Saturday, February 10, 2007

Men and Ministry

Thanks to Pete Jackson at college for linking to these survey results on men and ministry. I believe "HT" is the correct term?

The survey (by Affinity), the results of which are presented excellently, questioned both Anglicans and Independent Evnagelicals and the survey doesn't go into the differences but I imagine they are very important.

Free church people of a certain type are much more likely to have a theology of special sensed call to the Ministry than more pragmatic anti-Charismatic Anglicans of another type. One even hears people quote Spurgeon's saying that one should do all one can to avoid entering the ministry, with approval, and no doubt many will sucseed!

Its great to see 9:38 apprenticeships and Cornhill growing in popularity with Independent Evangelicals but its not a substitute for 3 or 4 years full time at an excellent Biblical college.

The Anglicans are also much better at providing funding, training (at Oak Hill!) and assistant's jobs. Unfortunately the right people aren't always selected!

Something does need to be done for those Anglican Evangelicals who for the moment on consciencious grounds have repudiated the ecclesiastical oversight of their heterodox Bishops, since it is very difficult for such congregations to put their candidates through the central system successfully, even if they thought it permisible to do so in the present circumstances.
Maybe a council of reference and a big pile of cash are what is called for. Could the local church, other Elders from the area (presbytery / the Gospel Partnership?) and the college together select and fund the best people?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Marc,

It is probably inaccurate to say that "Free Church" people will have a theology of special call. Inaccurate because it is an over generalisation. Remember free church will include various non anglican denominations and various independent church networks. Some of the above will no doubt have a theology of special call -esp the Martyn Lloyd Jones stream/holiness/Keswick but you have to allow for the anti-charismatic backlash being as strong in reformed/independent church circles. There would also be a strong amount of cross fertilisation in free church circles with reformed evangelicals being as influenced by Stott/Lucas/Packer as by Lloyd Jones