Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Leading Ideas from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., United States for Wednesday, 12 September 2018: 6 Trends Revealed in 2018 Clergy Age Report, Young Clergy Effectiveness: Good News-Bad News, and 5 Reasons the Church Still Needs Young Clergy

Leading Ideas from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., United States for Wednesday, 12 September 2018: 6 Trends Revealed in 2018 Clergy Age Report, Young Clergy Effectiveness: Good News-Bad News, and 5 Reasons the Church Still Needs Young Clergy
Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Lovett H. Weems, Jr., highlights some of the significant findings in the Lewis Center's annual Clergy Age Trends Report. Of note is the modest downturn in recent years in the number of clergy under 35 as well as the number and percentage of young women clergy, following a decade of improvement.

For over ten years, the Lewis Center in partnership with Wespath Benefits has reported annually on the changing age trends among United Methodist clergy in the United States. This research examines active elders, deacons, and local pastors. It reveals several trends in 2018.
1. The number of young elders is holding steady at a somewhat lower level.
After three consecutive years of growth, the number of elders under 35 declined in 2017 and 2018. Growth in the number of young elders had been slow but relatively steady since 2005 when the church had only 850 young elders (4.69 percent of active elders). In 2018, 949 young elders constituted 6.94 percent of active elders. Despite the decline by 54 young elders in the past two years, their relative percentage grew slightly because of the continuing decline in the total number of active elders.
Summary video of 2018 Clergy Age findings. Download this video free.
2. The decline in young women elders continues for the third year.
Virtually all the increase in young elders since 2005 had come from clergywomen. Women as a percentage of young elders went from 31 percent in 2005 to a high of 41 percent in 2015. This year marks the third consecutive year in which both the numbers of under-35 female elders and their percentage of all young elders have declined.
3. Middle-aged and older elders mirror recent trends.
The makeup of middle-aged elders (ages 35 to 54) and older elders (ages 55 to 72) remained proportionately about the same as last year even as their numbers declined. This middle-aged group comprises 37 percent of all active elders, a record low, and down from 65 percent in 2000. The older cohort, between ages 55 and 72, comprise 56 percent of elders in 2017, a record high, and up from 30 percent as recently as 2000.
4. There are fewer active elders and more local pastors.Since at least the 1980s the number of active elders has declined significantly as the number of local pastors increased dramatically. This pattern continues in 2018. There are 483 fewer active elders and 26 more local pastors in 2018 than in 2017. Since 1990 the number of active elders has declined by 7,838 while the number of local pastor has increased by 3,602 during the same period. As a result, the 1990 ratio of more than five elders for each local pastor has become today a ratio of fewer than two elders for each local pastor. In 2018, there are 13,669 elders and 7,538 local pastors.
5. The age of retirement has declined slightly.Since 2000 there has been a fairly consistent increase in the age at which clergy retire. The average retirement age increased from just under 64 in 2000 to 66.6 in 2016. But in 2017, the last full year of data, the retirement age across all clergy categories declined to 66.2. Retirement ages for different types of clergy are similar but not the same. In 2017 the average retirement age was 66 for elders, 67 for deacons, 67 for full-time local pastors, and 69 for part-time local pastors.
6. Clergy age distribution is unrepresentative of the U.S. population.The pattern of clergy age distribution is different than the pattern of age distribution in the U.S. While 24 percent of the U.S. population are 25 through 34 years old, only seven percent of elders, 12 percent of deacons, and eight percent of local pastors are in that age group. Persons of ages 35 through 54 make up 42 percent of the U.S. population; persons in that age group make up 37 percent of elders, 40 percent of deacons, and 34 percent of local pastors. Only 34 percent of the U.S. population are 55 through 72 years old; members of that age group make up 56 percent of elders, 48 percent of deacons, and 58 percent of local pastors.
Much more information is available in the complete Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church 2018 report, which is available for download free of charge. The full report includes detailed data for every annual conference.
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About Author


Lovett H. Weems, Jr., is senior consultant at the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, professor of church leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary, and author of several books on leadership.
Read more, watch a summary video, and download the report now.

