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| Getting "Unstuck" in Urban Ministry | ||
| November 30, 2005 CityVoices readers, Okay, you’re stuck! Perhaps you’ve started a sermon and the right words just won’t come. It could be that you just can’t get out of what seems like a daily quagmire, paralyzing your ministry. Maybe you see that something needs to change around your church and your urban community, but you can’t quite put your finger on it – let alone begin to affect any change. I’m suspecting that most (if not all) of us can relate to these moments of “being stuck” in urban ministry. Let’s face facts. Our work in congregations and communities is not put on a timetable and easily measured. We don’t wake up each day facing a full ministerial “in basket” in front of us, allowing a sense of satisfaction when all items can be dealt with, stamped and moved to an “out basket” by day’s end. Every city minister is bound to face days (perhaps weeks) of numbing and busy routines, right along with other times marked by emptiness, vacancy and ill-defined ministry. Either extreme can easily leave us stuck. How do we remain productive in ministry? How do we regain a new productivity in relationship to with our God, our people, our communities and ourselves? With this edition of CityVoices, we offer the words and suggestions of colleagues in urban ministry who’ve each dealt with the issues of being stuck at particular moments of ministry, and found ways to work their way out. Their suggestions vary widely, and all grounded in the practicalities of everyday service in cities nationwide. We also offer the very practical and motivational words of experts and coaches:
Now the fun begins! If you are stuck – anywhere – take some expert advice, apply it and see what can be accomplished. More than likely, you’ll find yourself breaking out of old patterns and into fresh new ways of thinking, and relating to yourself and others. Allow yourself to get “un-stuck!” Roger Johnson – CityVoices (312) 726-1200, roger@cityvoices.com ****************** Pastors’ Symposium: Getting Unstuck We asked several urban pastor’s to think of times they’ve been stuck in ministry (couldn’t move on with a task, couldn’t engage in needed conversation or strategize for church/community outreach). We then asked: 1) What works to get you off “dead center” in and motivate you (and others around you) to positive results? 2) Is there a principle you can isolate help anyone stuck at difficult points of life and ministry? Here are some of the results: Craig Wong: “Repentant Church, Subversive Presence” Whenever I am feeling “stuck” in urban ministry, it is usually a sign that the ministry has become about me. At such junctures, I have become pre-occupied by what I can accomplish, what problem I can get the congregation to solve, what the church's ministry “should” look like. Furthermore, being “stuck” implies that ministry is somehow measurable, that results are within reach, and that the key to getting there lies in the effective use of my gifts and wisdom. Consequently, my fear of failing to “get there” results in paralysis. Freedom from impasses comes through
repentance from any starting point lesser than the gospel, the proclamation
of Christ's redemptive reign as embodied by the church. Therefore,
when being God's faithful church (rather than a heroic individual) becomes
my passion, I am no longer limited by what I can “dream up.” Instead,
I am free to explore what God might be doing in the congregation as a
whole, judged and shaped by the word as taught by its pastors. Far
more than a charitable institution, the repentant church becomes a subversive
presence, equipped to engage the powers and principalities that hold cities,
and those who live in them, captive. This is urban ministry worth
living, and dying for. ******************** David Kummer: “Understanding the City in Terms of People” What works regularly “to get me off center” is the constant reminder that the Lord has called me to serve his people in the midst of the throbbing pulse of city life. The urban cloud of making things so complicated often obscures the fact that the people who live in the city have the same God-given needs as people everywhere: the need to be loved and to love, a sense of security, a purpose/direction in life, and a healthy identity. Understanding the city in terms of people rather than an object to be diagnosed, studied, or dissected helps to provide me with the energy and passion for serving people in the city! Contact: Rev. David Kummer, Bethel Lutheran Church , 1410 N. Springfield Avenue, Chicago, IL 60651-2042 , (773)252-1104, dakummer@mac.com ******************** David Apple: Peer Support Keeps Pastors Moving (Dr. David Apple serves on the staff of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia as Director of Mercy Ministries. Six years ago he was instrumental in starting The Philadelphia Clergy Committee, an interdenominational and interdisciplinary support group which he still chairs. The Clergy Committee, composed of Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans, and others, meets monthly.) Working in urban ministry can be a draining task. In 1999, I was feeling tired of it all and was nearly burned out. Thankfully, I was asked to take part in a new group that promised to help and encourage Christians working with at-risk groups. The group is The Clergy Committee, which uses one of the most proven, effective tools ever employed by corporate executive officers. Once a month, TCC members spend a full day together. In the morning, they are challenged, equipped and encouraged by an outside speaker who expands their horizons on topics vital to their ministries. In the afternoon, the members become consultants to each other and