INTERPRETATION

Pastor Rene Bajalan

The church is portrayed in the New Testament as a tightly-knit community. It pictures a gathering of believers putting the needs of others ahead of their own.   While the elected officers of the church can extend their services to include the functions of a church pastor, these officers and at the same time the members of the church, are not trained nor had formal education or training on pastoral leadership.

The case of the barangay church related the ardent struggle of the church members to maintain a Church Pastor who will provide guidance and direction to all church activities such as administration, doctrine, buildings, finance, authority, and liturgies, among others.  Since October 1976 until July 1993 and even to the present, the Church has experienced numerous transitions that made part of what it is today.  But what is being emphasized in this case study is the transition of the church’s integral decision-making process in accepting pastors to work for the church.  Most of the ministers who worked for the church had resigned or tried to bang head on with its leaders and the congregation. 

Inasmuch as the case study reflects on the experience of the church in dealing with different kinds of church pastors, the following are some of the perceived pastoral-theological and organizational problems:

• Absence of a Church Pastor as contributory to escalating organizational conflicts

• Generation Gap Among fellow Pastors

• Lack of Communication between the Pastor and the Congregation

• Spiritual Immaturity and Poor Leadership Skills of A Pastor

             It can be inferred that these issues had contributed to the high turnover rate of church pastors in the barangay church.  Although much of the reasons why pastors resigned are burdened on the pastor, the congregation also plays a very significant role in cultivating harmonious or unpleasant relationships between them and their church pastor.

Based on the four (4) problem areas above, I am inclined to believe that the fourth (4th) problem area - Spiritual Immaturity and Poor Leadership Skills - is the key pastoral-theological problem for this case.  The other three are already subsumed in the discussion.  The case relates how pastors work for the church then later exits or resigns.  The situation clearly showed that the pastors just come and later they go.  It may not be important why they come and work for the church, but what was at stake was why they just leave after serving for just a brief period.  The reason for this could be that the pastor is spiritually immature and demonstrate poor leadership skills, then probability is very high to cause conflict between him and the members, which ultimately will lead to the pastor's resignation from the post.  While Spiritual maturity can be acquired through the grace of the Holy Spirit coupled with strong faith and good works, leadership skills can also be acquired from a wide variety of leadership literatures, management and supervisory skills trainings, and actual experiences.

The barangay church, on several occasions, had become a victim of accepting workers who are spiritually immature and lack the leadership skills.  For example, it is indeed improper for a pastor to use the pulpit to scold people, especially those who had been harsh to him.  The pulpit is considered a sacred place where the sermon is being delivered, the message of God is spoken, and where the Holy Spirit transcends to the Speaker of the Hour to utter divine words of Christian living, inspiration, and Gospel truth.  Using the pulpit to accuse or criticize people is strictly undeserving.  Another instance, the church pastor, as a model of Christian values and of moral standing, should not be spreading rumors or criticisms against a fellow pastor or another member of the church.  One of the dangers besetting the church is the hiring of a worker who falls short of a true, genuine Pastor.

Ted Engstrom, in his book "The Making of A Christian Leader" describes a leader as the "one who guides activities of others and who himself acts and performs to bring those activities about."  A leader is not merely someone who is calling the shots and expects the members to follow his instructions to the letter.  The leader is also a good follower, someone who listens to the members and opens himself to suggestions, without imposing his judgment over them.

Pastors are looked up to as Spiritual Leaders.  According to J.Oswald Sanders, Spiritual leadership is the "ability to recognize the special abilities and limitations of others, combined with the capacity to fit each one into the job where he will do his best.  He who is successful in getting things done through others is exercising the highest type of leadership."  The spiritual leader can influence others spiritually because the Holy Spirit works in and through him.

To be an effective Spiritual Leader, the following are some qualities which the Pastor should possess:

1. Sacrificial

The leader puts the concern for his members first rather than himself.  True leadership is achieved not by reducing men to one's service but in giving one's selfless service to them.  It would be a common practice that church members would request the church pastor to conduct home visitations, bible studies, among others.  The pastor should be willing to sacrifice his personal time (e.g. spend anniversary with his spouse, or treat children to lunch) to attend to matters concerning his ministry.

