CHAPTER 1
Called to a Ministry of Faithfulness and Vitality
You are so important to the life of the Christian church! You have consented to join with other people of faith who, through the millennia, have sustained the church by extending God's love to others. You have been called and have committed your unique passions, gifts, and abilities to a position of leadership. This Guideline will help you understand the basic elements of that ministry within your own church and within The United Methodist Church.
Leadership in Vital Ministry
Each person is called to ministry by virtue of his or her baptism, and that ministry takes place in all aspects of daily life, both in and outside of the church. Your leadership role requires that you will be a faithful participant in the mission of the church, which is to partner with God to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. You will not only engage in your area of ministry, but will also work to empower others to be in ministry as well. The vitality of your church, and the Church as a whole, depends upon the faith, abilities, and actions of all who work together for the glory of God.
Clearly then, as a pastoral leader or leader among the laity, your ministry is not just a "job," but a spiritual endeavor. You are a spiritual leader now, and others will look to you for spiritual leadership. What does this mean?
All persons who follow Jesus are called to grow spiritually through the practice of various Christian habits (or "means of grace") such as prayer, Bible study, private and corporate worship, acts of service, Christian conferencing, and so on. Jesus taught his disciples practices of spiritual growth and leadership that you will model as you guide others. As members of the congregation grow through the means of grace, they will assume their own role in ministry and help others in the same way. This is the cycle of disciple making.
The Church's Vision
While there is one mission—to make disciples of Jesus Christ—the portrait of a successful mission will differ from one congregation to the next. One of your roles is to listen deeply for the guidance and call of God in your own context. In your church, neighborhood, or greater community, what are the greatest needs? How is God calling your congregation to be in a ministry of service and witness where they are? What does vital ministry look like in the life of your congregation and its neighbors? What are the characteristics, traits, and actions that identify a person as a faithful disciple in your context? This portrait, or vision, is formed when you and the other leaders discern together how your gifts from God come together to fulfill the will of God.
Assessing Your Efforts
We are generally good at deciding what to do, but we sometimes skip the more important first question of what we want to accomplish. Knowing your task (the mission of disciple making) and knowing what results you want (the vision of your church) are the first two steps in a vital ministry. The third step is in knowing how you will assess or measure the results of what you do and who you are (and become) because of what you do. Those measures relate directly to mission and vision, and they are more than just numbers.
One of your leadership tasks will be to take a hard look, with your team, at all the things your ministry area does or plans to do. No doubt they are good and worthy activities; the question is, "Do these activities and experiences lead people into a mature relationship with God and a life of deeper discipleship?" That is the business of the church, and the church needs to do what only the church can do. You may need to eliminate or alter some of what you do if it does not measure up to the standard of faithful disciple making. It will be up to your ministry team to establish the specific standards against which you compare all that you do and hope to do. (This Guideline includes further help in establishing goals, strategies, and measures for this area of ministry.)
The Mission of The United Methodist Church
Each local church is unique, yet it is a part of a connection, a living organism of the body of Christ. Being a connectional Church means in part that all United Methodist churches are interrelated through the structure and organization of districts, conferences, and jurisdictions in the larger "family" of the denomination. The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church describes, among other things, the ministry of all United Methodist Christians, the essence of servant ministry and leadership, how to organize and accomplish that ministry, and how our connectional structure works (see especially ¶¶126–138).
Our Church extends way beyond your doorstep; it is a global Church with both local and international presence. You are not alone. The resources of the entire denomination are intended to assist you in ministry. With this help and the partnership of God and one another, the mission continues. You are an integral part of God's church and God's plan!
(For help in addition to this Guideline and the Book of Discipline, see "Resources" at the end of your Guideline, www.umc.org, and the other websites listed on the inside back cover.)
CHAPTER 2
Welcome to Your Ministry!
