George was music minister in a West Virginia church for a few months when he offered a cantata solo to someone other than the man touted as the church’s finest vocalist. Families questioned his judgment, then his spirituality, then his fitness for ministry.
Power issues play a large part in forced terminations in Baptist life, said Dale Huff, director of LeaderCare and church administration for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. The basic question is “Who’s going to be boss?”
George was among 12 participants in the fourth annual Ministering to Ministers (MTM) Wellness Retreat at Judson College in Marion June 14–18. Most participants had faced involuntary termination or other congregational crises.
Alabama native Charles Chandler began the Ministering to Ministers Foundation in 1994 after his own painful experience as a pastor. Since then, MTM has enlisted a number of professionals willing to consult at no charge with ministers undergoing various problems.
But the hallmark of the MTM ministry is the five-day Wellness Retreat. A group facilitator — normally Chandler — an assistant and a psychologist or psychiatrist travel to various locations to conduct individual and group therapy with ministers and spouses.
The recent event at Judson was MTM’s 50th retreat. Almost 500 ministers and spouses have participated in retreats in 27 states and one foreign country.
Chandler, a Baptist, is quick to point out 26 denominations have been represented in Wellness Retreats. “Unrest in the church due to a lack of growth, power and personality issues and forced terminations are found in every denomination,” he said.
“We try to channel the minister’s trauma into a positive direction,” Chandler continued. “Most of the time participants arrive on Monday with a lot of anger and frustration. By Thursday or Friday they’re laughing a bit, so we know we’ve broken through and instilled some hope.”
Usual sessions in the Wellness Retreat include the Myers-Briggs personality test, health and fitness, anger management, spiritual recovery and growth, legal issues, leadership and creating a market for one’s job skills.
One of Chandler’s oft-spoken proverbs is “you can lose your pulpit, but you don’t have to lose your ministry.” He insists other options are available, and ministers have skills they may not even be aware of.
For more information, call 804- 320-6463. (JC)
Share with others: