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It's that season again: Nominating Committee

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by USN2Pulpit, Aug 21, 2012.

  1. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Sometimes the toughest time of the year and the temptation is always to become discouraged as a pastor...because people just keep saying "no."

    I have learned to trust God - even if the people aren't ready to. Not that I've become perfect in doing so, but I have peace - even when vital positions go unfilled.

    Our current difficulty is selecting a person to lead our Sunday School department. So far, everyone asked has said they definetely don't want to do it and have no interest in doing it - but will do it if no one else will.

    After understanding their attitude toward the work - and their lack of a sense of calling toward it - I have instructed the nominating committee to disqualify the ones they have already asked and pray anew for God's guidance.

    This is an SBC church - and I welcome comments & suggestions that are helpful within the typical SBC polity. Thanks!
     
  2. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    This really doesn't answer your questions, but your dilemma triggered a memory from years ago.

    Our young pastor proposed a revolutionary step to the Nominating Committee.

    He noted that the traditional way is to determine what positions are needed, then seek out people to fill those slots.

    Instead, why not determine those who are willing to serve, determine their spiritual gifts, and create jobs to fit the gifts? The pre-supposition is that the Holy Spirit has provided the needed spiritual gifts in every congregation to make it function well, and we ought to organize accordingly.

    Well, we never did get around to completely implementing that idea, mainly because we had willing people for every slot.

    It sounds good conceptually, but will it work? Don't know, because I don't know of any church that's ever tried it.

    Would you like to be the first, USN2?
     
  3. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Oh, I failed to mention that this same pastor took a survey among our members. He asked them to list their spiritual gift(s).

    We found out that a lot of people never gave much thought to whether they had a spiritual gift or what it was.

    Some mixed gifts, talents and abilities in their answers.

    For instance, is the willingness to drive the church van the result of a spiritual gift?

    At any rate, it was a useful exercise, because we had to focus on the spiritual aspect of our service to the church. And we actually identified some folks whose gifts would be useful.
     
  4. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Thanks for that response, Tom. Yes, I have considered introducing a "spiritual gifts inventory." There are enough of them out there. I actually would like to go that route - and perhaps the way is being paved right now. I do serve a fairly traditional church and would have to lead toward that as I gain their confidence in the effort. We have made several gains, but our organizational structure is still 1960's SBC. Not that that's neccesarily bad, but people cling to those traditions because it's all they've ever known.

    But in our case, we have a bunch of tired saints in need of "re-ignition." Wasn't it Charles Roesel that quoted...

    Mary had a little lamb
    it grew to be a sheep
    it went and joined a baptist church
    and died from lack of sleep
     
  5. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Heh, heh, heh! Good one, USN. I heard that poem many years ago, and had forgotten it.

    I'll wager a lot of folks can identify with it.
     
  6. Ryan.Samples

    Ryan.Samples New Member

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    Just wondering aloud here, but what does this particular position entail? It has always been my experience that a SS director doesn't actually do much of anything except order the curriculum material each quarter (if it is used, and even then that duty might fall to the church secretary) and tally the SS attendance each week. Each time I taught a SS class I reported to the senior pastor, not the director. The directors didn't actually direct, at least as far as I was concerned.

    Might people avoid the gig because it represents nothing more than collecting and tallying the SS attendance records? Might it be the reverse, that it involves a ton of responsibility (not sure what that might be) with little control over or input into teacher selection, curriculum, etc?
     
  7. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Good question...we are one of those fellowships that have retained the "Departmental Opening Session." A time of announcements and prayer requests prior to going into classes. Not very taxing, but being in front of people is involved.

    I know that some people may debate the value of an opening session, but I decided that wasn't a hill to die on!

    Other duties involve arranging classes when a teacher is away, arranging for a sub, collecting attendance data and reporting it to the church. Things that should be done: work with pastor in outreach/ministry strategies, etc.
     
  8. Hardsheller

    Hardsheller Active Member
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    I've often wondered why in Southern Baptist Churches we think it so important to completely go through the whole nominating process annually.

    Why not just treat each position in the church like most SBC Churches treat the Pastoral Office?

    If someone is voted on to take an office let them keep it until they resign or the congregation removes them.
     
  9. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Yes, I've often wondered that too!
     
  10. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Because that is the way we have always done it.
     
  11. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    Because that's the way it was always done, and because sometimes people will get overworked to the point of burnout if left in a position too long. Others need to be encouraged to share the load.
     
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