The role of CLP for elders came about as a missional strategy. In 1984, the Presbyteries of Yukon and Geneva presented an overture to the General Assembly to create the role to fulfill the basic mission need of congregational worship leadership. Both rural and urban presbyteries soon echoed the mission need as they sought respectively to provide leadership for congregations in geographically isolated communities and among new immigrant populations seeking leaders attuned to their language and culture.
Originally called “Commissioned Lay Preachers,” these specialized elders became known in 1995 as “Commissioned Lay Pastors,” reflecting the expansion of their role to carry out more of the functions of pastoral ministry.
The Office of Vocation and the Committee on Theological Education recently commissioned a study1 of Commissioned Lay Pastors in the PC(USA), from which we have learned the following:
• 131 of 173 PC(USA) presbyteries have CLPs
• More than 700 CLPs are currently serving our churches, the majority of them serving part-time
• 66% of CLPs serve congregations of less than 100 members, with 14% serving congregations of more than 100 members and 11% serving in non-congregational positions. About half serve in isolated areas; 10% serve racial, ethnic, or immigrant congregations
Although CLPs are locally trained and authorized to support contextually diverse ministries, the educational programs that serve to prepare them are very similar, requiring courses in the subject matter specified in the Book of Order G-14.0560. Using a variety of formats, most presbyteries require 120-135 hours instruction at the college introductory level, which is equivalent to less than a semester of college level work. The majority of the programs require very little supervised ministry.
There are some surprises in all of this. A number of today’s CLPs are unexpectedly serving in contexts and positions where ministers are available. This is of special concern in the light of the large number of candidates and ministers presently seeking calls.2 It is clear that because congregations and presbyteries find the CLP role to be helpful, they are willing to utilize them even when Master of Divinity graduates are available.
As growing numbers of individuals express interest in becoming CLPs, they appear eager to do whatever is required of them to lead a congregation. Those who work with CLPs have commended their enthusiasm for ministry in settings unappealing to ordained candidates. Many CLPs, juggling full-time employment and part-time pastoral duties, are making significant contributions in their presbyteries, according to survey respondents.
Church leaders hold conflicting views with regard to CLPs. Some maintain that the role should become accepted as an alternative path to pastoral ministry. For others, it is a violation of important Presbyterian values about education, theological thinking, and the practice of ministry. Many believe that we have opened a Pandora’s box, to which we should return the concept of CLPs and lock it up tight.
I believe that the truth lies somewhere between. We must engage in constructive dialogue about these learnings and consider some correctives. The rapid increase in the utilization of CLPs is a symptom of a problem with what has been our normative model of pastoral leadership. Instead of targeting CLPs as the problem, we must instead seize the opportunity to learn from the development of CLPs to give helpful perspective on the way we call forth and equip leaders in the PC(USA).
Current data from Church Leadership Connection shows that less than 10% of call seekers will consider churches of 100 members or less, fully half of our congregations. Most candidates and ministers reasonably anticipate full-time employment at adequate compensation throughout their working years, which, given our declining membership, is an unrealistic expectation. Neither have we emphasized bi-vocational ministry or prepared our ministers to serve in that way. While Presbyterian seminaries provide exemplary financial aid, too many new graduates have accumulated debt and cannot afford to accept the minimal salaries that are a stretch for thousands of our congregations.
CLPs do not have the same expectations. Because of their life circumstances, ministry is not critical as their primary financial support.
Our research also raises an important concern about education and supervised practice in the preparation of pastoral leaders. What amount of education and supervised ministry is needed for proficiency? It is clear that current preparation of CLPs is lacking in the educational depth that we believe is optimal for effective ministry. Some attention is needed to strengthen this deficit by providing high-quality continuing education for those who serve as CLPs.
Supervised practice of ministry is also highlighted as a deficiency. In his new book Outliers3 Malcolm Gladwell presents research that shows that to be at the top of any profession requires about 10,000 hours of practice. When and how do our pastoral leaders get that practice? This is a concern, not only for CLPs, but also for ministers. Since CLPs are usually long-serving elders, they may have more ministry practice than some new ministers who have not grown up in a congregation.
We are experiencing changes that require adaptive leadership. There is new energy to be gained when we function in shared ministry. With our unique office of elder, Presbyterians have long practiced shared ministry. Commissioned Lay Pastors are an extension of the office of elder to share and expand opportunities for ministry. Functioning as first class elders rather than second class clergy, CLPs could be midwives assisting in the birth of a new way of being church, working in their communities in collaboration with ministers to expand the witness of Jesus Christ in new and innovative ways.
Marcia Clark Myers, director of the Office of Vocation for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is an ordained minister who has served as a pastor and presbytery executive.
1See the full reports at www.pcusa.org/clps.
2See the current Applicants and Positions Report at https://clc.pcusa.org/aspx/reports/ApplicantsAndPositions.aspx.
3Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success (New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company, 2008)
