MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_01C72FF4.0683DFE0" This document is a Web archive file. If you are seeing this message, this means your browser or editor doesn't support Web archive files. For more information on the Web archive format, go to http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/office/webarchive.htm ------=_NextPart_01C72FF4.0683DFE0 Content-Location: file:///C:/D0F9C634/loessinbasden2004.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Factors Affecting the Call to Ministry Revisited: A Preview and Preliminary Findings of a Comparative Cross-Denominational Stu

Factors Affectin= g the Call to Ministry Revisited:

A Preview and Preliminary Findings of a Comparative

Cross-Denominati= onal Study in Progress

 

        =             &nb= sp;       Jon K. Loessin   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;      Jeter Basden

        =         Wharton Co= unty Ju= nior College&= nbsp;             Ba= ylor Un= iversity

 

 

Introduction

 

Two recent studies have been undertaken to surv= ey pastors – one in 2001 by a team of researchers from Baylor University and the Baptist General Convention of = Texas and another in 2004 by Jon Loessin of <= st1:place>Wharton County Junior College.  The 2001 study surveyed senior pastors of churches affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT).  The 2004 study surveyed random samples of senior pastors of <= st1:State>Texas churches affiliated with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS), the Evangelical Lutheran = Church in America (ELCA), and the Episcopal Church in= the United States of America (ECUSA).

The 2001 study was entitled Trends in Texas Bap= tist Ministry: A Case Study.  The project involved three phases:= (1) a study of tenure trends among pastors; (2) a survey of pastors and deacon ch= airs about (a) the nature of a call to vocational ministry, (b) expectations abo= ut the formal education of ministry candidates, (c) the nature and value of ministry credentials, and (d) pastoral tenure and termination; and (3) a symposium on Baptists and Ordinatio= n.  The project directors were = Jeter Basden and William H. Brackney, faculty members in the Department of Religion at Baylor University.  Project participants included additional Baylor faculty members and a group of staff members from the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board staff.

The 2004 study was entitled Social Factors Influencing the Call to Christian Ministry.  The researcher, Jon Loessin, as a = part of his study, was granted permission to use questions developed for the 2001 Baptist study so that comparative data from the LCMS, ELCA, and ECUSA denominations could be gathered.

 

 

Research Methods

 

This paper reports the data gathered by both studies in response to the followin= g:

  1. Was there a spe= cific time in your life when you first sensed God calling or leading you into pastoral ministry?
  2. At what age did= you experience this call (or leading)?
  3. Who was the single most influential pers= on used by God in the “call” experience?
  4. What factors we= re influential in God’s calling or leading you into pastoral minist= ry? (Respondents were asked to mark all that applied from a list of sugges= ted responses.)
  5. To whom has God= led you to ask assistance, or who has been helpful to you, clarifying or interpreting this “call’ experience? (Again respondents we= re asked to mark all that applied from a list of suggested responses.)

 

For the Baptist study, surveys were mailed to 3= ,845 senior pastors.  Useable surve= ys were returned by 1,190 pastors, a return rate of 31 percent.

For the study conducted by researcher Loessin, surveys were mailed to 150 senior pastors of each of the three denominations included in the study.  Useable surveys were returned by 101 Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) = pastors, a return rate of 67 percent.  Useable surveys were returned by 90 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) pastors, a return rate of 60 percent.  Useable surveys were returned by 80 Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) pastors, a return = rate of 53 percent.

Each study limited itself to senior pastors of churches in = Texas.

To summarize the number of responses:

 

  &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;       Surveys mailed       Su= rveys returned   Return r= ate

Baptist (BGCT)      &= nbsp;          &= nbsp;           &= nbsp;            3,845=         &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;        1,190        &= nbsp;           31%

Lutheran-Missouri Synod (LCMS)              150        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;           101          =           67%

Evangelical Lutheran (ELCA)    &nbs= p;                 150=             &nb= sp;            =          90        &= nbsp;            60%

Episcopal (ECUSA)      =             &nb= sp;                  150=             &nb= sp;            =          80        &= nbsp;            53%

 

 

Findings

 

This section reports the comparative data received in response to each of the fi= ve questions identified above.

 

  1. Was there a spe= cific time in your life when you first sensed God calling or leading you into pastoral ministry?

 

 

Table 1(a): Denomination and the Call Experience Reporte= d by Senior BGCT, LCMS, ELCA, and ECUSA Pastors

 

Denomination

Had Calling?

UNDECIDED

TOTAL

YES

NO

BGCT

98.8%

0.5%

  0.7%

100.0%*

LCMS

92.1%

5.0%

  3.0%

100.0%*

ELCA

86.6%

4.5%

10.0%

100.0%*

ECUSA

93.8%

3.8%

  2.6%

100.0%*

Mean Total

92.8%

3.5%

  4.1%

100.0%*

     * totals may not= add to properly due to rounding

 

 =

 =

 =

 =

 =

Table 1 (b): Gender, Denomination, = and the Call Experience

Reported by Senior BGCT, LCMS, ELCA= , and ECUSA Pastors

 =

 =

Denomination<= o:p>

    

Had Calling?<= o:p>

 

 

TOTAL

(each gender)=

YES

NO=

UNDECIDED

MALE=

FEMALE

MALE

FEMALE

MALE

FEMALE

BGCT

98.8%

-

 0.5%

-

0.7%

-

100.0%*<= /o:p>

LCMS

92.1%

-

5.0%

-

3.0%

-

100.0%*<= /o:p>

ELCA

85.9%

83.3%

3.9%

0.9%

10.3%

0.9%

100.0%*<= /o:p>

ECUSA

94.4%

87.5%

4.2%

0.0%

 1.5%

12.5%

100.0%*<= /o:p>

Mean Total

92.8%

85.4%

3.4%

0.5%

3.9%

6.7%

100.0%*<= /o:p>

* totals may not add to properly due to rounding

 

 

 

 

  1. At what age did= you experience this call (or leading)?

 

 

Table 2: Age of Calling and Denomination Crosstabulation= as Reported by Senior BGCT, LCMS, ELCA, and ECUSA Pastors

 

 

A= ge of Calling

D= enomination

 <= /span>

B= GCT

L= CMS

E= LCA#

E= CUSA#

T= otal

1= 2 or under

6.0%

29.0%

18.2%

11.3%

1= 6.1%

1= 3-18

39.5%

34.4%

39.0%

31.0%

3= 6.0%

1= 9-30

39.0%

30.1%

32.5%

35.2%

3= 4.2%

O= ver 30

15.5%

6.5%

10.4%

22.5%

1= 3.7%

T= otal

1= 00.0%*

1= 00.0%*

1= 00.0%*

1= 00.0%*

1= 00.0%*

* totals may not add to properly due to rounding=         &= nbsp;         &= nbsp;      

# totals include 12 female ELCA pastors and 8 fe= male ECUSA pastors

 

 

 

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

 <= /span>

  1. Who was the single most influential pers= on used by God in the “call” experience?

 

Summary of the Single Most Influe= ntial Person

Used by God in the Call Experienc= e as Reported by

Senior BGCT, LCMS, ELCA, and ECUSA Pastors

 

<= o:p> 

P= erson or Activity Selected by Pastors

<= o:p> 

%= BGCT

<= o:p> 

%=

L= CMS

<= o:p> 

%=

E= LCA

<= o:p> 

%=

E= CUSA

M= ean

P= ercentage (%)

Pastor<= /span>

50.5

56.9

53.6

50.7

5= 2.9

Family member=

19.3

23.3

21.7

16.0

2= 0.1

Friends=

6.6

  3.5

  8.7

13.0

8= .0

College or Student minister

3.3

  3.5

  5.8

  4.3

4= .2

Teacher or profess= or

1.3

  3.5

  4.3

  4.3

3= .4

Other church staff= member

6.6

  2.3

  0.0

  4.3

3= .3

Sunday School teac= her

3.2

  3.5

  4.3

  1.5

3= .1

Youth leader in yo= ur church

5.3

  2.3

  1.4

  2.9

3= .0

Camp staff/counsel= or

1.2

  1.2

  0.0

  2.9

1= .3

Missionary

2.8

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

0= .7

Total

1= 00.0*

1= 00.0*

1= 00.0*

1= 00.0*

1= 00.0*

* totals may not add to properly due to rounding=

 

 

  1. What factors we= re influential in God’s calling or leading you into pastoral minist= ry? (Respondents were asked to mark all that applied from a list of sugges= ted responses.)

