Essay on "Church Leadership"

Quoted Instructions for "Church Leadership" Assignment:

Hello, There are two tasks here: First write a one page definition of leadership. And second choose ONE of the questions below. Write a 4 page, double spaced, response to your chosen question. Include in your response your understanding of your role as a church leader; your basic principles and values; and the leadership skills most necessary in the given situation. You can assume that the church is of your denomination. (The situations are actual church situations.)

I am a female Episcopalian who is liberal and stands for social justice issues.

1. You are the Associate Pastor in a large church. You have served for 1 year in this congregation. Your job description includes youth and Christian education with an additional requirement of pastoral care when requested. You become aware that the Senior Pastor (who has been in the congregation for 4 years) is not functioning. For example, he is not hospital visiting when he says he is. He preaches on most Sundays, but that is all. The attendance and activity in the church is declining rapidly. He blames you for the decline. Several leaders in the Church know the problem, but are as yet unwilling to bring the issue of the Pastor*****'s dysfunction to the official board of the church. As an Associate you do not have access to the official board. You wish to remain in the congregation for at least another 3 to 4 years. What will you do?

2. You are the Pastor of a church with an average Sunday morning worship attendance of 150. You are in your second year of ministry with this congregation. You find out that the married lay leader of the congregation who is related to 1/4th of the congregation is having an affair with the church organist who is married and a member of the congregation. The organist is also related to several other families in the church. The lay leader is the largest giver in the church. Many of the church members know of the affair and are choosing to remain silent. The lay leader and organist spouses are seemingly unaware of the situation. The town gossip line is hot with the news that the lay leader and the organist were seen going into a motel room in a near by town. You and your family like the church. Everything is going well with the church. You wish to remain in the church for at least 5 more years. The Pastor of the church down the street calls to tell you of the *****"hot gossip*****" he just heard in the local restaurant. What do you do?

3. You are the Pastor of a medium sized church (average weekly worship attendance of 175 persons). You have been in the church for 8 years. You wish to remain. The church is growing. You are enjoying your ministry. There is a conflict between the organist and the choir director. You are seeking to resolve the problems. You are working with the music committee to establish clearer job descriptions with stated expectations and procedures. In the midst of this process, a member of the congregation calls to share a rumor with you. It seems the choir director has suggested to her neighbor that the organist is a child sexual abuser. This neighbor who is also a member of the church has children in the children*****'s choir that is lead by the organist. You know, and the choir director knows, that this single parent mother and her children are in counseling because of the sexual abuse by their father. You are the second person to be called about this issue. The caller wants to know what you will do? Is the accusation true? Did the church interview and question the organist concerning child sexual abuse before he was hired? The issue is not yet public, but could be very quickly. What do you do?

4. You are the Pastor of a small church in a growing area. You moved into this church six months ago. The former Pastor died of a heart attack during worship one year ago. The congregation says they want you to lead them to grow. They say they want to reach out to newcomers. However, when new families come to visit, they report back to you that they felt left out and cold. You are on salary support from your judicatory for two years. The assumption is that you can grow the church enough by then so that the church can pay your salary. What do you plan to do?