What is collaboration? David Heywood describes it like this “True collaboration is an expression of Godʹs nature. In Christian collaboration, each of the partners is committed not just to the purposes of God, but to the fullest possible flourishing of each of the other partners. We rejoice as both our partners in ministry and the people we serve together grow to become the people God made them to become. By working together in relationships of love and service to one another, we embody the nature of God at the heart of the Church.”[1]
The phrase “collaborative ministry” is one that can mean different things to different people. It has become a kind of buzz-word used to describe a particular model of ministry that is increasingly common in parish life. Even a cursory look at the vacancy pages in the Church Times turn up a host of positions for working within a “team ministry” or seeking somebody who is enthusiastic about working collaboratively. It is rare nowadays to find a parish in which a single person (usually the incumbent) performs all the roles traditionally thought to be those of “the vicar”. More often the incumbent has a number of different churches of varying traditions in his/her care, along with a number of people, whether ordained or lay who share in the liturgical, preaching and pastoral ministries within the parishes. It is simply impractical in an ever more transient and fast-moving world to expect the burden of ministry to fall upon one, or even two or three people.
The Church of England operates a pattern of threefold ministry (similar to the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches); bishop, priest and deacon. This may be seen at first glance as little more than a hierarchical way in which to organise and manage those who minister within the church. It is important however to understand that the priest (and indeed the bishop) never ceases to be a deacon also. The focus upon servant hood that is particular to the deacon is one that continues throughout the ministries of the priest and bishop. It focuses primarily upon the ordained leaders of the church, and does not take into account those who also serve the church in a lay capacity, whether licensed or more informally. A “top-down” (or pyramid) model such as this where direction is cascaded down from whoever occupies the top position and the instructions are carried out by those below is increasingly seen as unrealistic, and ultimately unworkable[2].
Outside the church, in the fields of commerce and business, there is increasingly a move towards working in partnership. General practice and legal chambers are two examples. In each there is an opportunity for those within to play their own distinctive part. Each partner may have his/her own area in which they specialise and to whom responsibility is devolved. The organisation is not dominated solely by any one particular person, but rather the whole is made up of each constituent part playing their own role in a way that manages to give a cohesive sense of direction and purpose. There is usually however, a “lead partner” in these situations. Someone with whom ultimately the responsibility stops.
However, the need for collaborative ministry cannot be based simply upon the most effective way to organise the church, running it as though it is a business. Changing the structure of the church also needs to have a sound theological basis, and on this the church looks towards the dual pillars of Scripture and Tradition. In the New Testament the church is often spoken of in terms of relationship. The epistles always refer to particular communities and how they conduct themselves in their relationships with one another as well as with God. To simply exist in isolation as though the opinions of other groups of believers did not matter was not an option. For the church to flourish there had to be co-operation amongst the different branches, not competition! In 1 Corinthians 10-17 Paul argues against division and partisanship within the church, urging them to unite instead around Christ.
Scripture also frequently refers to the church as the “body of Christ”. “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members of one another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.” (1 Cor 12:4-6a). In order for the church to function effectively each member has their own particular role to play. No one person is “more important” than any other, but all are dependent upon each other in order for the “body” to operate at its best.......a biblical model of collaboration!
Ultimately perhaps, there is also the collaboration displayed within the Trinity, as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit operate together in a unity that demonstrates each ones distinctiveness while at the same time working towards a common goal. As Heywood says in the opening quote, collaboration lies at the very heart of who God is!
So, what does all this mean for the Church of England today? In the minds of many outside the church the “vicar” as the most visible (and senior) person, is often seen as the one who “does” ministry. Others may help out from time to time, but it is most often the vicar who shoulders the responsibilities of parish life. Yet many churches actually operate with a number of people, each with their own distinctiveness playing a role in the ministry of the church. No longer is ministry seen as the sole preserve of the ordained, increasingly the laity have an important role as well. The emphasis in the church on encouraging and training lay people in vocations such as reader ministry or the Church Army, serves not simply to provide a steady supply of ministers to take services, but is part of the scriptural mandate to allow all members of the Body of Christ to participate in ministry. The increasing inclusion of the laity in leadership/ministry also helps to narrow the gap that can sometimes be implied in the relationship between the priest (who is ordained) and the person sitting in the congregation.