 

 

Summary of the Factors Reported By Senior Baptist Pastors and Pastors of the BGCT, LCMS, ELCA, and ECUSA as Influences on Their Call to Ministry

 

F= actors Selected by Pastors

%=

B= aptist

%=

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> LCMS

%=

E= LCA

%=

E= CUSA

M= ean

P= ercentage (%)

Christian home/par= ents

42.5

70.7

54.1

45.7

5= 3.3

Minister as role m= odel

48.2

43.6

51.6

49.4

4= 8.2

Private Bible stud= y and prayer

54.5

34.1

28.2

48.8

4= 1.4

Counsel of a minis= ter

36.5

45.0

39.4

43.0

4= 1.0

Influence of a spe= cific person

37.8

38.7

43.8

40.6

4= 0.2

Christian camp/ret= reat

22.9

23.8

34.4

36.7

2= 9.5

Youth ministry of = a church

22.9

22.1

26.9

20.3

2= 3.1

Volunteer lay mini= stry experience

19.0

18.3

22.4

31.5

2= 2.8

Other church staff= as role model

12.0

13.9

3.5

7.5

9= .2

Ministry internship experience

7.1

5.0

14.5

2.7

7= .3

Discipleship confe= rence

4.4

2.4

5.6

10.0

5= .6

Mission/choir trip=

10.2

5.9

5.6

6.3

2= .8
  1. To whom has God= led you to ask assistance, or who has been helpful to you, clarifying or interpreting this “call’ experience? (Again respondents we= re asked to mark all that applied from a list of suggested responses.)

 

 

Table 5: Influences on Call Interpretation and Clarification as Reported

by Senior BGCT, LCMS, ELCA, and E= CUSA Pastors

 

 

Who Helped Clarify Call?

%=

B= GCT

%=

L= CMS

%=

E= LCA

%=

E= CUSA

M= ean

%=

Pastor<= /span>

77.7

71.3

67.8

77.5

7= 3.6

Family Member=

36.5

35.6

30.0

22.5

3= 1.2

Friends=

34.2

19.8

31.3

31.3

2= 9.2

Teacher/Professor<= o:p>

19.3

10.9

23.3

12.5

1= 6.5

College/Student Mi= nistry

10.2

  6.9

12.2

10.0

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  9.8

Other Church Staff=

16.0

  7.9

  4.4

  7.5

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  9.0

Sunday School Teac= her

10.3

  2.0

15.6

  3.8

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  7.9

Youth Leader in Yo= ur Church

  9.7

  3.0

  6.7

  3.8

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  5.8

Christian Camp Staff/Counselor

  2.1

  3.0

  4.4

  3.8

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  3.3

Missionary

  6.0

  3.0

  1.1

  1.3

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  2.9

 

 

Implications

 

Although at least 83% of the pastors in any cat= egory indicated that they felt that there was a specific time when they first sen= sed God’s calling or leading in pastoral ministry, as many as 5% of the pastors in a particular category indicated no sense of God’s calling = or leading.  It appears that gene= rally pastors from these groups find that entering pastoral ministry is not to be undertaken based on a personal choice of vocation but rather only as one se= nses God’s call or leading into pastoral ministry as a vocation.  Some, however, do find that a call= is not necessary, apparently deciding about pastoral ministry as a personal preference or choice, much like one would decide about any other profession= .

In every denomination involved in this study, at least 77% indicated that they experienced a call to pastoral ministry before age 30.  Interestingly, 29% of= the LCMS pastors indicated that they experienced such a call at age 12 or under.  Since calling comes mo= st often during the preadolescent, adolescent, and early adult years, it is important for churches to give serious attention to designing programs and opportunities especially for these age groups to assist in sensing and understanding the call to vocational ministry.

The respondents indicated that a pastor was the single most influential person used by God in the “call” experi= ence – over 50% of all respondents selected a pastor as this influential person.  Family members were t= he next most influential, selected by an average of 20% of respondents in each category.  No other person rec= eived as much as 10% of the responses, except in the case of ECUSA pastors, 13% of whom indicated that a friend or friends were the single most influential person(s).  This implies that = pastors especially should give purposeful attention to those who are considering a = call to vocational ministry, seeking to help such persons clarify and affirm the= ir understanding and their response to such a calling.

At least 45% of the respondents in each category indicated clearly that Christian parents and a Christian home were influent= ial factors in God’s calling or leading into pastoral ministry.  Since family members are so influe= ntial in this regard, churches should give careful attention to strengthening and encouraging families, especially as they influence one another in making decisions about vocational choices.

