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BOOK REVIEW: 'Crisis' tells us why ‘young clergy matter’ Andrew C. Thompson, Apr 11, 2008
The Crisis of Younger Clergy Lovett H. Weems and Ann A. Michel Abingdon Press, 2008 Paperback, 144 pages
By Andrew C. Thompson Special Contributor
The number of United Methodist clergy under 35 has declined precipitously during the past 25 years. Just how steep the drop really is was demonstrated in a comprehensive 2006 survey of clergy demographic trends, published by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary.
Lovett Weems and Ann Michel offer a profile of young pastors in the denomination, based on the Center’s findings. Then they analyze what it all means and suggest ways the church can address the shortfall.
The book’s argument emerges in the third chapter, which looks at “why young clergy matter.” We’re told that the church should nurture a “culture of call,” where young people are valued and the call of God is treated as a reality in the lives of all Christians.
Many of the practices endorsed here ought to seem obvious to us, such as proactive youth ministries and mentorship. The authors examine the perceived need to overhaul the denomination’s candidacy and ordination process.
A review of the appointment system, they say, could help reduce clergy isolation. They also stress the importance of peer groups for accountability and mutual support.
They point to the need for equitable salaries, and the problem of student debt. And they offer ways of overcoming the “generation gap” between young clergy and older congregations.
By the end, it’s clear that they are not just talking about recruiting younger clergy—but about revitalizing the life of the church as a whole through leadership development.
Young clergy can use the book to better understand their present reality in ministry. Established pastors and bishops can take cues about cultivating the next generation of clergy, many of them now in local church confirmation classes and youth groups. Seminary professors can make good use of the text as well, to teach subjects ranging from evangelism to church leadership.
