clusters/districts/affinity groups play more of a role than the centralized events in identity and connections -- vs. old school where the single big events were the main connection points

People are connecting in other ways -- e.g. electronic.

3. Many clergy no longer see the Covenant Ministerium as their primary association but as one among many associations to which they belong and to which they have some sort of accountability or receive some services from.

4. Missional issues -- As a church we are putting our energy into frontline missional activities (as we should!) -- holistic emphases, church planting, etc. But the Ministerium isn't directly missional in the sense that we are not as an organization out there on those lines.

We exist to support people and churches so that they can do and sustain mission. We are only "indirectly missional." So organizationally we take a back seat in funding and energy. Some feel that the Covenant organization, for this reason, neglects ministers and missionaries. (Perception isn't necessarily reality -- but it is still perception)

5. Cost -- Are the dues I pay "professional dues" or are they more informally what I chip in to make things work? Does the Ministerium have the right to tax the members or just ask for contributions? How much power do we have over each other?

6. What is the church? The emerging generation thinks of the church as more of a conversation than an organization. This affects how the church organizes itself. In addition there is organizational diversity among all generations. The definition of a minister and how one prepares for such a role varies according to the nature of the organization being served. As the organization of the Covenant embraces more diversity this adds more diversity to the Ministerium and we aren't all on the same page regarding the mission of the Ministerium or even what a minister looks like.

MY PERCEPTION OF WHERE THE MINISTERIUM IS GOING TO BE IN 2015

Networking metaphor is the future

Goal: "excellence in networking"

The system will contain diverse nodes. Nodes are local churches, networks of churches -- perhaps some house church networks, districts, clusters, international churches, and other structures tie in -- including events, temporary emphases, centers, spiritual direction networks. They, too are nodes in the network.

Networks are messy and not clearly defined on the fringes -- but they have a solid system of routers and switches that keep things functioning. The lines between "Covenant" and other church networks will occasionally be blurry on the edges.

The denomination will provide "systems engineers" (staff) to help the nodes talk with each other and to eliminate static on the lines.

The system is linked through three-strand wiring and the strength of the network will depend on the quality of the wiring.

Strand #1 -- Holistic missional drive

Strand #2 -- A common content -- "open evangelical" -- defined in Covenant Affirmations, etc.

Stand #3 -- A common discipline that works itself out in the Ministerium as an "ordered ministry" -- we are a religious order with people who have taken religious vows and agree to function together according to certain standards -- and with a common rhythm and a shared life.