A Productive Partnership

A 24-minute video for pastoral relations committees

To Order this Video

This training resource is divided into six segments:

1. Introduction (length: 2 minutes, 5 seconds)
   Comments by:
2. Dr. Carol Dowsett (4 minutes, 19 seconds)
   Interpreting Ministry & Facilitating Communication
3. Mr. Richard Roper (3 minutes, 36 seconds)
   Advocating for the Minister and the Ministry
4. The Rev. Jane Moschenrose (5 minutes, 11 seconds)
   Encouraging Pastoral Development – a Pastor’s Perspective
5. The Rev. Hector Cortez (3 minutes, 20 seconds)
   Meeting Regularly
   Resolving Conflict
6. Conclusion (5 minutes, 29 seconds)
   Celebrating Change
   

It is designed to be viewed in a number of ways:

• In your home as you consider PRC membership or before the first or successive PRC meetings
• At an orientation meeting of the entire PRC (using this guide or being led by a member of your region’s staff)
• At a committee review as your PRC is considering a particular goal (see list of goals below)
• At an association or regional training event for PRC members

PRC Goals – 7 Cs	Video Location
1. The Church’s Ministry	Segment 2
2. Communication	Segment 2
3. Compensation	Segment 3
4. Church Vocations	Segment 3
5. Continuing Education	Segment 4
6. Conflict	Segment 5
7. Change	Segment 6

 

Discussion Questions

Segment 1

1. How does Proverbs 27:17 suggest that learning from one another can sometimes be difficult?
2. How does your PRC offer your pastor (or ministerial staff) "caring" and "sensitivity" so that iron sharpening iron improves everyone?

Segment 2

1. Does your church see the pastor as someone who needs care in the light of Galatians 6:2?
2. Does your PRC encourage the staff and church’s ministry to be evaluated at the same time?
3. What would happen to your congregation if PRC members possessed unwanted characteristics?

Segment 3

1. Why is the third goal of a PRC – consider the pastor’s (ministerial staff’s) compensation – so important scripturally and administratively?
2. With what other boards or committees should your PRC work to address the pastor’s stewardship issues?
3. If the PRC doesn’t fulfill the fourth goal – enlist people for ministerial leadership – who will?
   

Segment 4

1. How does the practice of confidentiality within the PRC become a means to free your pastor?
2. Does your PRC ensure that all three areas of feedback – personal style, preaching effectiveness, professional development – get equal emphasis?
3. Why might your pastor’s continuing education go from A to Z – anthropology to zoology?
4. Has your church considered the pastor’s sabbatical?

Segment 5

1. How do the goals of a PRC affect the number and regularity of PRC meetings?
2. When would your PRC practice Jesus’ guidelines given in Matthew 18:15-17?

Segment 6

1. How do the purposes of the pulpit or search committee and the PRC intertwine?
2. How has your PRC produced a productive partnership at the beginning and completion of your pastor's ministries? How could it?
3. How does your PRC fulfill the words of the hymn used during the credits (e.g., May we learn the art of sharing, side by side and friend with friend, equal partners in our caring to fulfill God’s chosen end.)?