As I'm sure most of you are aware, in the Methodist church there are (generally) two types of pastors: elders and local pastors. Elders are typically those who have completed seminary or the advanced course of study for local pastors and who have been ordained by the Bishop at Annual Conference. Local pastors are typically second career pastors who have not been to seminary and who are licensed to preach and handle all ministerial duties in their particular charge or church. Essentially, a local pastor is a lay pastor who receives seminary-lite training in the UMC Course of Study.
For most of the members of a given congregation, there is no difference between the two types of pastors. All they know is that there is a pastor standing in the pulpit or beside the bed of the sick and they don't care if they have gone to seminary or not. However, there is a vast difference between the two types of pastors, at least in the eyes of some in the UMC leadership.
At one of my churches, we are studying the basic doctrines and beliefs of the Methodist Church. For this study, a retired elder and former D.S. has come in and is leading the study. During the first night's study he told how John Wesley established the Methodist Church in America, primarily with circuit riders who were laity. He also told about how the Anglican Bishop called Wesley into his office one day to complain about Wesley preaching in the fields outside of his appointed parish. The Bishop said that Wesley was not authorized to preach or minister outside his parish. Wesley responded, "The world is my parish."
Fine words, indeed. But, unfortunately, not necessarily the truth when it comes to all the pastors in the Methodist Church. For elders, the world can be their parish. Because of their ordination, they are allowed to preach and teach and minister anywhere in the world. But, local pastors are not allowed to do the same. Local pastors are authorized (Charged) to only minister in their charge or church or to the members of their congregation, their parish, if you will. They are restricted to this parish by the leadership of the Methodist Church and can only minister outside this geographic area with the permission of the D.S. or Bishop.
Generally, this does not cause much of a problem for most local pastors. But it can. Several years ago I was asked to officiate at a wedding of a family member in another state, and I was told I could not do so. I could participate in the wedding, but an ordained elder would have to conduct the service. More recently it has affected something that I strongly felt was a calling from God.
I was asked to serve as the spiritual director for a Chrysalis Journey (college-aged version of the Walk to Emmaus). I had served as an assistant spiritual director on several Chrysalis Flights and Journeys and two Walk to Emmaus events. I prayed over the request and felt that this was something that God wanted me to do. However, because I was a local pastor, the Chrysalis Board required me to get a letter from the D.S. authorizing me to serve in this capacity. [As I understood it, the issue revolved around the serving of communion. Local pastors are not authorized to serve communion outside their parish without the approval of the D.S. or Bishop.]
So, I went to my D.S. to request a letter of authorization, which I thought was going to be a mere formality. I was told I could not serve in this capacity because I was a local pastor. I left the meeting with the D.S. shocked and somewhat discouraged. In my short career as a local pastor, this was the first time that I had ever come across a situation where I felt the UMC leadership was stopping something that I know was a calling from God, all because I was not an ordained elder. My response to the situation has been to pray over it and leave it in God's hands to work out the details. I feel I must submit to the authority placed over me, even though I am not convinced they are correct in this issue. If this is a true calling from God, then it will work out in one way or the other.
However, I left the meeting with grave concerns over the definitions of clergy in the Methodist Church. Is my calling from God to go into the ministry any less valid than that of an elder? When God calls people into the ministry, does He require a seminary education before they begin ministering?
I understand the arguments for ordination. I understand the concerns over the teaching of correct doctrines approved by the denomination. I understand the need for oversight of local pastors. But what I don't understand is why it is o.k. for local pastors to serve in a charge but not anywhere else? Why is what I preach and teach and the way I minister acceptable in my appointed charge and no where else? In other words, why can't the world be my parish, too?
13 comments:
"Is my calling from God to go into the ministry any less valid than that of an elder?"
We as United Methodist clergy operate under a dual calling--the call of God, and the call of the Church. I don't think the situation you describe has to do with the validity of your call from God so much as the classification of your call from the Church.
"When God calls people into the ministry, does He require a seminary education before they begin ministering?"
I don't think so. But again, we operate under two callings. The call from God does not require a seminary education. And incidentally, neither does the call from the Church--unless one seeks to be classified as Deacon or Elder, in which case the call from the Church involves seminary education and often (varying by conference) a period of residency during the "probationary" term.
I am grateful for your ministry and the ministry of local pastors throughout the Church. The UMC could not function without local pastors. It may be that one day the situation you describe will change.
You might want to check the discipline. It is my understanding that general conference gace its ok for local pastors, with permission to be SD's for Emmaus/Chrysalis communities.
For me, as a local pastor, I knew the situation I went into and accepted it. Some have worked to make local pastors more nearly like elders. Good for them, but I accept my role in the church as it was when I started 20 years ago.
Ah, but if we made local pastors just like elders, how would we then fund the seminary industry?
