Yerv English Bible Tcs tamen t ,OINER and w --7 x: .y;ss Assignment to Xanadu, USA: Bane or Blessing? HA~~HY COINER .iNn ALLEN NAUSS St. T,ouis, RJo. Sl>ringfield, 11 I. W HEN CALLS ARE assigned each year to the graduates of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri and Col~ccrdia Sem- inary, Springfield, Illinois apl>roximately 30% of the congregations to rvhich graduates are called are located in snlallcr to~vns or in rural communities.' Thc majority of these congregations arc what may bc classified as "s~nall". The majoritv of them are loc;~teci in the hilidwestern States. A c;dl for a candidate is submitted through the Hoard of Assign- ments 1)y these co~lgregations for a nuniber of- reasons. )3y calling a cr~ndidate there is hope that one will bc assigned ancl a long vacancy will be avoided or ended. It could be that the congregation has llad (~oocl oxperiencc with candidates in thc past and tl~ereforc clesires D another. It may be that thc congregation has called from the fieid without succcss ant1 is persuaded to appeal to the selllinarics for a pastor. Perhaps a particular candidate is known to the congregation, and believed to be clesirable, and therefore a reqrlcst is made for him in the proper manner. Each year at the time of the assignment of seminary graduates, Xanadu, LISA, has its day. Is this good or bad? Is the fact that each year a large number of smaller congregations, mostly in the illidwest: receive graduiitcs a bane or a blessing? Are graduates being fed each year to congregations unsuited for their ministry? Are graduates thenlsclves uns~litable for these congregations? Is this particuiar assignment only a "stepping stone" to another congregation? Do the graduates assigned to Xanadu, USA, consicler theinselves sat'iclled with an unfortunate ancl unhappy experience? What do graduates say after five years in Xanadu? \\?hat do district officials sav about the performance of Xanadu assignees? Toward identifying the values and disvalues of this type of first assionment, the two seminaries cooperated in a study conducted in ma the f-ail of 1 96 8. The results of this study are being reported in three parts, of which this is Part 111. The Sanzple and Method Employed in the Study 384 graduates of the St. Louis and Springfield seminaries were assigned their first charge in 196 3 and 1964. Of this number, 122 (approximately 35% > were assigned to town and country com- munities with a population belon? 2500. Thc potential sample in- volved sixty assignees from the St. Louis seixinary and sixty-two from the Springfield seminary. Questionnaires nlcrc sc~t to the selected graduates ivith the request that they reply to a number of open-ended questions. Cor- rcspondirtg c~ue\tiollnaires nerc sent to the president of thc district in which the grnduate was first assigned." isa able return was re- ccivetl in 100 (82 % ) of the cases. The rcspondeilts generally evidenced a hclpful coilcern about the survey and it is believed that they expressed themselves tvith sincerity ancl a high dcgrec of com- pleteness. ?'he Natrtre of the Response I. Benefit fc;r the graduate. In response to the question: IN \VHAT SPECIFIC \i:AYS HAS YOUR FIRST ASSIGNhllENT BEF,X BENEFICIAT2 TO YOU AS A GRilDUATIX? the positive replies from the graduates themselves el1 into at Icast five categories in the following order of frequency: 1. An opportunity to !car11 to know ancl understand l>eoplc and establish ~vith them personal, meaningful, and helpfill relationships. 2. A good place to gain espericnce and develop maturity in practically every type of parish ininistry. 3. Thc nature of the task helped the young pastor to develop patience and offered time for persona1 study and evaluation. 4. An opportunity for seeing the power of the Gospel in human hearts and for finding the purpose and directiorl of the pastoral ministry. 