Participants

This project will focus on churches that are classified as pastoral-size churches. Pastoral-size churches have between 50 and 150 active members. The first reason for selecting this size church is that most mainline churches are either the family or pastoral-size categories. The key relationships in the family-size churches are clans built around the matriarchs or patriarchs, not the pastor. They have already adjusted to the financial realities of part-time pastoral leadership and limited activities. In pastoral-size churches, the pastor’s participation is central to most activities and ministries of the church, especially when establishing new ministries. In family-size churches, the pastor’s role is to relate directly the families of the church. In program- and corporate-size churches, pastors can delegate initiation and oversight of church ministries and programs to paid staff. In most pastoral-size churches, the pastor is the only paid clergy, and therefore without colleagues to share ministry responsibilities. These pastors are described as “the hub of the wheel, master coordinator, chief minister.” In these churches, lay members serve either as short-term task-doers or micro-decision makers but do so in close relationship with the pastor. Any other staff—typically a secretary and/or musician—are part-time and have limited responsibilities in the church. The health and growth of pastoral-size churches depends primarily on the effectiveness and popularity of the pastor. Therefore, the potential for clergy to make changes that have a direct impact on the local church is greatest in this size church. Likewise, the potential for clergy burnout and scapegoating is also increased by the very nature of the pastoral-size church.