General Conference will try again to define the nature of ministry.
by Diane Huie Balay
For the average United Methodist sitting in church on Sunday, defining the term "minister" is simple. The minister is the person who preaches from the pulpit, baptizes, marries and buries loved ones, visits the sick, and teaches the tenets of our faith.
But for many United Methodist clergy, diaconal ministers, bishops and theologians, the question has not been so easy to answer. The definitions, purpose and structure of ministry have been the subject of intense study and fierce debate for more than 30 years.
Delegates to the last four sessions of General Conference have assigned study groups to examine the nature and practice of professional ministry in the church, and propose a comprehensive definition and process for acquiring and deploying ministers.
All efforts so far have failed. The 1996 General Conference will try again when it reviews proposals from the latest ministry study, this one conducted for the last four years under the auspices of the churchwide Council of Bishops. The bishops' decision could have lasting impact on the 1,600 diaconal ministers and 37,000 ordained ministers currently serving The United Methodist Church.
Deacons, Elders and Diaconal Ministers
United Methodists believe that God calls all Christians to ministry. The denomination also recognizes that some people are called to special ministry.
But how that ministry is organized has been the subject of study and debate at least since 1968, when The United Methodist Church was formed from the union of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren.
In the present system of ordination, clergy are ordained in a two-step process, first as deacons-considered by many to be a transition or step toward ordination as elders.
To be ordained a deacon, one must complete at least half the requirements for a master of divinity degree or the equivalent course of study for ordained ministry. Those ordained elders have completed the master of divinity degree or its equivalent.
In the current system, the period of serving as deacon is a type of probation. A person who completes the probationary period successfully will be ordained as an elder.
The elder is ordained to preach the Word of God and to administer the sacraments of Holy Communion and baptism. In certain circumstances, and under an elder's supervision, a deacon may also administer the sacraments.
In addition to deacons and elders, United Methodism recognizes diaconal ministers. Recommended by a charge conference, a diaconal minister is required to complete a candidacy program, which includes some theological studies.
In most local churches diaconal ministers are directors of music, Christian educators, outreach coordinators and youth ministers. However, at least 25 percent of the denomination's diaconal ministers are employed in other fields beyond the local churches, such as pastoral counseling, community organizing and health care.
Most local churches do not have a diaconal minister on staff. The majority work in larger churches that have multiple ministerial staff, although a diaconal minister may work be assigned to work with several churches.
Unlike the deacon or elder, the diaconal minister is consecrated, not ordained. Theologians have been unable to agree on the difference between "consecration" and "ordination."
In some larger United Methodist congregations, the configuration of ministers might look like this: The pastor in charge is an elder; the associate pastor is a deacon, and the minister of music is a diaconal minister.
What Would the New Deacon Do?
So far, what the bishops' ministry study group plans to propose to General Conference is a new type of deacon that would be a permanent form of ordained ministry--instead of an interim step on the way to elder.
This new deacon could eventually replace diaconal ministers. The deacon's primary function in the local church would be to help congregation members discover how God is calling them to serve others.
Although the bishops' study is far from complete and specific legislation has not yet been prepared, a working definition is that deacons will be people who are:
* called by God for a lifetime of service;
* seminary trained for the responsibility;
* appointed by the bishop;
* allowed to assist in leading worship and in administering the sacraments.
According to the in-process plan, in some instances a deacon could be appointed by the bishop as pastor in charge of a local church or charge.
Under the proposal, the new deacon would not be required to itinerate (move from place to place at the discretion of the bishop and cabinet).
The deacon could be in a profession that may or may not be church-related; for example, a deacon could be a doctor, a teacher or a store clerk.
What About the Ministers We Have Now?
The study proposes that, to become an elder, a candidate for ordination must still spend an unspecified time as a deacon. However, the deacon's role with its emphasis on service is conceived as central to ministry rather than a stepping stone to the position of elder.
In other words, according to study committee chairman Bishop David J. Lawson, Springfield, Ill., the new deacon will be "different from but not subservient to" the elder.
As yet, the proposed new deacon's relationship to the church's annual conference has not been determined.
What will happen to the church's 1,600 diaconal ministers if the new form of deacon is adopted by the 1996 General Conference?
The bishops' current study paper, which will undoubtedly be revised several times before the General Conference meets, recommends that the practice of consecrating people as diaconal ministers be discontinued once current candidates for that office (about 500) have completed their preparation and have been consecrated.
In the future, if the bishops' final proposal is adopted as church law, many present diaconal ministers may choose to move toward ordination as deacons, explained Jimmy L. Carr, head of the church's Division of Diaconal Ministry in Nashville, Tenn.
In future sessions, the Council of Bishops is expected to examine more closely the role of elders, superintendents, bishops and lay pastors.