“I truly believe that if it had not been for the experience of Pastors of Excellence I would have left ministry long ago!” An overstatement at best, right? Perhaps you might think so until you look at the statistics. In North America each month, 1,500 people leave ministry—we’re not talking retirement here; these are people who just up and quit. In addition, 50 per cent of those who stay see themselves as so discouraged they seriously consider packing it in, and 70 per cent report feeling depressed on a regular basis. Recognizing the urgency of this need, Dr. Terry Wardle and Dr. Richard Parrott of the Sandberg Leadership Center at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio launched a pilot project in 2003 entitled Pastors of Excellence. Recently, one of the program’s previous participants suggested it might be better titled “Broken and dying” or “Help, I’m in ministry and drowning.” Rather than centering on the development of more ministry skills, this program is designed to provide transformational training that focuses on pastoral health and excellence.
I was one of two Canadians chosen to partner with 18 colleagues in the United States for the initial round of this program. By design, three small groups of six pastors travelled together through a series of three – day retreats built around a model of “journeys”—inward, upward, outward, and forward. This experience, at times both difficult and painful, was life – transforming and life – giving for me. Affectionately, we referred to it as “being dragged through a knothole backwards.”
Others have described it this way:
“PoE opened my eyes to an internal journey I was previously unaware of. Things that were going on inside of me might well have undone the work I was doing in the Kingdom had I not begun to pay greater attention to the heart and spirit.”
“When I entered the program … I was carrying years of unresolved wounds from ministry and life that drove my dysfunctions and continued to make me and those closest to me sick. Ministry was no longer life – giving; it was life – taking and I was quietly dying on the inside.”
“I came into PoE with some awareness of its potential impact because several of my colleagues had been through a season with the program. What I didn’t anticipate was that God was setting me up to be impacted in ways that I would not normally allow!”
Prior to engaging in the program, participants are asked to complete a series of assessments designed to paint a clearer picture of an individual’s personality and stress – processing style, as well as insight into behavioural style—both positive and negative— which impacts the relational aspects of ministry and leadership. In looking back on his personal experience with PoE, Rev. Sean Howard, minister at Nassagaweya, Campbellville, Ont., summarizes it this way: “I feel like I have a handle on some of my more obvious dysfunctions and they’re not impacting me in my life and ministry to nearly the extent they once were.”
In addition to the intensive self – examination and self – discovery, deep and valued relationships have been formed. “PoE has given me two friends with whom I can be completely honest and open about what’s going on in my life,” added Sean when asked about the ongoing benefit of the experience.
Originally funded by a $1 – million grant from the Lilly Foundation, the PoE program has afforded 21 ministers from our denomination—ranging from Ontario through Vancouver Island—the privilege of involvement. This represents one of the largest denominational groups involved in PoE from either Canada or the United States. When asked why they would recommend that someone become involved, alumni respond with statements such as, “Paying attention to the internal journey will transform and strengthen whatever ministry you are leading, not to mention your family and your character.” Or this: “PoE will give you insight into yourself, your family and your church and help you map a path towards healing ministry.” Donna Dawson, clerk of session for Grace Church, Orleans, Ont., notes that not only has their pastor come to a healthier place in his life and made greater efforts towards better self care, but, “The congregation has moved towards being a safe community—a place of sanctuary where everyone can feel safe to seek healing for their woundedness by drawing closer to God.”
From the feedback I have received from previous participants, it appears the PoE program is addressing two critical areas in the life of a pastor—a hunger and a need. “There is a hunger in us as pastors that is completely unfulfilled by academia. There is a cry in us for spiritual leadership and we feel that void and so travel to where we can find refuge and leadership,” said one participant. Or as Sean Howard observes, “The reality is that clergy are just as prone to problems as everyone else, perhaps even more so. With the high rate of clergy burnout, dysfunction and lack of spiritual vitality, PoE may be what your pastor needs more than anything else, whether he or she realizes it or not.”
Yet the deepest longing among leadership in the program is not just for transformed pastors, but for transformed congregations and communities. Rev. Dan MacKinnon, minister at Grace, Orleans, Ont., summarizes it best by saying, “As a result of PoE, there are ministers across Canada embracing a form of authenticity that is being expressed in wholeness and healthy ministry, whose influence is now spreading to and through their congregations.”
