No Guaranteed Appointments

Posted on March 11, 2009 by Joseph

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If appointments weren’t guaranteed, what do you think our denomination would look like?
Would we better off or would we be in a worse predicament?

stephanieG says:

March 15, 2009 at 10:21 am

If that was all that changed, it is hard to say. But I think it would go a long way to changing some complacency. I would hope that it would decrease politics and ladders systems but I recognize it could just make it worse. I would like to think it would open up opportunities for a more fluid appointment system and more evaluation but I recognize it could leave the door open for greater discrimination. I would like to think it would allow for creativity and innovation but I allow that it could reward managerial leadership and let unhealthy churches get rid of creative and bold pastors.

I think it needs to happen. I have see how the need to keep or create elder positions in tying the hands of conference leaders to respond to struggling church budgets. We could be creative in developing a cooperative ministry of elders and local pastors….but we can’t lose an elder slot. So, what – a local pastor slot goes, church budgets continue to be drained to support an elder, and all the while we keep hearing the call to be creative and sacrifice and crappy elders are shuffled around?

I think guaranteed appointments need to go. But a lot of other things have to change at the same time (min. salaries? not allowing pastors to work? dedication to faithful discipleship and caring evangelism?) or the whole thing could collapse. Maybe it should and allow for resurrection?

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Joseph Yoo