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Editorial

By Paul Beasley-Murray.

Just at the moment, I have two major ‘beefs’ about some of my brother and sister ministers, even though I deeply respect and honour them.

The first relates to attendance at ministers’ gatherings. As far as I am concerned, once I have committed myself to attend a ministers’ meeting, then I have committed myself. Unless it is a family crisis, nothing else will take precedence.

Alas, I seem to be a voice in the wilderness in this respect. Time and again we get last minute apologies from ministers who are ‘too busy’ or who have a funeral on that day. I don’t buy those excuses. We are all busy - it is a question of priorities. As for funerals, any minister worth their salt should be able to negotiate times which are suitable to them. The fact is that, save in exceptional circumstances, there should be no reason why a minister cannot attend his local ministers’ meeting. Indeed, to express the issue more positively, there is every reason why a minister should allow his fellow ministers to have the priority.

Clearly this does not just apply to ministers’ meetings. I believe, for instance, that any ‘hurting’ minister in my area has a claim on my time. Indeed, I will do anything if I can help a fellow minister (or minister’s spouse) in distress. This includes prayer. When I was ordained, I became a member of the Baptist Ministers’ Fellowship, and in so doing I agreed to pray for my colleagues every Sunday morning. Not only do I seek to do this, I also list in my prayer diary the names of individual ministers for whom I am concerned, as well as the names of those who are part of the various ministerial groupings to which I belong. I feel I have a special commitment to my fellow ministers. This means that I turn up to meetings, whether I feel like it or not. Why do others think differently?

My second ‘beef’ relates to the apparent inability of ministers to answer letters or e-mails - or at least to answer them promptly. As I write, it was two weeks ago that I e-mailed some eight ministers with a view to fixing up a date of a meeting. Only two so far have bothered to reply. Would that this were exceptional - in fact it is par for the course.

Am I alone in finding this not just impolite, but also a sign of sloppiness, if not laziness? Wow, this is strong language! But how else can one put it? Let me make it clear: I am not arguing for ministers to reply to an e-mail within the hour. That would mean ministers being glued to the computer, and that in itself would raise other questions relating to their ministry. But is it not possible to reply within 48 hours - even if it is just a holding reply, acknowledging receipt of the e-mail and promising to attend to the matter in due course? Any secular business would go under if it failed to answer its e-mails. Should not we, who are - to use the old jargon - ‘in the King’s business’, be no less efficient?

This links into another conviction of mine: I believe that ministers should not be ashamed of being professionals. This in turn means that ministers should always seek to excel in whatever they do - only their best is good enough for God. If that were true, then they would have no difficulty in being prompt in answering letters and e-mails. Why then are there those who act differently?

But enough of my ‘grumpy old man’ ramblings. Whether you agree or disagree, why not start a discussion on the online message boards. Do you think it’s acceptable for ministers to absent themselves from ministers’ meetings? Do you think there’s any excuse for not responding to messages, whether by phone or email?

Much more positively, let me now direct you to the content of this latest edition of Ministry Today, which, along with its usual crop of book reviews, contains its equally usual crop of stimulating articles. Chris Skilton, Archdeacon of Lambeth and a member of the Ministry Today board, reflects on the difficulties which churches and ministers have in dealing with chronic illness.

There are two splendid and thought-provoking articles on the methodology of preaching. First, Glen Marshall, a Baptist minister on the staff of NorthernBaptistCollege, offers some radical, but positive and creative, thoughts on the place and purpose of preaching in a post-modern culture, concluding that “less is more”. Then Peter Stevenson, Director of Training at Spurgeon’s College, invites us to learn from the poets in order to invoke the imaginations of our hearers.

Bob Sneddon, who was until recently a member of the Board of Ministry Today, is a highly creative Methodist minister. On the recent 30th anniversary of the showing of the ground-breaking TV drama Abigail’s Party, he linked his Sunday sermon with a performance of the play by his church drama society. By Ministry Today standards, it’s an unusual item, but deeply thought-provoking for all of us whose job it is to preach the gospel Sunday by Sunday.

The question of how to create the church as a community of safety for all is reflected upon by Nigel Copsey; and Anne Wilkinson-Hayes wonders whether we have lost the art of congregational discernment of the will and purpose of God for the local church.

Finally, Tim Marks, who is one of the founders of Ministry Today, explores the role of leadership in creating a faith community in the local church.

Lots to enjoy there.