Data from the Lewis Pastoral Leadership Inventory™ (LPLI) suggest that younger clergy share many of the same strengths as their older colleagues and that they get high marks for their creativity and new ideas. The challenges seem to be sustaining that creative edge over time and translating new ideas into fruitful outcomes when it comes to worship attendance and discipleship growth.
Much of the attention regarding young clergy has focused on the low number and percentage of younger persons within the overall clergy pool. While these statistics are undeniably important, it’s also important to ask, “How effective are young clergy in leadership?” We need to be paying attention to the quantity and the quality of young clergy leaders.
For over a decade, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership has made available a tool to help clergy assess their effectiveness in ministry known as the Lewis Pastoral Leadership Inventory™ (LPLI). It is a 360° instrument that combines a pastor’s self-assessment with the feedback of others who are familiar with their work — often people in their congregations. Thousands of clergy of different ages and denominations have used the LPLI. And the overall pattern of results allows us to draw some conclusions about how younger clergy fare in comparison to their older colleagues.
Younger and older clergy share many areas of strength
One positive finding is that under-35 clergy share many of the same strengths as older clergy. And one place where we see a difference between younger and older clergy is in creativity: under-35 clergy offer more creative possibilities to their congregations.
One positive finding from the LPLI data is that under-35 clergy share many of the same strengths as older clergy. For example, clergy of all ages rank high in exhibiting faith in Christ, caring about parishioners, and treating others with dignity. It’s good news that clergy of all ages rank high in these categories.
Young clergy get high marks for creativity
One place where we see a difference between younger and older clergy is in creativity. Analysis of the responses given by pastors and by the people who provide feedback for them indicates that under-35 clergy offer more creative possibilities to their congregations than older clergy. They bring new ideas and offer innovations on traditional practices. It is clear from the LPLI that church members recognize this gift in younger clergy. And the good news is, as young clergy continue to enter ministry, creativity and innovation will continue.
Creativity diminishes with age
The bad news is, as clergy get older they are perceived as being less creative in ministry. Why is it that the perception changes as clergy age? It may be that as clergy get older they perceive themselves taking less risk. It may be that as clergy get older they become more of a product of institutional thinking or more reflective of the culture of their congregations. Whatever the case, we need to do a better job of encouraging innovation as clergy mature in ministry.
Creative to what end?
Unfortunately, the LPLI data on clergy effectiveness indicate that clergy of all ages struggle in growing worship attendance and reaching new disciples. Even for young clergy, creative offerings are not necessarily translating into more people joining worship or entering into an intentional discipleship process.
One could posit many possible explanations for this. The church members who provided LPLI feedback may not have been aware of creative offerings aimed primarily at people outside the congregations. Or young clergy may be succeeding in engaging people in community ministry who don’t come to worship. But even if these things are true, it is not translating into individuals entering into a discipleship process. We have to help young clergy make sure that their creative offerings somehow integrate the goal of discipleship.
Maintaining the creative edge
My guess is that younger clergy are full of ideas because they are fresh from seminary and they do a lot of reading in peer groups or denominational leadership programs. As clergy get older, the tendency is to read less, focus on the work at hand, and grow comfortable in the routines formed out of experience. Continuing education might be a constructive course of action to help clergy avoid falling into the rut of doing the same things and retain their innovative tendencies. More work is needed to determine if a positive correlation exists between continuing education and maintaining a creative edge.
At the end of the day, no matter where or how we encourage it, creativity should retain the goal of discipleship.
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About Author

