#26
Skills will not earn a crown or guarantee success.
Habit 5: Be free with love and joy After telling the sports reporter the best ad-vice she ever got, “Let go and let God,” America’s No. 1 college basketball player from the UConn 2009 NCAA winning team, answered his question about what she wanted her epitaph to say: “Here lies Renee Montgomery who loved life and loved everyone in it.” Don’t you just love a person who loves you! Jesus taught that love and joy form the core essence of life—“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another,” and “…So that my joy may be in you and that your joy will be full.” Jn. 13:34-35; 15:11 Edwin Markum said, “We have committed The Golden Rule to memory; let us now commit it to our lives.” I say, “Let us now commit love and joy to our lives.” Go for them! And share them!
Habit 6: Think Pastoral Care Pastoral? Certainly, because most church members would like their pastor to care personally for them as doctors care for each patient and teachers care for each student—Pray for them individually about their spiritual and physical needs; be Available for drop-in visits, emergencies and celebrations; Contact them (be in touch) occasionally; and know him or her well enough to have a helpful Example of how another Christian struggles with his or her life issues. Clergy cannot do this (you do the math). God calls them to pastor the congregation as a whole (preach, teach, train laity, and the like). Lay pastors can do this. God calls and gifts them to be “love with skin on it,” to PACE the congregation…one person at a time. That’s why the congregation needs dozens of lay pastors (scores in larger churches), but only one clergy pastor (or staff).
Habit 7: Keep the end in mind Jesus prayed to his Father near the end of his life, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Jn. 17:4 From the beginning, Jesus knew he was to preach, teach, heal and finally give his life for the sins of the world. To be able to say from the cross, “It is finished” he had to be doing these things each day through his years. Paul, near the end of his life, wrote “I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.” II Tim 4:7-8 For this to be true, starting with his conversion, he kept the crown of glory in mind each day through his years. Keeping the end in mind will keep you on track for the crown of glory to be presented to notably successful lay pastors!●
(Audio/Byeong) Melvin says, think Pastoral Care! What is that mean? Pastoral? Certainly, because most church members would like their pastor to care personally for them as doctors care for each patient and teachers care for each student: Pray for them individually about their spiritual and physical needs; be Available for drop-in visits, emergencies and celebrations; Contact them (be in touch) occasionally; and know him or her well enough to have a helpful. Example of how another Christian struggles with his or her life issues.
Clergy cannot do this. God calls them to pastor the congregation as a whole (preach, teach, train laity, and the like). Lay pastors can do this. God calls and gifts them to be “love with skin on it,” to PACE the congregation…one person at a time. That’s why the congregation needs dozens of lay pastors (scores in larger churches), but only one clergy pastor (or staff).
COMMENTS
in relation to SEVEN HABITS OF NOTABLY SUCCESSFUL LAY PASTORS[4]
Solomon Sesay (Sierra Leone) sys:
The text in question “Can the Pastor do it alone” by Melvin J. Steinbron and forwarded by a renown scholar–Lylee Schaller, is a fourteen chapters book, covering 213 pages. The main subject matter has to with the possibility that the laity if ‘called’ and are ‘equipped’ ‘commissioned’ and correctly ‘motivated’ can Pastor effectively and that people can accept pasturing from them. This is against the backdrop that only ordained pastors can do it. Schaller sees the text as representing three distinctive ideas regarding the business of equipping the saints. First, it recognizes that equipping the saints requires an active leadership role by the ordained ministry.
Second, the author spells out in helpful details how to go about the process of equipping the laity for ministry.
Third, the main focus on enabling the laity to serve as Pastors and no other roles such as administration. In all of this, he sees the author as intrinsically impressing on readers the distinctive role of the church as “existing for ministry and not administration.
In my attempt to review this text, I will endeavor to work around these three major divisions as Schaller has pointed out, and evaluate the “How to do” in the light of the church in the third world – (Africa most specifically). In order words, how universally can the “How to do” work in the church around the globe regarding the subject under review. I will endeavor to see whether the principles tabulated in the text, in all their specifics can be used in the church universally. This is because, the African church for example stand in desperate need of growth which the ordained ministry alone cannot bring to being. If the Principles of Lay equipping works for the church in the west, can it work for the church in Africa for example? If yes how, and if no, what more need be added or adjustment need to be done to the present work under review.■
Byeong, Melvin University, says:
Jesus have brought God glory on earth by completing the work God gave him to do. How about you when you have done?