Thanks for your comments and thoughts on this situation. I don't want to give anyone the wrong impression. I want to serve God to the best of my ability and to fulfill the calling He has placed on my life. My concerns are how to live out that calling in light of the authority I am under.
While I would love to have the knowledge that a seminary education can provide, I have not felt called to go that direction, probably for a couple of reasons. First, as a part-time pastor with a full-time secular job, I find myself ministering to co-workers in ways I could not if I was a full-time elder. Secondly, and more importantly, I have a heart for the smaller, rural churches. If I were to go to seminary and proceed to ordination as an elder, then I would not be appointed to these congregations.
Which brings up the issue of the small membership churches and their value to the leadership of the UMC. It is obvious that the local pastor is not regarded at the same professional level as an ordained elder. Fine. I can understand and accept that. They have been to seminary and received advanced training. As Emory said, I also knew that going in and will continue to seek to minister and fulfill God's calling in this setting to the best of my ability.
But, if this line of reasoning is valid, then doesn't it seem that the smaller membership churches -- those who are struggling to stay alive from year to year -- would benefit more from the leadership of an ordained elder than a lay pastor who does not have a seminary education? Would the UMC do better to move away from local pastors all together and to start placing elders in churches of all sizes?
I think it's a question of accountablity.
We have been in the strange position in our local church that for years 30 one pastor served as a local pastor here, not because he wasn't qualified to be ordained as an elder, but because his vision was to build up one church and he was unwilling to submit to being moved around. (he died at the age of 56 last December - so tread carefully)
Our current pastor is on maternity leave. She also is qualified to be a n elder but for a myriad of reasons has not chosen to be ordained. (horrid word choice as it sounds like local pastors are rogues which they are not)
Our replacement pastor is not a methodist but on loan from the free church (and originally pentecostal)
none of this is really relevent except to show that some choose to remain local pastors .. and it seems to be ok for the bishop. Me? I'm not so sure.
why are you a local pastor? and were the reasons for your DS not authorising you to be on the cysalliss programme ever explained to you. I think you could and should follow that up at least.
sorry just read your response as to why you aren't willing to go to seminary. Your answer "If I were to go to seminary and proceed to ordination as an elder, then I would not be appointed to these congregations. " though makes me confused
why wouldn't you be appointed to a small rural congregation. why couldn't you be bivocational still. I'm not sure I get this.
Greg, I have been seeking additional insight on the topic of ordination/local pastor and presto...I find your blog and the resulting "Comments." I have no desire to be a pastor but am interested in better understanding the UMC and why some things are as they are. That is why I have created and administer www.laitynicumc.org. Thanks to all.
From my own perspective as a local pastor, I will say that I have run into some roadblocks as well because of the limitations of my office, and I walked away hurt and confused especially in light of some area clergy who seem to get away with so much with little accountability and are subsequently "rewarded" with another parish.
However, there is much we can do as local pastors within the scope of our office. The key is to learn to work within the limitations placed upon us and accept that exceptions will not likely be made. I have found DS's who rely on the BoD and dismiss what we may consider to be reasonable requests without much consideration on a "legal" basis alone. It's just how it is.
Frustrating? Sure. But these smaller churches need us because they cannot afford to sustain a full-time pastor. I have learned to answer such requests with a "no" and not even bother asking because I already know what the answer will be: "The BoD says no."
Keep your chin up, brother. The Lord IS using you for HIS kingdom and not our own.
I am a well trained hoop jumper. I made the choice 10 years ago to answer the call of God in my heart, to serve the people in the farm communities, the small rural church that could not afford the conference required yearly salaries; I would serve as a part-time local pastor. Everytime I am required to answer to a board, committee, mentor or DS, I check to see how high I am to jump and who I need to say yes, too. But I do not go quietly into the night. God has empowered me, with a Christ-like passion for all God's children, all pharisees who might try to hold me down, will not deny me the wonder of service to my Lord.
Blessing to all from your sister in Christ.
I'm with you brother. I served as a local pastor in the UMC for five years. I ran into similar situations. Other denominations do great ministry without the distinctions or seminary requirements. I believe a pastor should be intelligent and know the Bible well but a seminary education should not be required. The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest protestant denomination in the U. S. and they don't require it. It is impractical, especially for second career pastors. It is not only impractical but somewhat unethical to put a financial strain on a young family and put them in the "poor house" for three years. I do have a seminary degree but it was from another denomination which is why I remained a local pastor. I could have taken some more classes from a UM "approved" seminary but I had a wife and three kids at home. Personally, I got fed up with this kind of nonsense and started an independent Methodist church.
Then there are those who complete a seminary education and the higher ups are content with them being a local pastor but feel that they are not quite equipped to be an ordained elder. A good friend of mine was told he acquired too much student loan debt in seminary and that he would have to resolve that issue before ordination. Tell me how that makes sense?
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