New Rules for Clergy

I recently read an interesting article by Richard Lischer, Professor of Preaching at Duke Divinity School, about the shift from a theological to a market-driven model for ministry. I especially noted the following paragraph as one of my responsibilities with the Board of Ordained Ministry is serving on the Call and Disciplined Life Committee.

"Little Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches that once constituted the community's memory and anchored its values have been swallowed up by the religious Wal-Marts of this age. More and more consumers are being served by fewer and fewer clerks. While many minsiters still confess to satisfying relationships in their parishes, 74 percent of them say their biggest problem is communicating the gospel to their very own culture. From[Larry] Witham's book we learn that ten percent of the clergy report persistent depression, 67 percent are either obese by medical standards or overweight, four in ten acknowlege "inappropraite sexual behavior for a minsiter," and another four in ten have "doubted their call." Nearly a third have "considered leaving." "

Although the role of the BOM is often under scrutiny, this article affirms the importance of our work.