5. A good setting for learning that the pastor does not have all the answers, ancl yet, because the peoplc accept the pastor for what he is, he is supported by the strength, understancl- ing, love, and appreciation of the peoplc. A composite verbatim of the ninety answers received reveals these positive experiences and attitudes." "hly years here were a seasoning period in which I had oppor- tunity to find myself, to learn who I am, what my abilities, strengths, and weaknesses are. I learned to know people and how to work with them as their pastor. Because of the lack of pressure in a smaller congregation, I had time for people, for study and reflection, for finding myself, for planning for im- provement, and for evaluation. I learned something about being patient from the people who were patient with me and loving and forgiving toward me. Because I was close to them, or because of the informality of the people, or because in a smaller congregation the damage would not be so great, I was able to experiment, make mistakes, and try again. I thought I would not have many experiences or challenges, but I have had the opportunity to grow in numerous and widely varied areas. Be- cause the town was small enough for me to become acquainted and irlvolved with thc problems ant1 affairs of the area, 1 have deveioped an understanding of commitnity :~f.fairs whic11 en- hances my overall rni~?istry a great deal." Kcgatii~c comzncnts in response to this cluestion uere offered by only nine rcspondcnts. ?'hey said: 1'F I'oo isolated f'rom other pastors; because people I-esist change a11d ;ire hesitant to accept new ideas this leads to frustration; too sfon. a pace for a young man; may prove to f>c a place of tliscouragcn~ent and darkening outlook at the ministry; and con- ditions tend to contribute to clevelopment of poor habits and lack of self discipline ~JI use of time." :District presidents \\;ere asked to respond to the cluestion: IN lb11iAT SPECIFIC IVAYS HAS 'THIS FIRS'T' ASSIGNKIENT BEEN BENEFICIAL TO THE GRADUATE?' 'Their responses fell into severaI categories in order of frequency, namely: 1. An opportunity to beco~ne closely acquainted with people, to know the111 and work with then1 as individuals, and to develop more fully the concept of being a pastor to people. 2. A good place to gain experience, to react and study, and to develop maturity in a situation where the stakes may not be too costly. 3. The experience hell7ed the graduate to translate the theory I~c had learned into practice; to cte.c;elop a sense of sureness i3nd leadership. 4, An opportunitv to be creative arid recognize challenge in a place which woulcl seem to lack any. 5. A place to learn patience and to realize that spiritual fruits come only as the result of thc Holy Spirit's work. A composite verbatim of the responses of the district presidents M~OLLI~ he in this ortler : ".Pastor John Able's ministry in Xanadu, USA, is marked by his persona1 growth and maturity in a place where he has tiine for study, for getting to know people as individuals, and for putting the theory of his sen~inary training into practice. The nature of the work has given him a degree of patience while giving him a chance to settle clown, try out ideas, fail and be forgiven, to try again. He has learned how to be sensitive to the needs of people, to adjust to them as individuals, and to accept them where they are and shape his nlinistry accordingly." 11. Value of Ministry for the People. The second question sub- mitted to graduates bad bearing on the value of pastoral ministry to people in Xanadu, USA. PLEASE: STATE THE SPECIFIC VAL- UES, AS YOU SEE THERI, OF YOUR MINISTRY AS A GKAD- UATE FOR THE PEOPIX IN ?rHE PLACE OF YOUR FIRST ASSIGNhfENT. A variety of positive responses was elicited from the graduates. Althonyh ji'c1tt17g pil~t01:S may tend to iciealize und~tlv their own value in service of pri,plc (and it .is hardly possible that a pastor would pur- posely minimjzc hjs service), ~tcvertheless s general feeling was espressccl that ttlc c:nt.husias~n and vigor of youth was appreciated by the people scrved. 'Phe infusion and tlevclopment of new ideas perked up 1,1-c\;io~rsly static, non-gro\i:ing congregatiol~s. The ll~anner in ivhicl.1 cot~greptions acccptctl a neophyte pastor and responded ~cadily to nc\v and frcsli idcas after propcr orientation was a pleasing surprise to man); graduates. 