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Dear friends,
Christian leadership in
Ministry – yesterday..today..and in the future?
“Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today and for ever” (Hebrew 13:8)
At
our January Deanery Synod representatives from the local Anglican
churches were all asked to respond to a summary of the Diocesan plan
for the future deployment of clergy in our areas. Initial ideas from
that discussion were collected and each Parish PCC is now being
asked to consider what our representatives discussed and report back
at our next Deanery Synod on the 10th February before the
Area Deans report to our Acting Bishop of Chelmsford, Bishop Laurie,
towards the end of this month. We would all agree that it is good to
be included in the consultation but some of you may have a number of
concerns. You might query the quality of the information being
gathered. You might wonder what are the grounds for making planned
year-on-year reductions in the number of clergy posts throughout the
Diocese as Bishop Laurie 'looks forward to guiding us through this
exciting process.” Are our action plans being drawn up after a
continued study of our Lord's action plans from the Scriptures or of
dire warnings from the DBF (the Diocesan Board of Finance)? Is our
vision challenged by the abilities of God (Ephesians 3:20) or by the
pragmatism of church managers? These are certainly matters to think
and pray through and respond to!
However, I believe an even more vital issue is at stake. There can
be little doubt that the qualifications for the office holders
in the Christian church are being reappraised in radical ways
in these days. Our Lord's choice of his Apostles and his
particular directives to them set the foundations for the
initial leadership of the infant Church. Then the Scriptures,
in particular, the Acts of the Apostles and the Pastoral Epistles
(1 & 2 Timothy & Titus) have given guidance in the “yesterday” of
the Church's history as to “how people should conduct themselves in
God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar
and foundation of the truth.” (1Timothy 3:15). This
“yesterday' pattern of male leadership at the eldership
(presbyter/priest) level with female input and support at the deacon
level (Phoebe and Prisca in Romans 16:1-4) continues to this day
amongst the greatest part of the world Church. However,
amongst many Protestant denominations affected by Liberal theology
“today” Christian leadership in ministry is being seen in terms of
“gifting and personal abilities”. Sociological thinking has taken
the place of Christian creational thinking “today”. Male
leadership only at presbyter/priest level is portrayed as
discriminating against women and “today” equality of
opportunity and position is being urged in its place.
Secular government legislation seeks to cement this thinking in
place as the “today” standard for “Christian” leadership in
ministry. But Who should really set the criteria for leadership in
the Christian Church?
This is concerning in itself but a yet more alarming “future”
beckons. At the February Church of England General Synod the
extension of pension rights to the partners of those clergy in civil
partnerships will be debated. If, on the grounds of 'fairness', this
is granted then there can be little doubt that in the “future”
not just female leadership but homosexual leadership, too, will
become an accepted 'norm' here. In the USA and Canada where
this “future” has become “today” the Anglican church is in huge
decline. Nevertheless, in Africa, Asia and South America where
Anglicans hold fast to Apostolic traditions church growth
continues unabated. Hallelujah! I know Whose pattern of “future”
Christian leadership ministry I would long to see continued here and
throughout England.
Longing to remain faithful in Christ's unchanging 'future'
ministry,
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