F. Douglas Powe, Jr., is director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership and holds the James C. Logan Chair in Evangelism (an E. Stanley Jones Professorship) at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC.
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For many years, the Lewis Center has monitored the presence of younger clergy in the church. Why do these trends still matter? Lovett H. Weems, Jr., and Ann A. Michel remind us that despite modest progress in the past decade, encouraging the ordination of more young candidates for ministry is just as important as it was when they first articulated the case a decade ago in the book The Crisis of Younger Clergy.
While middle-aged and older pastors bring vital gifts to the practice of ministry, having a proportionate number of young persons enter ordained ministry is vital to the vibrancy of the church and key to the church’s ability to attract younger congregants and to form new congregations.
Reduced numbers of young clergy deprive the profession at both ends of the age spectrum. The new ideas, creativity, energy, and cultural awareness often exhibited by the young are lost. And with more persons entering ministry with fewer years to serve, the wisdom and experience that can come with long tenures in ministry are also in jeopardy.
1. Fresh perspectives
Younger clergy often see the world and the church through new eyes, bringing enthusiasm, idealism, and fresh perspectives to the practice of ministry. They tend to be open to innovation and nimble in working with new ideas. Not every young person brings all these gifts, of course, but these generalization are grounded in the experience of leaders and congregations in many sectors of the church.
2. The ability to reach out to younger generationsYoung clergy also have certain advantages in reaching out to their own generation. They are more likely to speak the language of an emerging generation whose worldview and modes of communication differ from those of their parents’ generation. They show high sensitivity to diversity and other cultural realities of today’s world. Just as important, the mere presence of young clergy in a church symbolizes that younger persons are valued as leaders and participants, making a congregation more attractive and hospitable to younger worshippers.
3. Energy and enthusiasm for demanding challenges
Because of the mental and physical stamina associated with youth, many younger clergy bring tremendous energy to the demands of ministry. Additionally, their schedules and routines may be more flexible, making them more open to innovative challenges, such as church planting. Research conducted by the Episcopal Church has found that pastors between the ages of 24 and 35 were the most successful in founding churches that reach 250 or more in worship attendance within seven years. An informal poll of congregational development officials in the United Methodist Church also showed a preference for church planters aged 25 to 35.
4. Time to develop expertiseJust as youthfulness has advantages in ministry, so does experience. Leadership excellence has a long gestation period. In most fields, attaining the status of expert requires at least 10 years of extensive experience and training. Without enough younger persons entering the profession, there will be fewer clergy in the pipeline who achieve the longevity of service required for the most challenging pastoral assignments and denominational leadership roles. While middle-aged and older persons who enter ministry bring many important gifts, many will not achieve the longevity of service needed for some of the most demanding ministry roles such as serving as lead pastor of a very large congregation.
5. Strengthening institutional structuresA dearth of younger people in the church’s clergy pool poses practical and institutional challenges as well. There is widespread concern among pension and health care administrators in many denominations about the costs associated with having so many middle-aged and older persons in the system. They see less money flowing into pension trusts just when more is being paid out.
Reduced numbers of young clergy deprive the profession at both ends of the age spectrum. The new ideas, creativity, energy, and cultural awareness often exhibited by the young are lost. And with more persons entering ministry with fewer years to serve, the wisdom and experience that can come with long tenures in ministry are also in jeopardy. Young clergy do, indeed, matter.
Related Resources:
About Author

Lovett H. Weems, Jr., is senior consultant at the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, professor of church leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary, and author of several books on leadership.