'I'he rcspondcnts also statd that n young pasto?: offcrs :i certain degree of chalIengc and inspi~:ation when hc encourages pcoplc to re-evaluatc tr-aditional and long-held ideas. Grad~1;ltt.s also stated that thcv learned that thc forcing of ideas, as oppowd to the dcvclopmcnt d grir;ldnal change, has little cha~~ce of succcctling. Smallct- congrc..gations permitted more pcrson:d contact, gave opportui~itv for nmrc .intei~si\le pastoral contact and teaching, and enlarged the experience of Christian fellowship. Positivc responses in written form were received fro111 district pl-esttients in seventy-six instnnces."n general, an effective pastoral ~ninistry cvas thy most appreciated value. Ilistrict presidents noted that the graduates related to people in various positive and effective ways and that {-hey nlinistcred to people responsively. Only nine graduates werc rated i:~ the "so-so" or "hardly .ivholesome at all" cate- gories (see Table 2). In specific tcrms, district presidents noted that );oting men serv- ing in older, tra(litiona1 corlgregations seeilled rnore capable of pre- paring people to live in the twentieth century world; that graduates us~~nlly rclatcd to young people lllorc effectively; that congregations which had feelings of insignificance and lack of mission were given a new spirit and n purpose by a dedicated pastor who demonstrated positive leadership. Youthf~11 exuberance: and enthusiasm were appre- ciated, ei7iclently because these had been lacking on the part of former pas tors. Admittedly, it may be difficult for a graduate to say much that is negative about his ministry being berleficial to people. Therefore, this question received only several negative responses. Graduates said that they initiated progranls without any real understi~nding of the rather unique problenls and outlook of rural people; that they did not stay long enough in the place for any values to be gained by anyone; that the people were accustomed to a much slower pace than a young man could accept; that a steady "diet" of greenhorns may not be best for any congregation. Graduates who had nloved after a brief stay responded nega- tively in all cases. The majority of responses from those who rated the value in the "so-so" category were from men who had received and ncccpted a call elsewhere. It: was expressed repeatedly that the pastor who does not know :in(] understand small to1v13 and rural people, or ~vho will not learn to ltnow and understand ~IICII~, is out: of place. In the same con~lection, some ;nen who had rural back- grounds stated that this was of great value to tllenl in ministering to a rural congregation. 111. X'arzud?.~: A I'rol~er or lnzyroyer Assig?znzent? The third question was: \Z'OULD YOU STATE REASONS, ON THE BASIS OF YOUR EXPERIENCE, ':,\I'CIHY A SMALLER ESTABLISHED RLlRllL PARISH IS A PROPEII 011 IMPROPER PLACE FOR A GRADUATE? The responses which favored this type of assignment as being propcr fell into scveral categories: 1. 'Thc stability of the situation is favorable. Concerns for survival. do not pressure the pastor 2nd there is usually a basic strc.ngth of doctrine, good church attendance, and a group of cooperative workers. "The pastor can usually plan a project and carry it out and see how it works without hav- ing thc problem of changes in personnel and procedures," as one man stated it. The people are willing and able to accept rljistakes and recognize strengths, and do this within the framework of a fairly close relationship, with the result that the young pastor is helped to get his bearings within a personal and ~neaningful relationship. Rarely does the need arise for cluick, unplanned actions, nor does the situation demand many off-the-cuff decisions. The situation offers a broad spectrum of experiences, con- trary to comnlon expectations. Graduates expressed surprise and pleasure that they worked with all age groups and expe- ricllccd all aspects of the pastoral ministry, however, not in large and overwhelming amounts. The fact that a smaller conc~regation pcrmits a young man to concentrate on mutual h spir~tual growth rather than on "running the machinery" ivas appreciated. The pace and amount of the work af- forded a meditative and reflective type of eilaluation of over- all ability and eff'ectiveness. 