share their ministry challenges, fears and opportunities (for example balancing priorities, dealing with difficult people, coping with death). The payoff is that members learn to work more intelligently and more effectively trusting God and one another. In the course of the month, the chairman meets with each TCC member in private coaching sessions. The Clergy Committee helps urban ministers who are already battling the effects of crime, addiction and poverty. TCC makes a real difference by uniting people of several denominations and helping them attack the problems of the city through mutual consulting, strengthened personal relationships, shared learning and resource exchange. Ministers and urban ministry executives learn skills against being burned out, kicked out or dropped out. They find in it a safe place to sustain spiritual health. For all members, participation gives them valuable ministry perspectives that cross cultural, racial and denominational boundaries. The Clergy Committee is for pastors and Christian ministry executives at the lower end of the economic spectrum. Their challenges are just as real as those of corporate executives, but their stakes, often, are daily life-and-death issues. That is why a group that is oriented toward action and accountability is so helpful. Peers not only offer helpful input, but they know what works and what does not. The Clergy Committee believes that more can be done through partnerships with suburban churches and businesses/professionals. In participating, business people have the chance to take on new roles, perhaps taking on assignments that fit their abilities in areas they really care about but never had the change to get involved with. When I became a member three years ago, at first I felt I couldn't afford to set aside one full day a month. Now it is the one day of the month that I am not putting out lots of fires - I'm actually able to think clearly, plan carefully and strategize wisely. By joining, I received help to overcome obstacles, deal with difficult challenges and meet unreachable goals. Contact: Dr. David Apple, Director of Mercy Ministries, Tenth Presbyterian Church, 1701 Delancey Street , Philadelphia , 19103, (215) 735-7688, dapple@tenth.org , http://www.tenth.org ******************** Eli Gaza: When Activity Comes to an Abrupt Stop I have found days and weeks of endless tasks one after another, and times when little progress is seen. At times, I have allowed myself to think that a lot of activity really is serving the Lord, and then become discouraged when the activity and spiritual progress comes to an abrupt stop. I am coming to realize that I can’t always have the pleasure of seeing a task quickly completed quickly and a successful end result. I’m learning to enjoy the quiet times to recharge my spiritual batteries and become stronger in my faith and physical energy. Recently, I have seen great answers to prayers after slowing down, thinking, praying and seeking the advice of others before jumping into new programs. As for principles, seek God calmly and pour out one's heart before Him. Seek the prayers and advice of close friends in ministry. (It is essential for those of us in urban ministry to have a good network of spiritual supporters and trusted advisors.) Then, wait on the Lord even when you’re impatient and want answers now. The hard part is to be willing to give up good activities while waiting for renewal to take place. Saying no to further ministry activity, while hard to do, may save one’s work. Contact: Rev. Eli Garza, First Spanish Baptist Church , 3495 Livernois Avenue , Detroit , MI 48210 , (313) 894-7755, egarza@todaylink.com , www.forministry.com/48210fsbc ******************** Getting Things Done (In his book, “ Getting Things Done ,” management consultant David Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we be creative and productive. His simple rule when overwhelmed or stuck is: "do it, delegate it, defer it, or drop it.") Think about the last time you felt highly productive. You probably had a sense of being in control; you were not stressed out; you were highly focused on what you were doing; time tended to disappear (lunchtime already?); and you felt you were making noticeable progress toward a meaningful outcome. Would you like to have more such experiences? And if you get seriously far out of that state – and start to feel out of control, stressed out, unfocused, bored, and stuck – do you have the ability to get yourself back into it? A basic truism I have discovered over twenty years of coaching and training is that most of the stress people experience comes from inappropriately managed commitments they make or accept. Even those who are not consciously “stressed out” will invariably experience greater relaxation, better focus, and increased productive energy when they learn more effectively to control the “open loops” of their lives. Consider how many things you feel even the smallest amount of responsibility to change, finish, handle, or do something about. You have a commitment, for instance, to deal in some way with every new communication landing in your e-mail, on your voice-mail, and in your in-basket. And surely there are numerous projects that you sense need to be defined in your areas of responsibility, as well as goals and directions to be clarified. In order to deal effectively with all of that, you must first identify and collect all those things that are “ringing your bell” in some way, and then plan how to handle them. Managing commitments well requires the implementation of some basic activities and behaviors. If it’s on your mind, your mind isn’t clear. Anything you consider unfinished in any way must be captured in a trusted system outside your mind, a collection bucket, that