Church growth with Lay Pastors Ministry: I was asked very often from pastors that how this ministry relates to church growth. Whenever I got request I was little embarrassed because I haven’t experienced it myself, I don’t have my own church. In some sense. I was wrestling how to make church growth through this ministry many times. Many people will get this question, perhaps, I was thinking of it very much, because I got this question very often and I understand this is priority question as pastors.
I found that: 1) it’s possible to make church growth through this ministry but indirectly, not directly; 2) church growth through this ministry need time, not only a short of time, e.g., two to three weeks, but two to three years. I have seen many PACE churches. Some are doing this for 3-4 years, others are only for few months, I mean less than one year so, there is no succeed.
I think once they are doing this ministry at least more than one year, then they will get fruit: 1) mature; 2) growth. This is true. As you see there is an order in here; first being individual and congregational matured, then church growth consequently. Therefore, definitely there should be an order and need time to get physical fruits, I mean the church growth.
Here, we need to understand what the key concept of this ministry is. This ministry is caring ministry, not church growth strategy, or program. If we miss this core concept we will misunderstood the final goal, destination which is that, its core concept is pastoral care. But I think caring itself is not final goal for this ministry, even this core concept is pastoral care. I mean here, what is the next stage or what it is headed? It is acceptable to get this kind of questions at some point. Anyway as a national leader of this ministry, I need to have answer to that.■
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
by BYEONG
Relationship between Vision and Culture: The vision is important. And the vision starts with one person, but it’s done through an organization or Institution. However, depending on the culture of such an organization or institution, that is, what culture, the vision may end easily, difficultly, or without achieving the vision.
The vision is about goals, strategies, achievements, etc., but I think ‘culture’ is about people. In other words, culture can be seen as something that people in the organization feel.
Then, the culture within the organization can be considered from the worst to the best. So let’s assume that the worst is -5 and the best is +5. The worst culture, -5, is a sign of ruin, the best culture, and I think it is hopeful that +5 is going well. According to one study, there are five cultures in any organization: negatively, [2%] are always against; [25%] are discouraged and victimized but have no power to change the mood; [50%] is stagnant, but can be improved by one’s own efforts; and positively, [22%] is productive, and finally, only [2%] impresses others, shares energy, and creatively solves seemingly impossible things.
[Bad culture] is the current internally bad culture due to distrust, competition, and conflict, and it can be seen as the first two above. The other is a culture that checks people coming in from outside and is difficult to accept. New employees, new members, are different from the above. “We already have our own culture, so adjust it down or leave.” In other words, they do not want to break their own vested interests that already exist.
[Good culture] is seen as understanding, acceptance, and trust, which will be the second half of the above. Acceptance is the recognition and acceptance of diversity. It’s as if the choir makes four different sounds, but they do it together to form a harmony!
Anyway, the role of a leader is important in determining the culture within the organization, so we have to think of it a lot. This is serious because leaders often ruin culture. I remember reading the “Leaders Eat Last” book a long time ago, and I think the title itself is meaningful. If a leader always tries to eat first at any time, the culture of the organization will have obvious consequences.
Culture is first felt in the mind, but when it begins to be expressed in words, a negative atmosphere is created, and eventually negative things come to the surface, and the problem begins. In this case, the culture of the organization may eventually raise doubts about the vision it had in the first place, and further distrust of leadership. Only distrust, hurt, discouragement, and regret remain.
In the end, depending on what culture it is, it is determined whether it will be effective or destructive in the reality of the vision. Whatever ministry, financial support is a large part, but it is often seen that the culture of the members and their organizations who perform the ministry occupies a greater proportion than money, or money itself.
평생교육원의 필요성
나는 최근들어 멜빈대학교에 평생교육원 Institute of Continuing Education (ICE)이 필요함을 느꼈다. 몇가지 이유가 있는데 멜빈대학교에 들어오곤 싶지만 돈이 없는 사람들, 또한 너무 멀기에, 또한 먹고 살기에 바쁜 사람들. 또한 학위과정에 들어올 자격이 안되는 사람들, 그리고 학교에 며칠 나와서 교실에 편히 앉아 공부하기 불가능한 사람들 등등을 내가 보면서, 그 해결책이 뭔가를 한동안 고민 고민하다가, 그 돌파구가 평생교육원이라는 것을 확신하게 되었다.
