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On the Selection of Leaders
I have known times in my history where people said “Why should I come to the congregational meeting when the new pastor will be voted in? That’s just a rubber stamp. The decision has already been made by the PNC. No one would dare oppose it.”
Vicki Curtiss, of our General Assembly staff, taught us recently about Communal Discernment. She told us that we can follow a carefully designed model as we seek to discern God’s will when a Body of Christians needs to reach the best decision. Following the “Robert’s rules” model of majority rule may not always serve us well.
At our April 1 Presbytery meeting we’ll have an opportunity to meet the Rev. Scott Lumsden, our Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee’s nominee and to vote on his nomination. I have not met Scott, but he comes well recommended. It is the kind of event where someone may whisper “The election doesn’t matter. The decision has been made by the committee. The Presbytery is only a rubber stamp.”
To the contrary, Vicki Curtiss would counsel us to follow discernment theory. I think she would tell us that the EPNC (and the same applies to a local congregation’s PNC) does their discernment to reach a conclusion that God has brought them the person they believe God wants for the job. But the larger body, the presbytery (or the local congregation in the case of the election of a pastor) also has an equally important role to play. They enter the process when the Body needs to “rest with the decision.” In her instruction she says the body needs to
“Allow some time to pass before making the decision official. Resting allows time for the likely direction to lie near the heart in a spirit of prayer to determine whether it brings primarily feelings of consolation (a sense of peace and movement toward God) or desolation (distress and movement away from God).”
How that works out in a practical way, is that the people need to meet the candidate.
They need to ask whatever questions will help them move to a place of peace about the selection.
They need to pray fervently for God’s confirmation of the decision.
Then they cast their ballots freely when they are ready.
So as we understand the process, both a nominating committee and a larger governing body have their place in the total discernment process.
Come to our April 1 Presbytery meeting and participate! When we are all doing our part to discern God’s will, we have no need for rubber stamps!
In His grip,
Jerry
(I wonder what would happen if our nation tried to select a president this way!)
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Posted on Friday, March 28, 2008 (Archive on Friday, March 28, 2008)
Posted by Heidi_user Contributed by Heidi_user
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