3. Thc possibiIity of closer contact with people in Xanadu, USA, is a natural built-in positive factor. "The pastor has the opportunity to maintain closer contact with people and to touch then1 in their personal moments of need and to be touched by them in return" was the opinion expressed gen- erally. Because the pastor has opportunity to know ~eople better he is able to develop insight into their strengths and weaknesses. That successes and failures could be discussed and worked out on a personal basis was noted by some. The nature of pastoral contact was expressed by one graduate in this way: "You are not so overwhelmed with numbers Rssig~ztnc~~t 7'0 Xnnudu -- 6 1 of peol~lc that you fail to have a face-to-face ministry with all your lxople. I do more co~inseling riding around on tractors and combines, or drinking cofiee in homes than I (lo in 111y st~ld!;. But the impetus must come from me. Any l~astor ~'110 wants to shepherd n flock wilI get his oppor- tunity in n rural area." 4. The plus factor of ti~nc was noted as being helpful. That there is tilnc. for the pastor to tend to the needs of the con- gregation'and still participate in the affairs of the circuit and district and not spread himself too thin was a plus factor for some. Others said that there is time for the young pastor to grow in the basics of the ministry, especially in 17astornl. lovr for people and concern for their problems. Due to thc tcmpo of congregational life, therc is usually time to figure out mistakes, adjust matters, and correct them. The pastor has time to discover himself and test hi~llself in different areas of ministry. His developn~eilt of it degree of skill in parish administration, evangelism, and pastoral care :my be undertaken without undue Ilastc and pressure. In sunlrnary, young pastors indicated a strong apyreciation for the style of life in small town and rural coinrnunities and affirined that a uniclue challenge for the revitalization of congregational life and mission was present more often than not. Onc graduate said, "A city- bred boy can also do well here if the image of the nlinistry given him at the sen~inary is one of people first no matter where he is." Finally, what factors make Xanadu, USA, an improper place for a graduate? About one-third of the respondents expressed some reservations, noting that there are soine hazards to bc faced in Xanadu, USA. One obvious problem is that graduates placed in Xanadu, USA, in soille instances, simply continue the rapid turnover in the place. It was said that some congregations continue to be "training grounds" for graduates; seine congregations appreciate this role, others express the desire for a seasoned veteran now and then. In most rural areas there is not much evangelisin potential and prospects for growth and developn~ent are limited. The attitude that the pastor is a caretaker (or undertaker) nlay develop quite easily. Pastors ]nay become frustrated, grow stale, or develop habits of lazi- ness. It was suggested that an older pastor seeking less of a work load would seemingly fit better. The unwillingness of people to accept change and the relative- ly low level of education were mentioned as possible hazards. Also, when the foundation has been laid and things are running snloothly and progressively, the young pastor may ask, "What do I do now?" "The membership can be so stable and self-satisfied that any fresh ideas from outside the fortress are simply ignored. It sure would do a lot for thc ~noralc to ha\lc somcone say, 'You mighi ha\;? solne- thing therc, Pastor', for a change, :instcad of all thc stories of how Pastor Origi~~al did it back in 1924," onc gri;rluatt) said. An 'aging' place with strongly entrexlched tratlitions is an iln- proper place for a gri!tluatc with youthful zest ancl no traditions ant1 no exlxriencc to copc .cr:.ith deep-rooted ideas and loyalties. Both passtor rind congregation can ;~rr.ive at cross-purposes and i.icitltcr of the.nl know ccsactly why. The wives of pastors in X;inadr[, USA, sl~ould bc considcrcd, saicl tivo responcltlnts, sincc ivoruen in the comrnux~ity rilay be n~ostly olclcr and nlritual. iiltercsts are iaininl;tl or sincc there nlay bc little en tertni171nc11t 01: cliIture oritside thc comnlunity of the c:ongregation. Noted too, was thc fact that the pastor ma): scrvc a clnal parish and be ma); from hoix~: a grcnt ileal. Thc cornrnent.~ nbo~tt \v-it:cs, how- CI~CI-, \1!crc !~lil~inl;il. 111 summary, the graduutc ;rssigprcl to Xanadii, USA, dlould be carefully selected. Tl~c consensus of opinion inclicated that Sanadu is an i~nproper place for the (~sac'i~~ate ~vho is not at hoi~lc thcre ? and who may resent being ass~gned therc; 2nd if his ivife is un- happy thc lx-ol)lcm is usualty compounded. \Vhcn thc thinking, the feelings, thc \:al~~es, and the motivations of small town and rural pea- ple arc stxangc and unappreciatecl, evc.n misundcrstoo