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Transforming Ministry: Integration or Infiltration?

By Terry Drummond.

Introduction

The aim of this article is to explore the idea of transforming ministry and draws on experience of being involved in the organisation and delivery of a Spurgeon’s College course over a period of nine years. The focus of the course has been the interface of ministry with the wider community and in particular how local churches can work in partnership with public bodies, in order to serve their neighbouring community better.

The origins of the course drew on experience of Industrial Mission, though in more recent times this element has had less of a focus, mainly due to a change of tutor and the institutional Churches increasingly withdrawing from this area of ministry.

The underlying theme of what follows is an exploration that draws on the tradition of chaplaincy to public institutions, industry and business, with a question of what the specific role of chaplains actually is. In addition, we will explore the question of how local ministers can best serve the whole community in building links to the public bodies that are responsible for the delivery of local services. This has recently become a more important issue for consideration, due to the government’s commitment to the role of faith communities within public consultations.

Ministry in the Public Square

There has been an argument within some theological circles for many years on the way in which theology can contribute to debates within the ‘public square’. I suggest that it is important for the churches, denominationally and together, to seek to identify appropriate methods for ministering in that context.

A key element and issue within the debate is the potential for the absorption of the church’s work and ministry into the delivery of local services with the possibility for local clergy to become identified with the public authorities such as local government and health authorities. If this is the case, there may seem to be an uncritical acceptance of what is on offer from the public bodies and the loss of an ability to offer a critical and prophetic insight into the needs of local communities.

In associating these issues with the delivery of chaplaincy services, it is possible to see that the same question underpins the debate about how ministry should be carried out in the context of public institutions such as hospitals and universities. The question becomes one of infiltration or integration? Is it the minister’s role to seek to infiltrate and thus be a critical outsider within the institution; or is it more important that they are integrated and therefore increase the likelihood of their being accepted at all levels of that institution?

If the contribution of the Christian minister becomes too much a part of the institution, the potential for a critical role is lost.

In seeking to explore this issue, it will become clear that there is no simple solution. However, it remains important that the institutional Church ensures that its policy makers and those who actually have a chaplaincy role are constantly maintaining a brief to ask the critical question: “What is the contribution we hope to make? Is it only pastoral or does it include an element of prophetic witness?”

Ministry - Incarnational witness

The theological basis of my understanding of ministry is incarnational, that in Jesus we find the fundamental truth that God becomes man, and, in the words of St. John, “The word became flesh and dwelt amongst us” (John 1:14). In this statement is, in my view, the fundamental truth and underpinning of all ministry. All Christians are called to follow in the steps of Jesus and seek to be examples of the life of God as incarnated in Jesus.

If this is the case, it follows that we are all called to work out our ministry in the world, and not just in the church. Church is the place we call home. In worship we are affirmed and renewed, and from worship we are sent out into the world. For myself, sharing in the weekly celebration of the Eucharist is the root of discipleship. Having received the earthly elements of bread and wine within the context of the community of worshippers, the call is to go back into the wider community and the task of service is made possible.

At the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, he reads from the prophet Isaiah and proclaims that he is called to:

Bring good news to the poor

Proclaim release to captives

Recovery of sight to the blind

Let the oppressed go free

To proclaim the year of the Lord (Luke 4: 18-19)

In this reading he identifies his call to action in the world. This leads him into a ministry of teaching, healing, miracles and a willingness to spend time with those who are outcast and considered to be sinners by the religious leaders. In many ways, the example of Jesus is of a ‘transforming ministry’ and is therefore a ministry that is very much in the public arena. It is not a ‘church’ ministry. That only reaches out to the in-crowd, those who are part of, or on the fringes of, the worshipping community.

In considering the potential for ministry which might challenge the status quo and the accepted view of what the local minister is called to do, it is important to look at the example of Jesus. All too often the local church community of any denomination sees maintaining the structures as being more important than mission in the public arena. The public arena in this context may be the local community and neighbourhood in which the church building is set or responding to the potential for working within the wider institutions which are so central to our society.

Institutional/integrated Ministry

The best understood form and style of ministry to and within these institutions is that of chaplaincy. The hospital chaplain is recognised by Hospital Trusts as being an important part of the delivery of health care. In a similar way the role of the university chaplain is well understood and in both cases there are many examples of good pastoral care and outreach being developed and delivered.

In the prison service the chaplain takes a key role within the institution and is recognised as being amongst the senior staff. Similarly in the armed forces the role is clearly delineated and the chaplain will be given a rank to ensure that there is respect at least for the rank, if not the role!

In these examples of institutional ministry, it is important to ensure that the Church, as the original appointing body and protector of the call to ministry and discipleship, is clear what the expectation is within the employing body, not least in the situations where the employer is the hospital trust, the prison service or the armed forces, rather than the denomination. The chaplain must also be clear on what terms he or she is being asked to minister. Is it only to take a pastoral responsibility, or is there space for a critical perspective on the workings of the organisation or the way in which people staff, students, patients (or whoever) are involved and treated? The potential for critical solidarity is underdeveloped in this context, and the requirement for the chaplain to offer pastoral insight and support cannot be underestimated. While this is clearly an important contribution, there needs to be serious consideration of the potential for prophetic and critical insights into the way that institutions work and treat both those within and those outside.