Other factors receiving at least an average of = 40% of the responses from the total of all the categories were minister as a role model, private Bible study and prayer, the counsel of a minister, and the influence of a specific person.  The call to ministry is most clearly understood, per the respondents, as persons are influenced by a relationship with God through Bible study and prayer and are befriended and counseled by significant persons with whom there is a trusted relationship – family member, minister/role model, or friend.=

            Not o= nly were pastors the most significant in influencing a call to ministry, pastors were also the person who had been most helpful in clarifying or interpreting this “call” experience, with at least 67% of the responses in e= ach of the categories.  Also impor= tant, as evidenced by an average of 16% or more of the total responses, were fami= ly members and friends.  Once aga= in the importance of healthy relationships with pastors, family members, and frien= ds is noted as a vital factor in understanding and interpreting a call to past= oral ministry.

 

 

Additional Preliminary Findings o= f the 2004 Study

 

            <= /span>In addition to the relational and comparative f= indings already discussed earlier in this paper, the 2004 study by Loessin produced some additional preliminary findings of interest.  The reporting of these findings at= this time is intended to inform interested parties of the release of the full st= udy data, likely in July of this year.  So some idea of what types of findings will be addressed by the curr= ent study underway, a few highlights can be shared at this time.

            Some selected preliminary findings are as follows:

 

  • The one apparen= tly significant difference between the male and female pastors who respond= ed is the age at which their reported calls to ministry occurred.  Female pastors generally experienced their call to ministry later in life than did their male c= ounterparts
  • All non-White/A= nglo senior pastors responding had experienced a call to ministry at some p= oint in their life.  All cases= of being undecided about having had a calling or never experiencing a call were reported by pastors who were White/Anglo.
  • Of = pastors reporting their length of service in their current church (N=3D263 of = 271), LCMS pastors displayed the greatest tenure of the three denominations = with a mean of just over ten (10) years.&n= bsp; ELCA pastors had served their churches for eight-and-a-half yea= rs (8.5 years) and ECUSA pastors for only seven years, two months (7.2 years).  Female pastors (= ELCA, and ECUSA) were found to have a mean tenure of four (4) years, eight (= 8) months, with ELCA female pastors having a slight tenure advantage (abo= ut four months) to their ECUSA counterparts.
  • Regarding marit= al status and gender, that the twenty (20) female pastors responding to t= his study represented three (3) of the seven (7) pastors who had never been married, five (5) of the eleven (11) who had been divorced, the only c= ase of having been separated reported, and half (two [2] of the four [4]) = who had been widowed, even though female pastors constituted only 7.7% of = the total number of respondents.  Likewise, these women had received their calls to ministry late= r in life with thirteen (13) of seventeen (17) reporting their call after a= ge 19 (76.9%), and seven (7) of those after age thirty (45.7%).  All of the single (never marr= ied) women had received their calls later in life (after age 19) while the remaining female pastors’ age of calling more resembled their ma= le counterparts.
  •  LCMS pastors were younger than= other pastors and they often received their calls to ministry at younger ages.  ECUSA pastors were= much more likely to experience the calling later in life with twice as many doing so over thirty than under age twelve.
  •  If one relates the age at whic= h a pastor receives his or her call to ministry and current church size (measured by the number of members), it is found that among the three denominations observed, pastors who received their callings between the ages of 19 and 30 serve larger churches.  They also have greater tenure= in their current church and generally above average pastoral satisfaction, with the exception of ECUSA pastors who merit higher pastoral satisfac= tion when receiving the call at other times of life.

 

=  

Age of Calling and Congregational Size=

=  

     Members in Current<= /st1:PlaceName> Church= (All Denominations)

Age of Calling

Mean Congregational Size

N

12 or under

516

4= 8

13-18

405

7= 6

19-30

615

7= 8

Over 30

353

2= 9

Total

492

2= 31*

            =             * indicates total = number of responses to this question

 

