GROWING HEALTHY MISSIONAL PASTORS, CHURCHES & DENOMINATIONS
For many years I have shared both the pain and the joys of those who work with churches. Like many of you, I have asked many times whether there are better ways forward to thrive together and have missional impact on our world. And sustainable ways - it's not about trying harder - but doing different things in different ways. Interrupting and reflecting on practice. That is what I do as a pastoral supervisor/mentor. What I do as a church and non-profit consultant. And what I endeavour to do as a blogger and writer. I hope what is posted here is water, God willing, for those planted in churches that we may thrive together.
Please let me know what you think in the comments. Or you can contact me through my website: www.ianduncum.com.au
WHAT IS PASTORAL SUPERVISION?
“Supervision” isn’t a great word for describing what it is. It isn’t organisational surveillance or line management. Carroll sketches a definition of professional supervision:
The focus of supervision is [in this context, pastoral] practice.
The end result of supervision is learning (the deepest form of which is transformational learning).
The method used in supervision is reflection.
Supervisors facilitate that process by creating an environment and relationship that mediates learning. [2]
While there are some similarities between other intentional helping relationships such as mentoring and coaching, APSE places pastoral supervision as a distinct discipline that is also “not spiritual accompaniment [or] counselling.” [3]
Why is professional supervision being encouraged by denominations?
There are a number of reasons why professional supervision is being encouraged or even required by denominations.
First, supervision is commonplace in other helping professions; social workers, counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, and others engage in supervision as a normal part of their action-reflection professional development. However, pastoral supervision has emerged as its own specialty, working for the well-being of all dimensions of the system (individual, team and organizational well-being) and grounded in the Christian triad of faith, hope, and love. [4]
Second, rates of burnout for pastors/ministers, along with other helping professions mentioned above, are very high. The earlier burnout is detected, the shorter the recovery time, so professional pastoral supervision can have a protective or restorative effect.
Third, professional pastoral supervision helps to maintain best practice and ensure professional standards and duty of care issues are being addressed. It provides a place to work through ethical dilemmas.
What does a professional supervision session look like? How often might they happen?
A professional supervision session often commences by the supervisee bringing an incident to reflect on. It may be a conversation with an attender, a meeting with a leadership team, or some issue in the church. This is then explored through targeted yet supportive questions to gain new insights about self, others, the practice of ministry, and the organisational systems in which ministry is carried out. The supervisee then identifies new insights or action points that come out of the session.
I tend to see those who have monthly supervision sessions benefit more than those who have supervision less regularly.
Who can be a supervisor? Are there training courses?
Anyone who has completed an accredited pastoral supervision course and who fulfils the requirements of a professional body such as AAOS may practice as a professional supervisor. This will also entail having supervision on their supervision.
How does professional supervision make someone a better minister?
Many denominations and churches are seeing the value of professional pastoral supervision in improved pastoral well-being, better workplace culture and relationships, and enhanced pastoral care of attenders, and therefore, choose to fund that for pastors/ministers.
How do I find a pastoral supervisor?
There are lists of approved supervisors held by most denominations and chaplaincy bodies.
Rev Dr Ian Duncum is a trained and accredited church consultant with over 20 years experience working with non-profit enterprises and churches across a number of denominations. This has also included denominational leadership in church health and development, consultancy, and church research in the tertiary education sector. Ian also trains church consultants, facilitates training for ministers and leaders, and mentors/supervises pastors and other leaders. He can be contacted at www.ianduncum.com.au or duncum@internode.on.net
References
[2] Carroll, Effective Supervision for the Helping Professions, 18
[3] The Association for Pastoral Supervision and Education, https://www. pastoralsupervision.org.uk/about-pastoral-supervision, accessed November 8, 2023.
[4] Broughton, What is “pastoral” about supervision? A Christological proposal, St Mark’s Review, No. 254, December 2020 (4) [LINK] https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/103163799/95039438_published_article.pdf
This article by Ian Duncum, in a fuller form, was first published in The Other Cheek, as Who Pastors the Pastors? Why Professional Supervision is Gining Ground in Many Churches.
© 2024 Ian Duncum. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.
Rev Dr Ian Duncum is a trained and accredited (with John Mark Ministries) church consultant with over 20 years experience of working with non-profit enterprises and churches across a number of denominations. This has also included denominational leadership in church health and development and church research in the tertiary education sector. An accredited minister with a track record of growing churches, Ian also trains church consultants, facilitates training for ministers and leaders, and mentors/supervises pastors and other leaders. He can be contacted at ian@ianduncum.com.au
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