You probably remember the old cynical quip that when you assume something you can make an ass out of U and Me Sometimes I think that both pastors and sessions assume that the other knows what we expect of them. It is valuable to occasionally check out our assumptions.
There is an easy way to do this at a session meeting. Give everyone a 3 x 5 card and ask them to identify the four top things that they think this congregation expects from the pastor. It is easier to get people to share what they think others, in this case the congregation, is thinking than to share what they are thinking. Following that list, ask them to add an expectation that they believe the session has that might be in addition to what the congregation thinks.
Next ask them to identify where they think there might be tension between what the congregation expects of the pastor and what a pastor could believe was his or her calling to ministry. What you are asking is where the session believes there might be pressure to compromise the pastor’s sense of calling by God as s/he engages in ministry.
While they are working on this task, the pastor or pastors might be asked to identify some of the aspects of their calling that they feel may be neglected because of the various demands to which they are trying to respond.
All of this provides an opportunity for the leadership of a church to discuss the dynamics of God’s call.
