Thursday, April 24, 2008
OK - That's A New One On Me
The Classical Presbyterian is looking at ministry types we can just as soon dispense with he came up with a new one for me:
One, the burn-out factor is widely discussed and effective means of overcoming it have been developed without abandoning the DORG model - it is called "increasing the size of staff." What amounts to increasing the price charged for the religious good dispensed. Sadly, most people are more than willing to pay this increased price and so this model has spread like wildfire. Even moderately sized congregations have staffs measured in the dozens.
I have actually had it argued, particularly in church's that hire from within a lot, that such expansion of staff is enabling the ministry of the whole body. To this I say HOGWASH - it is simply creating the expectation of compensation for ministry. What utter nonsense.
Which brings me to my second point. Suppose that the congregation desires that something happen, but no one steps up to the plate to make it happen? What then? May I suggest that under such circumstances it simply should not happen. If we allow the congregation to "buy" what it wants, are we really creating disciples? And if we are not, can we be said to be succeeding as the church? - Even if our numbers are impressive.
I have always operated on the principal that any ministry worth advocating for is worth volunteering for - if I am not willing to invest my time in it, I probably do not want it that bad. Which actually raises another point - can we be said to be tithing , if we give only money and not time and talent?
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Are you a DORG? Does your congregation have a DORG for a pastor?Of course, the phenomena is not new, but the acronym is and I like it! But let's get to that emphasized concept - DORGs kill the ministry of the whole poeple of God. That is a point I have belabored in a variety of forms on this blog again and again. Just a couple of comments.
You ask what I'm talking about? I'm surprised that you don't know. A DORG is a pastor who is in the mode of Dispenser Of Religious Goods. This kind of pastor is employed by the church to be the 'religious guy' or 'religious gal' who is on call at all hours to give out religious things.
DORGs fill mainline church positions all over this country. DORGs are basically the Maytag Repairmen of the Christian world. They fill the much-needed need in congregations for baptisms, communion, preaching, prayer and visitation.
For busy people, living in a secular, modern America, DORGs give infinite relief to a strained conscience in those who are just too plain busy to be 'religious' in the work week of Monday through Saturday.
[...]
It's harsh to say that and it's harsh to hear, but does that make it less true? DORGs kill the ministry of the whole people of God and DORGs burn out in the pastorate at alarming rates. Being expected to be a DORG will ruin one's joy in the Lord and passion for real ministry faster than a snow cone melts in a south Texas July. [emphasis added]
One, the burn-out factor is widely discussed and effective means of overcoming it have been developed without abandoning the DORG model - it is called "increasing the size of staff." What amounts to increasing the price charged for the religious good dispensed. Sadly, most people are more than willing to pay this increased price and so this model has spread like wildfire. Even moderately sized congregations have staffs measured in the dozens.
I have actually had it argued, particularly in church's that hire from within a lot, that such expansion of staff is enabling the ministry of the whole body. To this I say HOGWASH - it is simply creating the expectation of compensation for ministry. What utter nonsense.
Which brings me to my second point. Suppose that the congregation desires that something happen, but no one steps up to the plate to make it happen? What then? May I suggest that under such circumstances it simply should not happen. If we allow the congregation to "buy" what it wants, are we really creating disciples? And if we are not, can we be said to be succeeding as the church? - Even if our numbers are impressive.
I have always operated on the principal that any ministry worth advocating for is worth volunteering for - if I am not willing to invest my time in it, I probably do not want it that bad. Which actually raises another point - can we be said to be tithing , if we give only money and not time and talent?
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