Ann A. Michel is associate director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary and teaches in the areas of stewardship and leadership. She is also the author of Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers(Abingdon, 2017), available at Cokesbury and Amazon.
Read more now.
The Right Question
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
The questions we ask can tell us much about our unspoken assumptions and priorities. How would you answer these questions for your church?
  1. What questions do we ask all the time?
  2. What questions do we seldom ask?
  3. What questions do we never ask?
Want more Right Questions? Read Right Questions for Church Leaders.
After visiting several churches, Lyda K. Hawes offers candid observations for congregations seeking new members, including "No public humiliation. No stalking. Remember us. And tell us what you really believe." Read To the Point: A Letter to Churches Seeking New Members today.
My husband and I moved to the city a few years ago and have been “between churches.” We’ve been to visit quite a few of your churches and have some observations you may find helpful in encouraging more new members:
No public humiliation. Please don’t make us stand in a room full of total strangers and introduce ourselves. We want to be anonymous since we’re not sure we want to see you again; and, frankly, we’re still seeing other churches. It’s not you; it’s us. We just don’t know you very well yet.
Acknowledge we exist. Being anonymous is not the same as being invisible. We’re probably going to be a little confused about what to do and where to go, so having someone greet us and ask if we have questions is most appreciated. Plus, if you act like we’re not there, we start to think we might as well not be there.
Put it in writing. Spell out everything we need to know in the bulletin: when to sit or stand, where to find the words. Even if you have one of those groovy new digital displays, include in the bulletin what will and won’t be on the screen.
No stalking. Please don’t chase us down the street to tell us you were glad to see us. When you act like it’s a miracle of God that you have visitors, it freaks us out. We may or may not fill out an information card, but that doesn’t mean we don’t like you. It may just mean we found everything we needed on your website.
Remember us. You get a gold star if we come back and you remember our names, but just a friendly “nice to see you again” makes us feel like you noticed we were there.
Have a website. If you don’t have a website, we won’t be coming to your church. That alone tells us you aren’t ready for new people. There is simply no excuse not to have one.
When, where, what. There are basically three things we want to know when we come to your website: when your worship services are held, where you are located, and what you believe. And we really like to see all three on the home page, but at least make them SUPER easy to find and no more than one click away. If you are having special services like Christmas Eve (when visitors like us are likely to attend), please put those special worship times on the home page. We have encountered any number of church websites that seem to be more interested in looking pretty than actually being useful. You don’t have to be fancy to get what we need to decide whether to come visit.
Tell us what you really believe. Be proud of what you believe and spell it out on your website. Progressive? Great! Theologically conservative? Super! But what do those things mean in the life of your community? It’s really helpful before we show up waving our rainbow flags to know that you’ll be petitioning for an Intelligent Design curriculum in the local schools. If that is your belief, wonderful, but we both know we’re not going to be a good fit there, so let’s save each other the frustration. We’ll find out soon enough, so let’s get that awkward part out of the way online. There is someone out there who would love to find a community like yours if only they knew it existed.
Finding a new church home is not always easy, especially if the one you came from was such an important part of your lives. We were very, very close to our previous faith community; and it’s hard to think of anywhere else coming close. Or maybe we’ve never been to church, and we want to explore that spiritual side for the first time; but it’s all so new and confusing. Or perhaps we’re broken and need a place where we can be broken, and it’s still okay.
Any number of the things that might bring us to your doorstep can make it hard to do much more than show up, sit quietly in the back, and sneak out afterward. But that’s the beautiful thing about church communities — they bring new people into your life, they can open your heart and mind to new experiences, they can mend those deepest of wounds, and affirm your relationship with God. With all that on the line, don’t let the little things mentioned above get in the way of connecting people to the Good News.
This article is by Lyda K. Hawes and appeared in Leading Ideas April 25, 2012. Her blog is “See Lyda Run” at seelydarun.com. Used by permission.
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Clergy mentors indicate overwhelmingly that they need more training for their task. Mentees value mentoring but also indicate that their mentors need more resourcing for this important responsibility. Taking Clergy Mentoring to the Next Level is designed for clergy mentors who wish to prepare for a ministry of mentoring. Available in Group Training and Individual Study versions.
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Quotable Leadership
One sign of the need for reform: if we experience contradiction between the promise of life which the church professes and the life it actually embodies. (Margaret A. Farley)
Wesley Theological Seminary and the Lewis Center together offer two Doctor of Ministry programs. The Public Engagement track equips participants to lead congregations in healing the brokenness experienced in communities while being beacons of hope. The Church Leadership Excellence track provides clergy the enhanced knowledge, skills, and motivation to increase congregational and denominational service, vitality, and growth.
Learn more and apply today.
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