you know you’ll come back to regularly and sort through. You must clarify exactly what your commitment is and decide what you have to do, if anything, to make progress toward fulfilling it. Once you’ve decided on all the actions you need to take, you must keep reminders of them organized in a system you review regularly. For much more on organizing and capturing projects, taking quick actions and moving toward more complex ones, get your copy of “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity,” Viking, 2001. Search http://www.davidco.com/ for further articles and newsletters from David Allen. ******************** The Serious Seven (Adapted from “Diagnose Your Stuck: The Serious Seven,” as published on www.unstuck.com by Keith Yamashita and Sandra Spataro, authors of “Unstuck: A Tool for Yourself, Your Team, and Your World.”) Once you understand that you’re stuck, spend some time determining the scope and cause of your predicament. Are you: 1) Overwhelmed: You used to be so certain about where to go, but here you are now, rudderless. It all seems like too much work. Everyone can feel overwhelmed. But this predicament goes much deeper and has greater consequences. Tell-tale signs: procrastination can't get started. You may even have many of the elements to succeed, but you're still stuck. 2) Exhausted: Your original intent was clear and brilliant. But now, you and your team are paralyzed by politics, wasted efforts. Progress is slowing to a standstill. Tell-tale signs: burnout, resentment and waning interest. 3) Directionless: It’s all thrust and no vector. You’re busy, but not effective. You’re obsessed with your to-do list, with no "big picture" to guide your actions. Tell-tale signs: good actions taking place, but few tangible results. You’re unable to connect work to the larger context of what must be done. 4) Hopeless: General defeatism has set in. All your hard work seems like just hard work. There is no feeling of reward or achievement. Tell-tale signs: Your passion is gone, especially when the going gets tough. It takes a big dose of success to get the same rush you used to. 5) Battle-Torn: You’re so worn and torn that you can’t even fight the outside enemy. “Friendly fire” is bringing you to your knees. Tell-tale signs: hurt feelings, bruised ego, defensiveness and lack of communication. 6) Worthless: Your right actions aren't rewarded. When you do something amazing, it's overlooked. Before long, you feel like your contributions don't matter. Tell-tale signs: You don't know what victory looks like, measurements of performance seem vague. 7) Alone: Your sense of belonging has been replaced by an identity crisis. Tell-tale signs: You make up your own rules, no “sync” with your team. Every meeting feels like the first time the team has worked together. For practical ideas on how to get unstuck, go to www.unstuck.com , or better yet, get a copy of “Unstuck: A Tool for Yourself, Your Team, and Your World,” by Keith Yamashita and Sandra Spataro, Portfolia, 2004. ******************** Vicious Cycles (Excerpted from “Vicious Cycles,” by Anthony B. Robinson, senior minister of Shepherd of the Hills Congregational Church, (UCC), Phoenix , Arizona . This article appeared in The Christian Century , November 2, 2004.) Many congregations and clergy are caught in vicious cycles. They are easily recognized by a chilly climate of anxiety, which these days seems to be more common than the common cold. Members say “we must do better,” and “we must work harder.” There is nothing intrinsically wrong with these sentiments. We usually can do what we do a little better. But in the vicious cycle, this anxiety leads to a heightened level of activity that is without clear focus or purpose. It gives rise to “strategic plans” that are not so much plans as laundry lists of everyone’s great ideas and particular interests. While most items on these lists have value, the attempts to accomplish everything on the lists result in congregations that are spread too thin. The Letter to the Hebrews repeatedly juxtaposes the priests of the old rites with our new high priest, Jesus. The old priesthood is characterized by relentless, repetitive and ultimately ineffective activity. The priests of the old cult are like rats on a wheel, constantly running faster and faster but getting nowhere. In contrast, “When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” The postures are telling. The old order priests stand at their work – imagine legions of people running in place at modern fitness centers or rows of gamblers cranking the levers on “one-armed bandits” in casinos. They are constantly, relentlessly, at their same labors while Christ has completed his work and has sat down. He doesn’t keep on sacrificing for sin. He has done it once, for all, for all time. A church’s virtuous cycle begins here. By God’s grace in Christ, we have confidence to enter boldly into God’s presence. “Let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been purified from a guilty conscience and with bodies washed with clean water.” Virtuous cycles begin with a sense of confidence in what God has done and is doing, rather than in anxiety about what we must do. This confidence in powers that are not our own can help clergy and congregations to focus on “the one thing” or the few things needful and central. In other words, Christ has sat down, but we have work to do and our role to play -- Christ has not yet put his feet up! God’s grace calls forth and enables our response. I ask congregations, “What are the vital few things that your board, your staff or your church must do and do well to be faithful and effective? How can the resources God has placed within and among you be channeled for the greatest effect?” Our trust in God’s work and grace leads us to focus – a clear focus that produces greater results. ******************** Stuck in Ineffectiveness (Rev. John Laster serves as the "Equipping Minister" at Rochester Church , in Rochester Hills , Michigan . He concentrates on developing healthy, team-based ministry, and equipping members for more effective life and ministry. He has served for more than 17 years in a variety of urban settings, and has been an associate with Easum, Bandy Associates. John has published articles in Net Results and 21st Century Christian magazines.) In