The different traditions within the church each place a different emphasis upon who may properly serve in any particular capacity. At the Catholic end of the spectrum there is a strong emphasis upon the sacramental, with very clearly defined roles for the priest and the deacon. Lay involvement may most often be seen in assisting by serving in the sanctuary or reading the lessons or intercessions. Evangelical churches by contrast often have a more loosely defined idea of who is able to do what. There is often more lay (and not always licensed) involvement in preaching and teaching. Whatever the particular tradition of a parish it is vital for those involved in its ministry to be able to work together as one team.
Human nature being what it is makes it easy for those in leadership positions to fall prey to being put on a pedestal, only to be eventually knocked back down again. One of the values of collaboration is that no one person is expected to excel at everything. A particular member of the team may be gifted in pastoral work, while somebody else may be more comfortable in music ministry. Each person is enabled to fulfil their own particular vocation. Effective leadership enables the ministries of others without feeling as though your own ministry is somehow under threat.[3] As Croft describes it “Ministry is first and foremost the calling of all those who are baptised Christians – not simply of those who are ordained”[4]. Those who are in positions of leadership and who have oversight are responsible for drawing out and developing the gifts of those in their care for the benefit of both the church and society.
There is sometimes reluctance for people to work with other churches, both on an ecumenical basis and even within the same deanery. While it is understandable that most of us prefer to remain in our own comfort zones for most of the time, there is much to be gained by working alongside Christians of other traditions from our own. Within my own deanery there are a number of initiatives including a formal covenant between Anglican, Methodist and United Reformed congregations, Churches Together in Central Brighton and The Wagner Group of churches from the Anglo-Catholic tradition.
Groups such as these, whether on a formal or an informal basis provide the opportunity to share in the life and ministry of those outside our immediate church circle. Collaborating on events such as a Good Friday “Walk of Witness” provides a very visible demonstration of our faith as well as church unity. A willingness to share ministers (whether ordained or lay) between churches in a partnership is often a wise use of resources. However it can hopefully also lead to the congregations themselves forging more links with one another, and discovering mutual support and fellowship. While there are certainly differences that can at times divide, there is more to be gained by working together on that which we hold in common than by arguing over the finer points of ecclesial law.
More formal arrangements for collaboration can be seen in the examples of Local Ecumenical Partnership (LEP’s) around the country. In the early 1990’s I lived for a number of years in Milton Keynes which has a number of LEP’s in operation. The largest of these is that of Church of Christ the Cornerstone, which combines, Baptist, Methodist, Anglican, Roman Catholic and United Reformed churches. According to their website they are “are covenanted together to share their life in worship, understanding of each other and service to the community and to the wider world”[5]. It is inevitable in such circumstances that tensions will arise, yet it is possible that by learning and sharing with one another they are able to overcome those tensions and instead minister to one another and also to the wider society.
As I have sought to suggest, there are many forms in which collaborative ministry can occur. Ultimately however it is by identifying the unique gifts that each person has been given and nurturing them to their full potential that true collaborative ministry can flourish. When each person can play their part without fear of stepping onto one another’s toes or without feeling threatened by the ministry of another then the church (as the Body of Christ) is able to reach it’s optimum potential by serving those who are both inside and outside its doors.
WORD COUNT 1803
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Avis, P; The Anglican Understanding of the Church, SPCK, 2000
Clark, D; Breaking the Mould of Christendom, Epworth, 2005
Croft, S; Ministry in Three Dimensions, Darton, Longman and Todd, 1999
Kuhrt, G.W; Ministry issues for the Church of England, Church House Publishing, 2001
Robertson, D; Collaborative Ministry, BRF, 2007
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