wfn.org | Young African-American pastors form coalition

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

June 5, 2003 News media contact: Linda Green7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.  
  10-31-71B{314} 

A UMNS Report
By Linda Green*

A new coalition has been formed to provide mentoring support to young
African-American clergy and head off a potential shortage of black pastors in
the United Methodist Church.

African-American pastors who are starting out in ministry often feel alone
and isolated. Many become frustrated because they have no one to mentor them
through the obstacles of ministry, to lead them through the quagmire of local
church business and denominational politics, or to listen to their concerns. 
 

"There is no place in this system where people who fit our dynamic can go and
share," said the Rev. Troy Benton, associate pastor of Hope United Methodist
Church in Southfield, Mich. "The coalition represents the potential for the
life or death of pastoral ministry among African Americans in the United
Methodist Church, and we have not had one system or group that specifically
speaks to our needs."

Formally launched in March, the National Coalition of Young Adult
African-American pastors seeks "to be a support vehicle for young adult
African-American clergy in a structure that is not exactly advantageous and
that does not see their full talent," said Benton, the coalition's vision
leader.

The coalition's mission is to promote Christian conferencing among black
pastors under age 41, and to respond to the Great Commission of making
disciples of Christ by providing mentoring support for those clergy. In
addition to training and mentoring for new pastors, the group hopes to
produce "life coaches" for future clergy.

"The National Coalition of Young Adult African American Pastors could end up
being a profound blessing to the church," said the Rev. Vance Ross, chairman
of the design team for the Convocation for Pastors of African American
Churches and pastor of First United Methodist Church in Hyattsville, Md. "The
denomination is lacking in major numbers young adults in its membership and
that problem is becoming an epidemic in the African American, African and
Caribbean sector."  

Benton affirmed that the coalition is an attempt to respond to the  "plight
of African-American leadership in the United Methodist Church." In the next
five to 10 years, 20 percent to 30 percent of African American clergy in the
denomination will retire from active ministry. In addition, the number of
African Americans entering seminary is steadily decreasing, he said.  

"We know this from trying to recruit people from our churches to enter
ministry," Benton said. "There is this gap of leadership that will hit the
black church. Wanting to be the people who live out the call faithfully to
serve and be servants, we talked about how it could be done in light of the
particular economic, social, political and religious realities that face us
as young adult African-American clergy." The denomination has a little more
than 500 young adult African-American pastors, he said.

Citing research, Benton said the largest age group of African-American clergy
is between 49 and 53, and those pastors will retire in the next 10 years. The
following average mean group is about 29 years old. "This means that if we do
not get the ball rolling right now, in 10 to 12 years, we will not be
anywhere to be found." The coalition is also forming relationships with other
African-American Christian traditions.

Ross said an organization such as the coalition is essential if the church is
going to attract and maintain young people for a changing world. And, he
asked, what better way to attract them than by having those of their age
group teaching and leading in the pulpit?

"Our viability before young people will assume that we take seriously the
leaders who are of that age. Seeing them gathered and knowing that they are
appreciated and valued and have a place in the denomination means that the
church in general, and older clergy and laity in particular, will listen to
what they say and have to act on what they discuss," Ross said.

Founded under the banner of the biennial Convocation for Pastors of African
American Churches, the coalition is an independent organization, with no
official ties to any group in the denomination. The coalition will use
leadership networks and groups, as well as national and regional events, to
assist clergy in reaching their maximum potential. The group, with young
adult membership from across the country, is funded through dues and
registration fees, along with contributions from annual conferences. 

The group was launched with support from three annual conferences and
churches across the United States. It is partnering with the Pacific
Northwest Conference in the planning of a new church start and is receiving
financial support through the Detroit Conference. 

Before the organization's launch, a group of young African-American pastors
gathered to discuss the "journey" of being young adults and clergy members in
the United Methodist Church. The conversations focused on the appointment
process, long-term pastorates and leadership opportunities for extended
ministries among various groups.

"It appears as though there have been opportunities for advanced movement in
an increased fashion for people of European-American descent as opposed to
people of African American descent," Benton said. 

Members of the coalition, all leaders in their annual conferences, shared
that their first or second appointments in the denomination were often
disappointing assignments compared with those of their European-American
colleagues, who received new church starts, immediately became associate
pastors of large congregations, or were appointed as youth pastors, he said.
"Our churches (African American) really don't have a number of youth pastor
slots.

The coalition will serve as a clearinghouse in responding to calls for
positions, congregations or ministries seeking effective people, Benton said.
"We want to be a resource for the United Methodist Church (and) be a vehicle
to assist the denomination in pushing towards excellence in African-American
young adult leadership."

The group also wants a voice in the church's visioning process. Benton
explained that the coalition's emphasis on "continual transformation
thinking" represents a change in emphasis from disciplining and maintenance
to regarding evangelism as the church's primary task. The church, he said,
must address the question: "How do we make things more relevant for the
seeker who is yet to even come?"

More information on the National Coalition of Young Adult African-American
Pastors is available by contacting Benton at ncoumpaaap@hotmail.com or (248)
547-3278.
# # #
*Green is United Methodist News Service's Nashville, Tenn., news director.

 
 

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United Methodist News Service
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