In recent times there have been several reports of ’whistle blowers’ within the health service. These brave individuals have challenged what they have perceived to be injustices or bad treatment. Unwelcome within their work places, they have on many occasions been ill treated and insulted. In the attempt to identify what ‘transforming ministry’ means, it may be that these individuals are modern day prophets, willing to speak the challenging word to the equivalent of the kings and religious leaders of Israel. They are challenging the status quo which prefers to ensure that the system works and is well managed, rather than a place where justice and equality for all is the main philosophy.

If this is so, where do the chaplains and religious leaders fit into the system? All too often they have been institutionalised and have been absorbed by the system, finding security and a cushion against the hard fact that, if we are to be incarnational in our approach, it will mean getting into the dark corners to uncover the hidden truths. This model is one of integration and acceptance, and the security that comes with that acceptance can lead to the chaplain missing opportunities to challenge what can be described as institutional sin (I recognise that the model I’m proposing is probably not an option in the case of prison or army chaplains, but if this is the case, should not the denominations be asking what ministry clergy are called to fulfil in these places?).

The challenge of ministry within institutions is that of finding a middle way between being, on the one hand, so integrated that the minister is seen to be a part of the structures and therefore neutralised, and, on the other hand, being a critical voice with a willingness to challenge what can be described as institutional sin.

Institutional infiltration

The role of the chaplain as described above will, I hope, resonate with many people who are seeking to understand the role of the Church and Christian ministry in the public arena. Having suggested that the model of integration is a dangerous road to travel on because it can lead to the loss of prophetic insights, I want to go on to suggest a potentially alternative model.

That other way is the possibility and potential for infiltration. This is an involvement that allows the individual to be able to contribute Christian understanding and simultaneously offer the critical insights which I suggest are missing when the minister is integrated into the place they seek to serve.

The development of a model of infiltration is one that demands willingness for the minister to find ways into public bodies without losing the reason for their presence. In other words, their task is to find ways to work with the staff and users of the services, whilst maintaining a critical perspective on what is happening within the communities around them.

Opportunities are actually presenting themselves through government encouragement to local authorities to work with faith communities, in particular within the context of establishing ‘Local Strategic Partnerships’. These new bodies are intended to be a focus for local concerns and to be places where a dialogue can take place between representatives from different parts of the community. The religious representative, if well prepared, is in a very strong position to be able to offer insights that might challenge perceptions on issues of local need and concern. It is all to easy for those in power to see the religious person only bringing spiritual insights and not what might be called political/philosophical insights.

The danger of reinforcing stereotypes

The challenge in taking an active role in any partnership is to be aware of the danger of presenting an image of the Church that reinforces stereotypes. The classic example is to use meetings with senior council officers or local councillors to discuss issues of internal concern to the churches. For instance, the meeting might be used to request more signs that direct people to the nearest church building - an important part of the maintenance issue for a local church, but when set against the opportunity to raise issues of, for example, local poverty or social exclusion, it can be an opportunity missed! The greatest problem here is that it reinforces a perspective that the churches are only concerned with matters of internal policy and not fulfilling the gospel mandate laid out in Luke 4:18-19.

The potential for the ministry of the church to contribute to the debate on the future development of local services and the improvement of the health and well being of local communities, is an opportunity not to be missed. The role of the ‘whistle blower’ referred to above may be a useful model in the opportunities which are becoming available to faith groups to speak of their concerns to those with the power and authority to deliver changes for the good of whole communities. A key element in this process is the model of incarnation. The minister of religion is often the only professional person left in certain kinds of communities, so that they do not only speak on behalf of the wider community. They actually have their roots in that community, so that issues of local concern will affect the individual minister and his or her family in exactly the same way that it does others.

In addition, in the building up of relationships with the officers of public authorities, it is possible to become a friend and even take on some of the role of chaplain, provided that, in entering into such a relationship, one is not absorbed by the management structures. It is important to realise that in this area of work what is sought is infiltration, not integration

A key element of all of the above is the importance of recognising that, within the formal structures, it is probable that alliances will be formed with Christians who are employed in the bodies with which we are seeking to work. The formation of such alliances will be informal and the mutual support that is offered will have gains on both sides. It is important that both the minister and officer of the public body are prepared to delineate their respective roles and, in offering mutual support, not to collude in seeking to create a new power base.

Equally, it is important to recognise that, in sharing mutual concerns, there is a difference between discussing matters of policy, and the more personal concerns that belong in conversations outside the designated workplace. The personal and the political may be interlinked, but wherever possible they should not be confused.

Conclusion

The aim of this article has been to address the issue of the Christian contribution to ministry beyond the structures of the churches. At the same time, I have suggested that it is important that models of chaplaincy are also subject to review and reconsideration. The potential for the churches to serve the wider community must lead to questions as to how denominations set about identifying appropriate methods of working with the public arena.

This is a task for churches working together ecumenically. If the denominations and local congregations capture the vision, it is possible that the churches’ voice may be become a more important part of public discourse, not least because those who speak will do so from experience of the tensions that are so much a part of modern life.