2. Servanthood

A leader humbles himself to the point of serving his members.  Jesus washed his disciples feet to instill in them the "spirit of servanthood."  One of the filipino values is "bayanihan" or providing one's service to help a member of the community.  It is believed that if the person offers his help now, someday in the future when he will seek help from the community, the latter responds positively.   This is in consonance with the golden saying that stress "Do unto others what you want others to do unto you."

3. Tact

A lady pastor was criticized for being frank, someone who express herself and put forth her opinions without knowing that the listeners are hurt. Being frank should be carefully followed with tact in order to avoid hurting others.  Hence, J.Oswald Sanders agrees that tact is an "intuitive perception of what is fit and proper and right; a ready appreciation of what to say, especially in a fine sense of how to avoid giving offense."

4. Dependent on God

"The leader must be a man who, while welcoming the friendship and support of all who can offer it, has sufficient inner resources to stand alone, even in the face of fierce opposition, in the discharge of his responsibilities.  He must be prepared to have no one but God.

 5. Mediation

It took almost 3 years before the Church organization felt the need to have a full-time pastor.  Within those years when the church officers tried to lead the congregation, misunderstandings and conflicts arise from among the members.  This is exemplified by the disagreements between the chosen Committee Chairman on Construction and some of the active members.  Although interpersonal conflict is a normal part of congregational life, but the act of it before the presence of non-member visitors is embarrassing and even a disgrace to the church.  It is widely acknowledged that organizational conflict is more complicated than disputes between two individuals.

The presence of a church pastor provides the church of a "mediator" who can go-between two conflicting forces in the church, someone who can act as a "fiscalizer", bringing order and peace among the members.  According to Kenneth C. Newberger, mediation "represents a new mode of communication that interrupts past patterns and establishes a new and more constructive one." 

The pastor who maintains a neutral stand can ease tension and resolve church organizational conflicts.  It is imperative that the pastor should stay more involved in the positive aspects of the ministry and less entangled in debilitating, interpersonal problems.  This is being emphasized in Exodus 18:13-19.  In other words, the role of the Pastor should be the "keeper of the flame to champion the maintenance of a conflict competent church culture."  Being detached from a personal conflict, this enables the pastor - as a shepherd - to fulfill his spiritual leadership responsibilities of not only leading and guiding his flocks, but also protecting them. (Acts 20:28-31).

 6. Reconciliation

There was an instance in the Church's history that it accepted two pastors to work for the church.  One is an old Church Pastor while another is a young Associate Pastor.  The old Pastor is most favored by the congregation while the younger one tried his best to please people.  The hiring of an Associate Pastor became a need when the Old pastor can no longer cope with the volume of physical labor required to pursue the ministry.  The problem surfaced when both started to work together for the church.  Although both had the same goal or objective, however, each had its own management style of how things need to be done.  Apparently, the old pastor cling to traditional ways of conducting the church ministries while the younger one pushed for modern approach.  The difference of styles can be attributed more on the wide age gap among these pastors. If we consider the Filipino cultural values, the generation gap tends to go wider and wider as the years pass by.  Due to the influences from the outside foreign cultures, the younger generation begins to adopt the norms and lifestyles of other nations. Hence, if both an old worker joined with a young worker on a project, conflicts will surely arise.  This is exactly what happened between the Old pastor and the Young pastor.  To resolve this conflict, each would explore ways to merit grounds to reconcile with each other.  J. Oswald Sanders stressed that the pastor should possess the "skill in reconciling opposing viewpoints without giving offense or compromising principle."  The pastor should have the ability to conduct delicate negotiations and matters concerning personnel in a way that recognizes mutual rights and yet leads to a harmonious solutions.

 7. Communication

Communication is one of the important aspects to having a harmonious relationship among people.  It is an instrument of being transparent, expressing ideas, feelings, and concerns, as well as sending a message across.  Communication involves the Sender, the Message, the Receiver, and Feedback.  The sender is the person who transmits the message while the receiver is the recipient of the information.  Feedback occurs when the receiver responds to the sender his/her reactions about the message.  Sometimes, interference or noise occurs which leads to misunderstandings or conflicts.  Communication gap had occurred several times in this case.  It appeared that the members had high expectations from the lady pastors and even from the male pastors, but somehow during the course of their service, these expectations were not expressed directly to the concerned.  A little bit of deviation from their expectations would be tragic since it already signaled the start of their disagreements, criticisms and complaints.  But if communication is properly addressed, the congregation would readily accept explanations or discussions as long as communication lines are kept open.

