The Issue
The Christian Church is facing challenging times and in part this due to significant numbers of ministers and pastors being unable to continue in leading local church congregations. With the instances of these leaders experiencing trauma, burnout, anxiety and other mental health challenges on the rise many have chosen to leave. Add to this, instances of clergy misconduct and removal from ministry and many churches are finding it difficult to maintain church presence in local communities.
Two questions come into play. The first is “As church leadership how do we reduce the conditions that bring about the choice of ministers and pastor deciding to leave ministry?”
The second, “Is there an opportunity to create the conditions for redeeming those who have left to take up their calling and make the journey back into church leadership?”
There is ample research that has explored the reasons why minister and pastors are leaving, yet little is known about the experiences of those who return.
The Christian Church has been challenged throughout its existence in living out the Lord's call to redeem and, where appropriate, forgive the lost. This is especially true in restoring church leaders. In more recent times several Church organisations have explored processes designed to discern God's call for a return to ministry by some former leaders.
What we know is that we need to prepare and be better informed, understanding more about the journey for candidates, and creating an environment where leaders and their congregations can flourish and live out their calling in sharing the Gospel message.
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It is hoped that the knowledge and insight drawn from this research will facilitate informed and appropriate assessments for discerning a return to licensed or paid ministry.
Guiding Passage of Scripture
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
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1 Peter 5.10
The Aim
Through a phenomenological approach we will understand more fully the experiences of those seeking a return to licensed ministry, contributing towards improved exploration and procedures for future discernment's.