Welcome to your ministry! You have been asked to be involved in the important work of helping persons discover their spiritual gifts and develop their leadership skills in order to serve the world in the name of Jesus Christ. This means that you have been elected by the charge conference to serve as a member of the committee on nominations and leadership development (formerly the nominating committee or committee on lay leadership). This committee or team serves throughout the year to guide the church council or alternative structure on matters regarding the leadership of the congregation other than employed staff.
You were elected to serve on this committee because the charge conference considered you to be sensitive to the leadership needs of the congregation and to know the capabilities of the persons in the congregation. By accepting this role, you declare your intent to share your gifts with your congregation and to support and lead it in this way.
This committee's work will affect your life in the church, as well as the lives of others. The influence of the persons you recruit for the various tasks in your church, when elected, will go beyond the bounds of your congregation. These leaders will be representatives of the body of Christ in the surrounding community. Some will represent your congregation in the district and conference structures of The United Methodist Church as well.
CHAPTER 3
The Ministry of Leader Development
According to The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (¶258.1) the committee on nominations and leadership development is to:
• identify the gifts and strengths of persons in the congregation
• develop their gifts and skills and nurture them in their mission or ministry roles
• deploy persons according to their gifts and passion in areas of service within the church, community, and world (see also ¶126.)
• evaluate the effectiveness of their service and provide necessary training and support
• monitor the progress of their development and celebrate their accomplishments and service
Identify
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).
For Reflection: Where do you see the Holy Spirit gifting in others? What varieties of gifts, services, and activities do you see?
What process is currently used to identify new leaders or fill the required positions in your congregation? If the committee on nominations and leadership development is functioning more like the formerly named "nominating committee," now is the time to consider a better way of doing things!
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
As Christians, the body of Christ, we all share a common identity in Christ, but we certainly are not all the same. We each have unique gifts, strengths, talents, and abilities that enable us to live out our faith in a wide variety of ways. The apostle Paul explains it this way: "For as in one body we have many members, and not all members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members of one another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us" (Romans 12:4-6). He further explains in 1 Corinthians 12 that there are varieties of gifts for and from the body of Christ, which cannot function without all of the parts working together.
MORE THAN A WARM BODY
It is the role of the committee on nominations and leadership development to help people identify their gifts and understand how they can use their unique combination of gifts in service for Christ in the world. For too long, our churches have selected people to fill positions of responsibility only or primarily in the church, and we have done even this without regard to the specific spiritual gifts, passion, and preparation of the individuals concerned. Rather, we encourage congregations to use an assessment tool or inventory to help people discover their spiritual gifts and then seek to match them with those needed for a particular position or area of service.
Don't confuse the skills required for secular jobs or professions with spiritual gifts. Although the gifts of the Spirit may be used in anyone's secular job, being skilled at accounting may not be the gift God has given that person for work in the Kingdom. Persons who are teachers by profession may not have the spiritual gift of teaching. When you are thinking about who may lead in your congregation, be sure your process helps you identify persons who have the necessary spiritual gifts regardless of their professional credentials.
CONSIDER PASSION
God not only gives each of us different spiritual gifts but also gives us a compelling desire to make a difference. Passion is another aspect to consider when searching for persons gifted for roles in mission and ministry. What if someone has the spiritual gift for teaching? Should she teach third-grade Sunday school? Perhaps, but perhaps not. He may not have a passion for the spiritual growth of children, but does have passion for community outreach. This gift of teaching may be better used to help others understand the importance of the church's role in reaching out to the world beyond the walls and windows of the church. When spiritual gifts are used in an area of passion, the effects and success can be even greater.
GOD'S PURPOSES, OUR QUALITIES
As members of the body of Christ, we are called to use our gifts, strengths, talents, and abilities in ways that fulfill God's purposes. When this linkage occurs, lives are enriched, mission and ministry ensue, and God's purposes are fulfilled. When this fails to happen, the whole body of Christ suffers.
