This is the third part of a series in which I share what I learned after reading all the General Assembly Minutes of the EPC. You can read part 1 here, where I explain why I decided to read them all. Or part 2 here.
GOOD MINISTRY IDEAS THAT NEED TO BE REVISITED
So that’s the bad news; the areas where we can improve. But let’s end on some good news.
Throughout our EPC history we’ve had some really great ideas! Unfortunately, many of our best ideas never saw the light of day. For example, in 1988, recommendation #22 was: that the General Assembly hold [a] biannual conferences for all pastors with less than five years experience in pastoral ministry for which all expenses apart from travel shall be borne by the denomination, and the costs of which shall be underwritten by a benevolence asking of the Assembly be approved in spirit and intent and referred to the permanent Ministerial Vocation Committee for implementation.
What a great idea! Recent studies by Barna Group, and others, have shown the stress that pastors experience, resulting in a high number of pastors who consider quitting ministry every year. The first five years of ministry are years of much change for a new pastor (and his family). What a benefit it would be if the EPC found a way to implement this biannual conference for pastors with less than five years experience in ministry.
Though different, the 15th General Assembly “approved a dinner sponsored by the Ministerial Vocation Committee during the 15th General Assembly for ministers ordained five years or less, along with their spouses.” Let’s get back to supporting the newest pastors in ministry so they have long tenures in the EPC!
The 15th General Assembly also adopted Overture 95.F: to appoint a committee to study the feasibility of implementing an EPC Internship Training Program be referred to the permanent Ministerial Vocation Committee for study. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any indication that this idea was ever acted upon. An EPC internship training program would have the potential to help build up a pipeline of the next generation of pastors for our denomination. Another great idea that, I think, we can make happen if we unite together. Let’s implement the vision of our denominational forefathers.
Finally, the 20th and 21st General Assembly minutes mention two outstanding ideas. First, is a biannual pastor’s conference focused on teaching and preaching. Instead of outsourcing our ongoing teaching and preaching education, let’s use the talent within our denomination to make us all better teachers and preachers.
Second, a pastor’s mentoring program. One relationship that has helped me to endure in ministry has been with a man named Karl House. Karl’s not in the EPC. I met him in Florida back in 2011 a few months before I joined the EPC. He was pastoring a Vineyard Church in the Tampa area at the time. We hit it off immediately and, once I took a call in the EPC, I asked Karl if we could set up a monthly phone call. We did. And 15 years later we still have our monthly phone call. We pastors often don’t have a pastor. It comes with the job. But we can have mentors. And I believe the EPC can find a way to connect pastors with one another so that others benefit from a relationship like what I’ve had with Karl.
CONCLUSION
I learned a lot about the EPC by reading our General Assembly minutes. I’d encourage you to take time to do the same. There’s much we can learn from those who’ve gone before us. How to debate and discuss difficult issues. What have been, and continue to be, our strengths and weaknesses as a denomination. Even how to have fun even during the business portions of our Assembly meetings. I’m looking at you presbytery Stated Clerks from 1999 and your response to the Presbytery Review Committee’s report by singing…
Jesus loves us Stated Clerks; we work hard and get no perks.
When our lives are full of stress, Jesus loves to bless our mess.
Jesus loves us one and all; in the presbytery tall.
We bring hope as you can see, we’re the glue of the EPC.
Refrain:
Yes Jesus loves us (3 times)
We’re glad that someone does.
Take that Presbytery Review Committee!
But, in all seriousness, may God continue to bless the EPC. And may the EPC remain faithful to our God.