For additional information visit “I truly believe that if it had not been for the experience of Pastors of Excellence I would have left ministry long ago!” An overstatement at best, right? Perhaps you might think so until you look at the statistics. In North America each month, 1,500 people leave ministry—we’re not talking retirement here; these are people who just up and quit. In addition, 50 per cent of those who stay see themselves as so discouraged they seriously consider packing it in, and 70 per cent report feeling depressed on a regular basis. Recognizing the urgency of this need, Dr. Terry Wardle and Dr. Richard Parrott of the Sandberg Leadership Center at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio launched a pilot project in 2003 entitled Pastors of Excellence. Recently, one of the program’s previous participants suggested it might be better titled “Broken and dying” or “Help, I’m in ministry and drowning.” Rather than centering on the development of more ministry skills, this program is designed to provide transformational training that focuses on pastoral health and excellence.
I was one of two Canadians chosen to partner with 18 colleagues in the United States for the initial round of this program. By design, three small groups of six pastors travelled together through a series of three – day retreats built around a model of “journeys”—inward, upward, outward, and forward. This experience, at times both difficult and painful, was life – transforming and life – giving for me. Affectionately, we referred to it as “being dragged through a knothole backwards.”
Others have described it this way:
“PoE opened my eyes to an internal journey I was previously unaware of. Things that were going on inside of me might well have undone the work I was doing in the Kingdom had I not begun to pay greater attention to the heart and spirit.”
“When I entered the program … I was carrying years of unresolved wounds from ministry and life that drove my dysfunctions and continued to make me and those closest to me sick. Ministry was no longer life – giving; it was life – taking and I was quietly dying on the inside.”
“I came into PoE with some awareness of its potential impact because several of my colleagues had been through a season with the program. What I didn’t anticipate was that God was setting me up to be impacted in ways that I would not normally allow!”
Prior to engaging in the program, participants are asked to complete a series of assessments designed to paint a clearer picture of an individual’s personality and stress – processing style, as well as insight into behavioural style—both positive and negative— which impacts the relational aspects of ministry and leadership. In looking back on his personal experience with PoE, Rev. Sean Howard, minister at Nassagaweya, Campbellville, Ont., summarizes it this way: “I feel like I have a handle on some of my more obvious dysfunctions and they’re not impacting me in my life and ministry to nearly the extent they once were.”
In addition to the intensive self – examination and self – discovery, deep and valued relationships have been formed. “PoE has given me two friends with whom I can be completely honest and open about what’s going on in my life,” added Sean when asked about the ongoing benefit of the experience.
Originally funded by a $1 – million grant from the Lilly Foundation, the PoE program has afforded 21 ministers from our denomination—ranging from Ontario through Vancouver Island—the privilege of involvement. This represents one of the largest denominational groups involved in PoE from either Canada or the United States. When asked why they would recommend that someone become involved, alumni respond with statements such as, “Paying attention to the internal journey will transform and strengthen whatever ministry you are leading, not to mention your family and your character.” Or this: “PoE will give you insight into yourself, your family and your church and help you map a path towards healing ministry.” Donna Dawson, clerk of session for Grace Church, Orleans, Ont., notes that not only has their pastor come to a healthier place in his life and made greater efforts towards better self care, but, “The congregation has moved towards being a safe community—a place of sanctuary where everyone can feel safe to seek healing for their woundedness by drawing closer to God.”
From the feedback I have received from previous participants, it appears the PoE program is addressing two critical areas in the life of a pastor—a hunger and a need. “There is a hunger in us as pastors that is completely unfulfilled by academia. There is a cry in us for spiritual leadership and we feel that void and so travel to where we can find refuge and leadership,” said one participant. Or as Sean Howard observes, “The reality is that clergy are just as prone to problems as everyone else, perhaps even more so. With the high rate of clergy burnout, dysfunction and lack of spiritual vitality, PoE may be what your pastor needs more than anything else, whether he or she realizes it or not.”
Yet the deepest longing among leadership in the program is not just for transformed pastors, but for transformed congregations and communities. Rev. Dan MacKinnon, minister at Grace, Orleans, Ont., summarizes it best by saying, “As a result of PoE, there are ministers across Canada embracing a form of authenticity that is being expressed in wholeness and healthy ministry, whose influence is now spreading to and through their congregations.”
For additional information visit seminary.ashland.edu/community/conted – poe.html.
