Setting the stage for change

Promise of denominational change was in the air as MB conference leaders, provincial conference ministers, seminary and college presidents, and members of the Board of Faith and Life met Feb. 1–2 in Langley, B.C. They convened to discuss the recent pastoral trends survey and how to respond to the findings. There was deep concern about the need for action, as participants agreed that the survey had moved the conversation beyond anecdotal observation and speculation to hard facts.

“The level of engagement was high,” says Brad Thiessen, public relations director at MB Biblical Seminary. “Participants truly saw themselves as partners.”

Researcher Dieter Schönwetter addresses colloquium participants at ACTS Seminary, Langley, B.C.

The survey indicated five key areas where improvement was needed:

• Human resource (HR) policies in local churches
• Professional development opportunities for pastors
• Mentoring, spiritual direction, and coaching for leaders
• Care of pastoral spouses
• Conflict management

A critical area of concern is lack of workable human resource policies in local churches. Colloquium participants discussed how to help church boards create healthy systems for hiring, terminating, and evaluating staff. Although local church HR policies are a provincial responsibility, the national conference sees an opportunity to step in and create templates and instruments for churches to use.

“In terms of providing tools, the Canadian conference can easily act as a contractor or consultant,” says John Neufeld, coach for emerging leaders for the Canadian Conference of MB Churches. The conference has acted in this fashion in the past by creating “Guidelines on Abuse and Safety for Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults,” which have become standard practice in many MB churches.

The issue of conflict management was one that representatives of the educational institutions said they were committed to addressing. Mennonite Brethren post-secondary schools see the need to provide people with a better biblical understanding of conflict, one not inherently negative.

The survey indicated that development of conflict management skills is especially important for lay leaders, to ensure healthy boards and leadership teams. Possible programmatic solutions include one-day workshops and other accessible training for lay leaders, pastors, and alumni.

Colloquium participants applauded provincial conference ministers for being proactive in addressing many key issues with pastors under their care. In the area of mentoring, coaching, and spiritual direction, for example, they’ve worked diligently at pointing leaders to appropriate forms of help. Many pastors are simply unaware of the resources available to them. “We need to move from passive availability of services to active promotion,” says Neufeld.

—LK