As a member of the committee on nominations and leadership development, you have the privilege and responsibility to link persons who have gifts to share with opportunities to meet specific needs within your congregation and community. This requires diligence and a strong commitment on your part, but it can be a joyous and rewarding experience.
Perhaps a spiritual gifts assessment can become a part of the new member class or orientation. Offering an assessment regularly can be a way to stay current with the membership and their spiritual gifts. It is also empowering for people to discover that they do indeed have Spirit-given gifts. Imagine the people in your church on fire, ready and willing to use their gifts for service to Christ!
Identify leadership qualities as you consider selecting persons to positions of leadership and service. Remember that not all opportunities for service require extraverted leadership abilities. People who may not be comfortable speaking before a group may do very well in one-on-one situations or behind the scenes. Keep these issues in mind when you are deciding how to deploy persons in ministry.
Develop
For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:5-8).
For Reflection: How will you support leaders in developing their faith? In what ways does spiritual formation nurture fruitfulness in one's life?
The functions of the committee on nominations and leadership development include more than filling empty slots and passing on those names to the charge conference. The primary purpose of this committee is to help find ways to develop persons' leadership abilities.
EFFECTIVE LEADERS
Effective leaders share several traits. They listen actively to ideas, concerns, or suggestions and express God's love by showing compassion for others through word and deed. They are servant leaders who can both share the work and delegate responsibility. Good leaders are aware of their own gifts and abilities. At the same time, they can recognize the gifts of others and are willing to step aside to let them use their gifts and abilities. They attend to their own spiritual growth and discipleship. In leading meetings, they engage in Christian conferencing and develop agendas that include ample time for biblical reflection, prayer, singing, and so forth.
SPIRITUAL LEADERS
Developing spiritual leaders within the congregation is crucial and should begin with the committee members. You have the opportunity and the privilege to be an example of spiritual leadership. The Discipline states that "members of the committee shall engage in and be attentive to developing and enhancing their own Christian spiritual life in light of the mission of the Church" (¶258.1). In order to help others develop in their spirituality, the committee members must themselves engage in Christian spiritual practices that cultivate their relationship with God and participate in study for continuous spiritual growth and leadership skill improvement.
THE MEANS OF GRACE
John Wesley called these spiritual practices or disciplines the means of grace. These enable Christians to grow in grace and in relationship with God to become and remain the people that God has called us to be. Just as no runner tries to run a marathon without training and no musician tries to play in a symphony without rehearsing, so no Christian should expect to live well as a disciple of Jesus Christ without practicing the means of grace.
These means of grace are the basics of Christian discipleship. The practice of the means of grace enables Christians to obey the command to love God with all one's heart, soul, strength, and mind; to love one's neighbor as oneself; and to love one another as Christ loves. When we make these means of grace habits in our daily lives, we will grow in holiness of heart and life.
John Wesley mentioned what we now call the "classic" means of grace in the General Rules (Book of Discipline, ¶104): The public worship of God, public and private prayer, daily searching the Scriptures, regular (at least weekly) celebration of the Lord's Supper, fasting or abstinence, and Christian conferencing (fellowship and theological/spiritual conversation whose purpose is to find and live out the mind of Christ). The means of grace should also be understood to include outward-directed activities of compassion and justice that also provide us a way to "watch over one another in love." Covenant Discipleship groups, based on Wesley's class meetings, are an excellent way for church leaders and members to practice these "works of piety" and "works of mercy" in a supportive and accountable group. Your committee can encourage participation by modeling it. (For more information on Covenant or Accountable Discipleship see Resources.)
SERVANT LEADERS
As you develop leaders within your congregation, emphasize the importance of becoming a servant leader. Servant leaders serve out of a humble spirit, not out of pride or a sense of importance. When approaching someone regarding a leadership position, be sure to express this as a ministry of service and not simply as an elected position. (If it is that, either change the position into a vital ministry role or eliminate it!) Provide servant leader training sessions to support new leaders in their roles as servants of Christ.
