Table Of Content

Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Teses and Dissertations 1-1-2018 Pastoral Well-Being & Beyond: Tree Streams of Pastoral Health and Personal Development Brandon J. Morrow GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY PASTORAL WELL-BEING & BEYOND: THREE STREAMS OF PASTORAL HEALTH AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY OF GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY BRANDON J. MORROW PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 2018 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Brandon J. Morrow has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 19, 2018 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Preaching as Story. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: David McDonald, DMin Secondary Advisor: Calvin Habig, DMin Lead Mentor: Leonard I. Sweet, PhD Expert Advisor: Jim Eichenberger Copyright © 2018 by Brandon J. Morrow All rights reserved i i TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. v SECTION 1: THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................... 1 The Story ............................................................................................................................... 1 Mass Exodus ......................................................................................................................... 2 The Suffering Silent & Do-gooders .................................................................................... 3 Problems Need Solutions ..................................................................................................... 8 SECTION 2: OTHER PROPOSED SOLUTIONS .............................................................. 10 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 10 Healthy Development as Pop Psychology ........................................................................ 11 The Adventure of Happiness—Dr. David McDonald .................................................. 12 Potential Solution to Pop Psychology ........................................................................... 15 Pastoral Health as Executive Authorit y............................................................................ 15 A Soul Under Siege—C. Welton Gaddy....................................................................... 17 Clergy Burnout—Fred Lehr ........................................................................................... 20 Potential Solution to Executive Authorit y.................................................................... 23 Conclusions on Other Proposed Solution.s....................................................................... 24 SECTION 3: THESIS ............................................................................................................ 28 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 28 Defining Personal Developmen .t................................................................................... 28 Defining Pastoral Health ................................................................................................ 30 What’s the Intended Outcome? ......................................................................................... 33 Three Streams of Personal Development for Pastor ..s..................................................... 34 Stream 1: Personal .......................................................................................................... 34 Stream 2: Vocational ...................................................................................................... 47 Stream 3: Systematic/Congregationa .l.......................................................................... 53 What about History? .......................................................................................................... 65 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 66 SECTION 4: ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION .......................................................................... 68 SECTION 5: BOOK PROPOSAL ........................................................................................ 69 ii i Query Letter ........................................................................................................................ 69 Cover Letter ........................................................................................................................ 70 Book Proposal..................................................................................................................... 72 SECTION 6: POSTSCRIPT .................................................................................................. 75 APPENDIX – BOOK SAMPLE ........................................................................................... 77 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................ 152 iv ABSTRACT Every year, the North American church experiences an overwhelming percentage of pastors who leave the ministry, citing internal and external pressures for their decisions to abandon what they once perceived as their divine calling. Many pastors are forced into a personal development strategy that is neither helpful, nor holistic, pursuing scads of resources outside of Christian and theological disciplines, many of which are misapplied. These drastically affect the long-term health of pastors and their overall health and effectiveness in ministry. How can pastors develop a personal development strategy that adequately accounts for the major areas of health in the life of a minister? How can this strategy equip them for interminable seasons of ministry? There are three particular streams of pastoral health and personal development that are necessary for developing a personal development strategy that takes into consideration the overall health of the pastor. These three streams will take into consideration the personal, vocational, and systemic demands of life and ministry. Section One highlights the present condition of many ministers, adequately building a case for personal development. Section Two covers two perceived methods of personal development and pastoral health: pop psychology and executive authority. This section concludes that pop psychology and isolated forms of leadership can be temporarily effective, but long term they are detrimental to the health of the minister. Section Three builds the case for three streams of personal development, providing pragmatic research that can be variably applied in local settings. This is advocating for a descriptive form of ministry, illuminating what healthy functions of life and ministry can look like. Sections Four and Five detail an artifact, and proposal, in book form titled, Sad Pastor: An Imaginative Story of Healing v for Clergy . Sad Pastor will be a humorous, pragmatically -heavy resource designed for creating healthier lives of pastors. v i SECTION 1: THE PROBLEM The Story Several years ago, I witnessed a staff minister on the teaching team at a megachurch in Wichita, KS announce to his congregation that after ten years of faithful service he would be stepping down to “take a break.” He cited that an internal conflict regarding his identity and “no clear direction” for his life and family, as well as not feeling adequately prepared to do ministry, to be the reasons for stepping out of his calling. I watched him closely for the next hour, people coming up and giving him and his wife hugs in the middle of the service, wiping away the occasional tear and reminding the people talking to him that there were other things going on that morning, all while squeezing the shoulder of his hesitant elementary-aged son. I watched him in the lobby where they did a makeshift celebration in honor of his service and family. “We’re doing just great! God has blessed us. ” “We’re not sure what’s next, we’re waiting on the Lord.” “Oh no, I assure you, it was a mutual decision. The leadership agreed that we were making the right choice. ” “We’re just going to rest, study, and pray. Thank you for caring for us. ” Those are just a short list of the things that were said to people in a tone that appeared to be chock full of Christian platitudes, the same ones we use when we ’re trying to convince ourselves of uncertainty. I watched him exit the building and walk dejectedly across the parking lot and I told myself that I hoped I nev er had to see another thing like it, ever 1