  • The three denominations had consistent levels of pastors reporting a lower-class family background (Mean=3D13.5%) but levels of other social-class stat= uses varied by denomination with ECUSA pastors having the highest mean soci= al class background and LCMS pastors having the lowest.  This social class pattern is strongly correlated by denomination, and thus, potentially by the religious doctrines to which they adhere.
  • A pastor’s social class origins do not appear to be a significant factor in congregational size as data shows pastors of all three class groupings within ten percent (+/-10%) of the mean.  Pastors of higher class backg= rounds merited less than five percent (<5%) more church members while past= ors of lower-class origins directed churches with congregations less than = ten percent (<10%) smaller than the mean. There were found somewhat significant differences in pastoral tenure between pastors of diverse social class background.  Pastors of lower-class backgrounds held an advantage in current church tenure (10 years, 8 months) over their middle-class (8 years, 7 months) and upper-class (7 years, 7 months) counterparts.  Oddly, these same pastors als= o had the highest mean rate of involuntary departures from a pastorate as we= ll as having served the greatest mean number of churches, both in the same correlative pattern as current tenure; however, these statistics are n= ot significant due to the small number of cases involved.
  • The= re appears to be no significant relationship between a pastor’s soc= ial class background and pastoral satisfaction.
  • Pas= tors were asked to classify as “Paternalistic” or “Maternalistic” the type of household in which they grew u= p as a child to determine what parent or guardian was recognized as the lea= der in the home of a pastor’s upbringing.  A significant number of respo= ndents (22) felt unable to choose one or the other and added a “Shared = Leadership Equally” category on their completed questionnaire.  Using the created category of “Shared Leadership Equally” in the analysis produced some interesting, although statistically insignificant, results.  Pastors who reported that the= ir parents shared leadership roles equally had far larger congregations (Mean=3D635 members) than pastors from either Paternalistic (Mean=3D504 members) or Maternalistic (Mean=3D447 members) households, and had few= er mean involuntary departures from pastorates.  These pastors also shared the shortest current pastor tenure with their counterparts from Paternalis= tic households (8 years, 4 months) while pastors from Maternalistic househ= olds (who had the smallest congregations) held the longest mean tenure at n= ine (9) years and seven (7) months.
  • Ove= rall, 65.3% of pastors reported that they evolved from Paternalistic househo= lds, with LCMS pastors having the highest rate (80.6%) and ECUSA pastors the lowest (53.7%).  Far more= ECUSA pastors reported a “shared leadership” between mother and father (16.3%) than the other denominations combined (4.9%).
  • Pas= tors who were raised in modern or non-traditional family relationships were found to have less current tenure as a pastor (6 years, 8 months) than others (8 years, 8 months for pastors from both nuclear and extended families) and far smaller congregations (Mean=3D247) than pastors from extended families (Mean=3D484) and nuclear families (Mean=3D529).
  • A significant difference exists between pastors of the three denominatio= ns studied and their community size origins.  ECUSA pastors were far more u= rban or reported having grown up in larger communities than pastors from the o= ther denominations.  Likewise,= LCMS pastors were more often from smaller communities and rural areas than pastors from other denominations.&nbs= p; <= /o:p>
  • Pastors who were raised in rural areas tend to have larger congregations (Mean=3D530) a= nd longer tenure (11 years, 8 months) in their current churches than past= ors from small cities and towns (Mean=3D480; 8 years, 5 months) or from ur= ban settings (Mean=3D495; 7 years, 6 months).  Pastors originally from small= er cities and towns and rural areas also tended to have a slightly higher level of pastoral satisfaction with their current church when compared= to pastors originating from urban areas.
  • The overwhelming majority of senior pastors (80.5%) in the study reported having attend= ed church “at least once-a-week” in their youth.  LCMS pastors had the highest = rate of “at least once-a-week” attendance (87.9%) while ELCA and ECUSA pastors had “at least once-a-week” attendance rates = of 80.5% and 71.3% respectively.  <= /span>
  • Rates of experi= encing a calling were actually higher (92.3%) for pastors who attended church= in their youth less than once a week than for those who did (90.7%), but there were far fewer cases.
  • Pastors who att= ended church the least (once a year or less) while growing up were found to = have the largest congregational size (Mean=3D539) of any of the early church attendance divisions as well as the highest level of pastoral satisfac= tion with their current church.
  • It is interesti= ng to note that the locale of a pastor’s upbringing (rural area, small town or city, or urban area) had a significant impact on pastors’ selection of the primary persons or activities they believed to have significant influences on their call experience.  Future pastors from rural are= as were more influenced by family members than those from urban areas whi= le those from urban areas were more influenced by their pastor than those from rural areas. 

 

Community Size of Origin and Denomination Crosstabulatio= n

 

Raw Counts

 

Where Did You Grow Up?=

Total

 Primary Influence

on the Call Experience

Urban Area/Large City/Suburb=

Smaller City or Town

Rural Area or Rural Village<= /o:p>

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> 

 

Pastor

5= 7

4= 1

2= 0

1= 18

 

Family Member

1= 7

1= 2

1= 7

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  46

 

Friend(s)

1= 3

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  4

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  1

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  18

T= otal

8= 7

5= 7

3= 8

1= 82*

* Only pastor= s responding positively to the primary influences stated above are included.<= /span>

 