our work with church leaders it is common to find pastors who are stuck
in ineffectiveness. Rarely is this due to incompetence. Any one or more
of several factors can contribute to this stuckness. ******************* Words of Wisdom: Re-fueling the Soul (Two Christian leaders, Billy Graham and Gordon McDonald, each have different, but equally effective ways of restoring their souls in the midst of ministry. In excerpts from Leadership Journal, we first hear Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley describe Graham’s “Continuous Voltage,” and then hear McDonald’s own description of all he gains from spiritual journaling.) How could he [Billy Graham] maintain the strength and sense of commitment to do all that for more than sixty years? Billy has not been impervious to the pressures; his body and psyche have paid a steep price. But he has taken his own advice, so often expressed in his newspaper columns, books, and articles. He has continually plugged himself into the spiritual and psychological voltage that has made this half-century saga possible. From the beginning, his spiritual power has come from prayer and the Bible. His colleague, T. W. Wilson, called him “the most completely disciplined person I have ever known.” The discipline started around 7:00 a.m. each day, when he would read five psalms and one chapter of Proverbs. He started there because, as he often said, the psalms showed him how to relate to God, while Proverbs taught him how to relate to people. After breakfast he would pray and study more Scripture. Even under the pressure of travel schedules moving him from city to city, often through many time zones, he strove to study and pray each morning. Some close to Billy describe him as more adaptive to circumstances in fitting in study and prayer, but all emphasize his spending large amounts of time connecting with his source of wisdom, cleansing, and power. As Billy said, “Unless the soul is fed and exercised daily, it becomes weak and shriveled. It remains discontented, confused, restless.” (Excerpted from “Continuous Voltage: Spiritual Strength,” by Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley, Leadership Journal, Summer, 2005) When journaling is done regularly, several things become possible – by Gordon McDonald The invisible and the ephemeral are forced into reality. Once feelings, fears, and dreams are named, they can be dealt with, prayed for, and surrendered to God. They come under control, no longer existing in a way that pollutes the soul and the mind. Learning experiences are preserved. If I record and reflect on the experiences of each day, I add to my base of wisdom. Things usually forgotten or lost in the unconscious now, like books on a library shelf, wait to be tapped when parallel moments arise in the future. Now one has precedents to draw from. Memories of God's great and gracious acts are preserved. "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it," God said to Moses after a great victory. As Israel wandered through the wilderness and experienced God's providential care, he had them build monuments so that they could remember. One day I realized that every day of journal writing was a memorial to God's sufficiency. I can chart areas where I need most to grow and mature. As I look at journals of 30 years ago, I realize I have struggled with the same knot of issues throughout the years. The good news: the steps I took in the early days as I wrote of these issues turned into disciplines. And today, while issues remain, my "overcoming" rate is substantially higher. I wouldn't have spotted many of these issues if I'd not written about them day after day. It brings dreams alive. As ideas have flooded my mind over the years, I have written about them. Putting them into words helped me to discern the foolish ideas and develop the good ones. Many things I've done in the last few years had origins I can find in earlier journals. (Excerpted from “Mapping Your Private World: Journaling: A Tool to Bring Your Soul Into Focus,” by Gordon McDonald, Leadership Journal, Summer 2004) ******************** Thanks for Reading CityVoices! One more update on new books in the areas of both theology and African-American studies that CityVoices now offers: “Essentials of Christian Theology,” by William Placher, John Knox Press, CityVoices price: $25 "Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms,” by Donald McKim, John Knox Press, CV price: $20 “How to Think Theologically,” by Howard Stone and James Duke, Fortress, CV price: $12 “Survival and Liberation,” by Carol Watkins Ali, Chalice Press, CV price: $15 “Our Home is Over Jordan: A Black Pastoral Theology,” by Homer Ashby, Jr., CV price: $17 “The Politics of Accommodation and Resistance in the Black Church ,” by Rupe Simms * To purchase these and other city church resources ( http://cityvoices.gospelcom.net/pages/cvshop.html ), contact CityVoices at (312) 726-1200 or roger@cityvoices.com . VISA and Master Card accepted. We look forward to hearing from you and meeting any of your urban ministry needs, Roger Johnson – CityVoices / SCUPE (Chicago) (312) 726-1200, roger@cityvoices.com , www.cityvoices.com |
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