A Resource from the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas http://www.missionalchurchnet.org This Month’s Recommended Books Beyond Business as Usual – Vestry Leadership Development By Neal Michell Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts By Jim Griffith Ancient Wisdom To what purpose? ^11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ^12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ^13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. —Ephesians 4:11-13 The shepherd should be a teacher . . . “He (Paul) has [not] allotted different offices to shepherds and teachers. For he does not say “some shepherds, some teachers” but some shepherds and teachers, meaning that he who is a shepherd should at the same time be a teacher. No one in the church, even a saintly person, should take to himself the name of shepherd unless he can teach those whom he feeds. —Jerome Teaching monogamy by example . . . It is not that every monogamous man is better than every man who has been married twice. Rather, it is that the bishop must teach monogamy, and, best of all, continence, by example. Indeed, some monogamous men are less continent than some who have been married twice and widowed . . . — Jerome A strong mind required . . . There is need not of pomp of words but of strong minds, of skill in the Scriptures and of powerful thoughts. Do you not see that Paul put to flight the whole world, that he was more powerful than Plato and all the rest? —John Chrysostom A good baseball manager . . . A writer asked me, “What makes a good manager?” I replied, “Good players!” —Yogi Berra Lighten Up A bishop discovered a tribe of Indians in the Yukon who had never recorded a baptism confirmation or marriage. The bishop soon rectified the situation by baptizing and confirming everyone. He also married every beaming couple that walked by.  Later, the tribal chief told the Bishop the tribe had never had so much fun. The bishop asked the chief which part they enjoyed the most. "The marriage service," the chief said, smiling. "We all got new wives!"	For Missional Leaders in the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas and  Beyond March 1, 2008 Questions to Reflect on in Electing a Bishop Canon Neal Michell As many of you know I am a candidate for the Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Dallas. As part of my discernment whether to allow my name to be placed in nomination I have had to reflect on the role of a bishop and whether I am an appropriate candidate. In this election, I will be both candidate and elector. These are the questions I will reflect on as I pray for guidance as to whom I should vote for. I learned a long time ago that when interviewing candidates for a staff position, vicar or rector or church planter, that “past performance is the best indicator of future performance.” That is, you never ask a candidate, “If you were rector, what would you do if . . .” Instead, you ask, “When did you . . .” You find the quality, experience, or skill that you are looking for and ask how that person has exhibited that particular quality, experience, or skill in their personal history. In the Episcopal Church, our bishops are elected by the lay delegates and clergy to diocesan convention (or diocesan council in certain southern dioceses). We believe this is a helpful cooperation through which God raises up bishops for the church. On our part, those of us who participate in that process by voting, have a tremendous obligation to discern whom God might be calling to serve as bishop. Here are my questions regarding the role of the bishop to reflect on in your participation of this election process. 1. Is this person a missionary? The bishop is called to be one with the apostles, not a prelate but a missionary. In this postmodern, post-Christendom era, we need, not administrators, but missionaries. We are in an apostolic era much like the early church in which the mission field starts at our front door, not outside the borders of the empire. Does this person understand the new world about him? Has he demonstrated a heart for missions and the missionary calling both overseas and in this country? Does he communicate the Gospel clearly and in different contexts? “If you build it they will come” was the primary maxim for mission in the high growth Episcopal Church in the 1950’s (though biblically shortsighted), but it is woefully inadequate for the beginning of the third millennium. Has your bishop candidate done any ministry outside the confines of the local church? 2. Is this person an equipper for ministry and mission? As chief missionary, the bishop must be able to equip others for mission and ministry. The role of confirming and consecrating are natural outgrowths of the bishop as chief equipper for ministry and mission. The local church is the front line of the mission of the church. The diocese exists to strengthen the missionary movement through the local church. Thus, the bishop should be the chief equipper of the missionaries for whom she is responsible. It is awfully easy for people in the diocesan office to meet with a priest and say, “Your church ought to be growing” or “your church ought to be twice the size it is.” (I know of bishops and canons who have done so.) Yet, they have no track record themselves. How has your bishop candidate equipped others to perform their ministry more effectively so that she can give them real hope and encouragement, counsel ands advice, rather than wishful thinking or unrealistic expectations and condemnation? How has your bishop candidate developed a staff? Her vestries? The clergy and lay leaders of the diocese are the bishop’s staff. The committees and commissions function as vestries to the bishop.  Does she develop and equip them, or do they simply conduct business as usual? 3. Is this person a teacher who can articulate the faith and by so doing, both guard the faith and pass it on? A primary role of the bishop is to guard the faith and ensure its being passed on to the next generation. Have you heard this person preach or teach, write or speak publicly? Do you resonate with the Gospel in the way he proclaims it? Does your soul say, “Yes. He speaks the truth in such a way that my soul is more grounded and I am called to greater faithfulness”? Perform a Google search on your bishop candidate. What has he written?  Or, has he written nothing?  If you can’t find anything that he’s written, chances are, he will not be able to articulate the faith to those outside, either. 4. How has this person demonstrated a will to guard the unity and discipline of the church? At a time when the faith of the Church is under attack, we must not ignore the unity and discipline of the Church.  Can this person say “No”? Or does this person try to please everyone?  Look at her track record.  Has she ever dismissed a staff member for cause? As about a time when she had a really troublesome vestry member or staff member that was doing damage to the church. How did she deal with them so the church was strengthened and the damage was diminished? 5. Is this person a wholesome example? St. Paul told the Corinthians, “Imitate me.” Is your bishop candidate someone that clergy want to emulate? Does he exhibit a holiness of life that brings credit to the Gospel?  How’s his family life? If married, how is his relationship with his wife? Is his relationship with Christ one that you are attracted to? 6. What particular gifts, qualities, and abilities does our diocese need in a bishop during this chapter of our life? Just as our lives are made up of a series of seasons, so are individual churches and dioceses. Sometimes in selecting a rector churches will react to what they didn’t like in the previous rector and call someone totally opposite. The result is a seesaw effect in the life of the congregation that resembles more of a drunk staggering than a continuous thread.  When I consult with churches searching for a rector, I encourage them to ask, “Where do you want the church to be in five years?” and then to call a rector who can get them there. Similarly, dioceses have different needs at different times. For a season your diocese may need someone with more administrative or leadership skills than at others. It may need a Suffragan whose skills can complement the diocesan bishop rather than is so totally opposite or totally similar to the diocesan. These first five questions point to qualities needed in a bishop at any time and place. My last question calls for reflection on the particular needs of the diocese at this time. So, reflect on the past five years of your diocese. What has gone well? What needs improving? What qualities, gifts, and abilities does your diocese need at this particularly time in its life? I was once called to a church of which I realized that I was not their first choice as rector.  What I said was, “I know I am not who they really wanted, but I also know I am who they need.” Be open to the possibility that your personal preference may not really be best bishop for the diocese at this time. Until next time, Neal+
	Unsubscribe Update Email Address For Previous Newsletters Go Here Copyright © 2008 Neal O. Michell, all rights reserved
We believe in the Power of Jesus Christ to Transform lives.  We are Resurrection People!