  • The senior past= ors participating in the study were asked to name the single most important factor in their preparation for the ministry from a list.  The results are as follows:

 

 

Summary of the Single Most Import= ant Factor in the

Preparation for the Ministry as Reported by

Senior Pastors of the LCMS, ELCA,= and ECUSA

 

F= actors Selected by Pastors

%=

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> LCMS

%=

E= LCA

%=

E= CUSA

C= ombined

P= ercentage (%)#

Classroom Instruct= ion

  30.9

  20.3

  21.3

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  24.3

Internship Experie= nce

  25.7

  28.9

  10.0

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  22.1

Minister as a Role= Model

  13.9

  24.4

  30.0

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  22.1

Other

  17.8

  18.9

  11.3

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  16.2

Early Ministry Job Experience

  11.9

  =   7.8

  27.5

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  15.1

Total

100.0*

100.0*

100.0*

1= 00.0*

     *Some percentage totals may not= add properly due to rounding.

     # Percentage for= all respondents, regardless of denomination (not the percentage mean)

 

  • Respondent seni= or pastors were asked to note any specific impediments they faced in the process of becoming a minister.  They could select as many listed impediments as they wished and were also able to manually list others they may have experienced.  The following resulted:

 

 

Factors Reported by Senior Pastor= s as

Major Impediments to Entering the Ministry *

 

F= actors Selected by Senior Pastors

%=

L= CMS

%=

E= LCA

%=

E= CUSA

C= ombined

P= ercentage (%)#

Financial obligati= ons at home

21.9

20.2

36.5

2= 5.5

Lack of Bible know= ledge and a feeling of unworthiness

22.8

18.9

14.0

1= 8.8

Low salary of mini= sters

  9.8

18.9

15.2

1= 5.5

Lack of counseling= or guidance

10.0

  7.9

  7.6

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  8.5

Lack of knowledge = about the work a minister does

  6.9

  7.9

10.0

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  8.1

Discouragement from wife/girlfriend

  5.9

  7.7

10.0

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  7.7

Parental objection=

  2.1

  6.7

10.0

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  5.9

Discouragement fro= m friends

  5.0

10.0

  2.5

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  5.9

Parents encouraged= sons to select other work

  4.0

  5.6

  5.0

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  4.8

Lack of knowledge = about the need of the church for ministers

  1.0

  3.3

  1.3

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  1.8

*totals are rounded to the near= est tenth of a percent

# Percentage = for all respondents, regardless of denomination (not the percentage mean)

Addendum to the Preliminary Findi= ngs

 

 &nb= sp;          The researcher hopes that the presentation of t= his data may assist churches, ministers, educators, and others in the recogniti= on of some of the variables that affect a person’s call to ministry and = its recognition, interpretation, clarification, and eventual fulfillment.  The social nature of many of the f= actors observed may produce a range of preliminary expectations associated with certain individuals who receive calls to ministry while providing a framewo= rk for perhaps overcoming other predispositions relating to ministerial traini= ng and success.  Through continui= ng efforts to understand the processes by which the calling is fulfilled, those called may be nurtured and encouraged to realize their gift.

 

References<= /o:p>

 

Social Factors Inf= luencing the Call to Christian Ministry, a research project in progress under =

     the direction of= Jon K. Loessin of Wharton County Junior College, has a target     

     completion date of Jul= y, 2004.  Jeter Basden of Baylor University serves as an advisor to

     the project.

 

Trends in Texas Baptist Ministry<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>, a research proje= ct conducted by researchers from Baylor

     University and t= he Baptist General Convention of Texas, Jeter Basden and William H.

     Brackney, project directors, 2001.

&nbs= p;

            Resea= rch project representatives from Baylor University:

&nbs= p;

   Jeter Basden, Department of Religion Ministry Guidance Program

           =      William H. Brackney, Departm= ent of Religion

           =      Winfred Moore, Center for Mi= nistry Effectiveness

           =      Tillman B. Rodabough, Center= for Community Research and Development

           =      David Slover, Department of Religion Ministry Guidance Program

&nbs= p;

            Research project representatives from the Baptist General Convention of Texas

Executive Board st= aff:

 

           =     Wm. Jan Daehnert, Minister/C= hurch Relations

           =     Clay Price, Research and Information Services

           =     Bob Ray, Bivocational/Smaller Church Development=

           =     Royce Rose, Theological Educ= ation

           =     Sonny Spurger, Minister/Chur= ch Relations

 

 

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     The Year 2004 Proceedings of the ASSR-SW

83

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