Historical ProfileHistorical Profile

1858

Byington

1867

Bell

1872

GC School Organized(pastor not involved)

1920

Pastors assignedto churches

Pastor a specialist Pastor a generalist

(NAD 2002, Section F, pp. (NAD 2002, Section F, pp. 145-182)145-182)

• Conference responsible for:Conference responsible for:– Employment, supervision, and Employment, supervision, and

professional support of teachersprofessional support of teachers– CurriculumCurriculum– Accreditation and evaluationAccreditation and evaluation

(NAD 2002, Section F, pp. (NAD 2002, Section F, pp. 145-182)145-182)

• The local church would provide:The local church would provide:– Facility and equipmentFacility and equipment– Financial support for operational Financial support for operational

expensesexpenses– Teacher salary support paid to the Teacher salary support paid to the

conferenceconference– A school board charged with A school board charged with

operational oversightoperational oversight

Parallel Ministry Parallel Ministry ProblemProblem

• SDA Education/Pastoral Ministries SDA Education/Pastoral Ministries connected at the conference levelconnected at the conference level– The two meet at the executive level of The two meet at the executive level of

the conferencethe conference

• ……disconnected at the local level but disconnected at the local level but share the same spaceshare the same space– Leadership relationship is undefinedLeadership relationship is undefined– Pastor perceived to be the general Pastor perceived to be the general

leaderleader

Role Confusion from the Role Confusion from the 1920’s1920’s

• Pastors placed in churches after the Pastors placed in churches after the 1920’s shift in placement 1920’s shift in placement expectations inherited a expectations inherited a school/church structure that had not school/church structure that had not anticipated the pastor’s new role in anticipated the pastor’s new role in the local setting. the local setting.

• Elders were responsible for the local Elders were responsible for the local church and the teacher responsible church and the teacher responsible for the school prior to the 1920’sfor the school prior to the 1920’s

Pastor or Principal?Pastor or Principal?

• Is responsible for the “religious Is responsible for the “religious program and activities, and … program and activities, and … development and maintenance development and maintenance of a positive spiritual climate of a positive spiritual climate (NAD 2002, p.178). (NAD 2002, p.178).

• This reality clashes with This reality clashes with contemporary expectations and contemporary expectations and assumptions of the local churchassumptions of the local church

Official Duty of the Official Duty of the PastorPastor

• The pastor is charged to be “the The pastor is charged to be “the spiritual leader and advisor of spiritual leader and advisor of the church” (General the church” (General Conference of Seventh-day Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 1990, p. 118) Adventists 1990, p. 118)

Pastor and the Church Pastor and the Church SchoolSchool

• The pastor’s official function The pastor’s official function relating to the school is as “a relating to the school is as “a member of the school board” member of the school board” (General Conference of Seventh-(General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 1990, p.118) day Adventists 1990, p.118)

Challenge of Official Challenge of Official HierarchyHierarchy

• ““On assignment to a local church as On assignment to a local church as pastor, the ordained minister ranks pastor, the ordained minister ranks above the local elder or elders….” above the local elder or elders….” (General Conference of Seventh-day (General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 1990, p.118) Adventists 1990, p.118)

• The stratification of position with the The stratification of position with the pastor being the ranking member of the pastor being the ranking member of the local church leads to the question of local church leads to the question of how or if that ranking applies to the how or if that ranking applies to the local teacher/principallocal teacher/principal

Factors Contributing to Factors Contributing to StressStress

• Oversight function of pastor on Oversight function of pastor on school boardschool board

• Involvement in hiring process => Involvement in hiring process => assumptions of oversightassumptions of oversight

• Expectations of administrators who Expectations of administrators who see pastor as general leader at local see pastor as general leader at local levellevel– President to pastor, “How’s your school President to pastor, “How’s your school

doing?”doing?”

Solutions?Solutions?

• Immediate response:Immediate response:– Create awareness in pastors, principals, Create awareness in pastors, principals,

and teachers of the historical and and teachers of the historical and organizational structure problems that organizational structure problems that contribute to stress and role confusioncontribute to stress and role confusion

• Long term response:Long term response:– NAD should carefully define the NAD should carefully define the

professional relationship of pastors and professional relationship of pastors and educators and intentionally remove educators and intentionally remove ambiguity that leads to role confusion ambiguity that leads to role confusion and conflictand conflict