8. Prayer, Listening, Patience, Humor, Delegation, Personal Discipline, Humility

These are other qualities that a Spiritual leader should possess.  He must be prayerful to God, listening to the problems of the members, and has a good sense of humor.  He also delegates his routine work to some members.  He should possess the "ability to choose men to whom he can safely delegate authority, and he actually delegate it.  A leader is a person who has first submitted willingly and learned to obey a discipline imposed from without, but then imposes on himself a much more rigorous discipline from within.  Moreover, "the humility of a leader, as his spirituality, should be an ever growing quality."  The spiritual leader is in all probability one who yesterday expressed his humility by working gladly and faithfully in second place.

Some pastors fail to be good leaders because they are mixed up with the notion of being a natural leader more than that of a spiritual leader.  Spiritual leadership is a blending of natural and spiritual qualities.  Even the natural qualities are not self produced, but God-given, and therefore reach their highest effectiveness when employed in the service of God and for His glory. Natural endowments and traits of personality and scholastic attainments greatly enhance leadership, but they are not the factors of paramount importance because the qualities of natural leadership are by no means unimportant in spiritual leadership.  There is value in seeking to discover leadership potential both in oneself and in others.   However, it is the prerogative of the Holy Spirit to bestow spiritual gifts that greatly enhance the leadership potential of the recipient. The table below compares the important differences between natural and spiritual leaders.

            Commentaries from the John Mark Ministries note that all human groups need leaders.  Effective leaders know where they are going - they have strong beliefs and values.  Good leaders exude and inspire confidence, are willing to take risks and make sacrifices.  Good leaders have one key aim: to be a servant to maximize others' potentials for the good of the whole congregation.  Good spiritual leaders can verbalize their strategic vision for the organization.  They are effective communicators, moulding people's ideas.  That is the difference between a political leader and a statesman.  The first follows public opinion while the second shapes it. 

Essentially, leaders get things done through other people who also are highly committed to the same goals.  In terms of leadership styles, the spiritual leader must operate in ways acceptable to the group.  He should gather the consensus of the group in making a decision in order to attain harmony, teamwork and satisfaction and eventually increasing productivity.  Ted W. Engstrom in his book "The Making of the Christian Leader" commented that Laissez-faire type of leadership has no structure or supervision given.  While the members set out goals and standards, the leader is merely a "first among equals" enjoying no authority.  In this case, Laissez-faire leaders have an "in-basket" management style.  Their programme is determined by whatever comes along.  Initiatives come from elsewhere or not at all, and the group gets frustrated when they realize they are not going anywhere.

Leaders get things done through other people in four stages: planning (forecasting opportunities, spelling our objectives, outlining the steps and time limits to reach those objectives), organizing (developing a structure within which groups can work effectively, delegating authority and responsibility to other leaders, promoting teamwork), leading (making good decisions, communicating, motivating, and training people), and controlling (developing measures of performance, evaluating results, and making course corrections).  On the other hand, Douglas McGregor describes leaders employing the management style either by the "Theory X" or "Theory Y" methods.  According to "theory x" management thinking, people hate work and will avoid it if they can, so they must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened to get anything done.  "Theory Y" leaders believe that work is as natural as play or rest, and that workers will be highly motivated to work towards goals to which they are committed.  They will be self-directing and will seek and accept responsibility;  imagination, ingenuity, and creativity are widely not narrowly distributed among the congregation.

It was a bitter experience for the barangay church to invite workers or pastors who lack spiritual maturity and leadership skills to work full-time in their church.  Since pastors will be dealing mostly with people and organizations, they should be well equipped - spiritually, physically, emotionally and psychologically - so as not to reach to the extent of "burning out" of work or "breaking up" with relationships.  Pastors who are not spiritually mature and lacks the leadership traits would be trodding on a dangerous ground that would be charting the course of conflict among the brethren. In the end, it would be a "lose-lose" situation for both the pastor and church.

Sources:

1. John Mark Ministries. "Leadership Selection: Move with the Movers"

2. Ted W. Engstrom. "The Making of A Christian Leader"

3. Kenneth Newberger. “Outlining Church Mediation”

3. J. Oswald Sanders. "Spiritual Leadership"

4. M. Cunanan. "Sociology: Philippine Setting"

5. Douglas McGregor. "Theories of Management"

6. The Holy Bible (King James Version)