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Pastoral Leadership Survey

Purpose. The Pastoral Leadership Project Group has been charged with assessing the pastoral needs of the congregation and developing a recommendation for the future structure of our church staff. The results of this survey will be presented in a summary report. The congregation will have opportunity to discuss and prioritize the survey results in September.

 

Introduction. The church’s current pastoral leadership model (i.e., a ministry team) was adopted as an interim arrangement in January 2006. In November of that year, Congregational Forum acted to drop interim from the part-time position titles and to continue with the staffing structure indefinitely. The model is a horizontal one consisting of a full-time pastor and four quarter-time minister/coordinators who oversee all church programs.

In addition, the pastor, two salaried musicians, and the Worship Coordinator plan and carry out worship services.

Question 1. What do you perceive to be the strengths of this current structure? If you list more than one strength, put them in order of importance, if possible.

 

Question 2. What do you perceive to be the weaknesses of the current structure. If you list more than one weakness, put them in order of seriousness, if possible.

 

Question 3. Rank the following pastoral leadership models from most appropriate for our congregation to least appropriate for our congregation (with 1 = most appropriate). If you favor no one model over another, check the No Preference line.

Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.	Senior Pastor - Associate Pastor
Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.	Senior Pastor - Youth Pastor
Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.	Senior Pastor - Minister of Christian Education
Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.	Co-Pastors
Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.	Horizontal Team Ministry (current model)
Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.	Vertical Team Ministry (at least one team member given authority over other team members)
Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
	NO PREFERENCE

 

Optional Comments on Question 3

 

Question 4. Our current ministry team consists of a full-time equivalency of 2¼ persons (including salaried music staff. See the chart on previous page.) Compensation and benefits for these salaried staff account for $126,300, or 33.3%, of the 2008 church budget. Do you think the resources this church devotes to pastoral leadership are

	About right to meet congregation’s needs and to fulfill God’s calling for this church.
	Too little to meet needs and fulfill God’s calling for this church.
	Too much for the needs and calling of this church.

 

Optional Comments on Question 4

 

Question 5. At the end of 2000, this congregation went through a comprehensive discernment process that affected the development of a new church governance structure, new mission and vision statements, and the profile for the pastoral search then underway. The table below shows the congregation’s priorities for its pastoral leadership at that time.

Step 1. Consider the needs of the church today and in coming years. Then, in the spaces provided, enter any additional ministries that you believe should be priorities. You might consider (but are not limited to) some of the following:

Planning worship services Developing second or alternative services Providing leadership for music programs Developing and leading youth programming Developing programming for young adults and young families, including McPherson College students

Ministering to seniors and Cedars residents Visiting members and prospective members Giving leadership to faith formation/Christian education Giving leadership to the district and/or denomination

Step 2. After completing Step 1 (i.e., entering any additional pastoral leadership priorities into the table), use the right-hand drop-down menu to rank order all the listed ministries, those already listed as well as any you added.

Rank in 2000	Pastoral Leadership Priorities	Your Rank in 2008
1.	Building community and enhancing hospitality	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
2.	Inspiring the congregation to grow spiritually	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
3.	Energizing and motivating members to keep their covenant to serve the church and the community	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
4.	Administrating programs	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
5.	Preaching	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
6.	Providing pastoral care	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
		Null 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

 

Optional Comments on Question 5

 

Question 6. What additional comments about staffing structure and/or pastoral leadership would you like to submit for the Pastoral Leadership Project Group’s consideration?

Optional. If you are willing to do so, please indicate the range in which your age falls:

Jr. High/Sr. High 18 - 25 26 - 35 36 - 50 51 - 65 55 - 75 over 75

THANK YOU for taking the time to complete this survey. Please watch the church calendar for announcements about opportunities to discuss the results of this survey.

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