사실 이 프로젝트는 나에게는 큰 도전이 될 것이다. 어쩌면 학교를 또 하나 더 세운다는 개념과 그만한 수고가 따를 것이라는 생각이 들었다. 그러나 필요한가라는 질문에 대한 답으로 확신이 섰기에 추진하기로 마음먹고 지난 몇주간 기초준비를 하면서 광고와 함께 학생모집을 해봤다. 예상대로 “필요하다”는 반응들과 함께 ICE에서 공부하고 싶다는 사람들이 연락해오기 시작했다. 온라인으로, 그것도 Mobile Learning System을 강조했더니 케냐뿐만 아니라 아프리카 전역에서 문의가 오기 시작했다. 필요성과 함께 의미있는 프로젝트라고도 여러 곳에서 격려가 왔다.
교수진은 현재 멜빈대학교에서 full-time으로 강의하는 교수들은 동참시키지 않기로 했다. 그 교수들은 현재의 교실 강의만해도 버거운데, 온라인으로 여러나라 학생들까지 관리, 강의지도 한다는 것은 너무 부담이 될 것이고, 또 비효율적이 될 것이라고 판단했기 때문이다. 그래서 ICE에는 완전 외래교수들로 구성한다는 방침아래 물색해보니 내가 아는 사람들중에 교수로 강의가능한 사람들을 발견하게 되었다. 나와 10여년 이상씩 친분이 있으므로 부탁하기에 수월했다. 또한 다들 세계 명문대학에서 (예일, 하버드, 옥스포드, 켐브리지대학) 공부한 분들이라 외부에 내 놔도 손색이 없었다. 다들 쾌히 응답해주어 그렇게 구성되었다. 그분들은 공부도 했을뿐만 아니라 현재 미국에서 목회들도 하고 있어서 이론과 실제가 겸비된 분들이라 어느 누구라도, 또 어떤 분야라도 실력을 발휘할 수 있는분 들이다. 어쩌면 공부한 것이 활용된다는 생각에 고맙게도 생각들 하는 것 같다. 나는 이 프로젝트 운영의 시스템을 한국의 평생교육원 스타일을 따르기보다 켐브리지대학의 ICE 시스템을 벤치마킹 하기로 했다. 거기 것이 우리에게는 잘 맞는 것 같아서이다.
등록금이 얼마냐고 문의들 많이왔다. 그리고 컴퓨터가 없는데 어떻게 하냐고 물어오는 사람들이었다. 한마디로 돈이 없어서 학교에 못 다닌 사람들이었다. 우선 등록금은 명목상으로는 만들어 놨지만 실제에 있어서는 장학금 scholarship 이라는 명분으로 안 받기로 했다. 한달에 3~5만원 버는 사람들에게 어떻게 돈을 내라고 할 수 있는가. 사실 아프리카는 우리가 도와주어야 하는 곳인데, 돈을 내라는 것은 정말 어려운 얘기다. 그래서 교수들께 인지시켜서 그들도 쾌히 재능기부 개념으로 “지식기부” 하기로 했다. 그분들은 이미 다른 곳에서 명예도 얻고 또 목회하면서 살만큼 사례도 받는지라 몇 십불 받는 것이 큰 의미가 없다. 오히려 그렇게 공부들하여 학위 받은 것을 주님의 큰 은혜로 감사하면서 이렇게 봉사하는 것이 의미있다고 본다.
둘째로 컴퓨터가 많이 없다는 것을 내가 알기에 온라인으로 그것도 폰으로, SNS로, 즉 Messenger, Whatsapp, Facebook 등을 통해 공부하는 [Online –mobile virtual- Learning] 방식을 택했다. 아프리카 상황에서는 이것이 최상의 방식이다. 가르치는 교수들도 바쁘고, 또 배우는 학생들도 바쁘니 조용히 책상에 앉아서 가르치고 배우기는 힘든 환경이다. 컴퓨터가 있더라도 인터넷이 거의 없으니 불가능하다. 핸드폰 조차도 전화비와 인터넷비를 따로 내야하니 학생들께는 매우 어려울 것이다. 그러나 최소 핸드폰에는 인터넷을 깔도록 종용하고 있다. 그것도 준비할 상황이 안되면 우리와 공부하기는 어렵다. 최소 비용으로 최대효과를 보자는 것이 내 생각이다. 다행히 교수들께서 이런 상황을 이해해주어 통과되었다.●