The following is the “Article of the Week” for Ministry Health. As you have
noticed, I will also be sending some shorter submissions as I have
opportunity. The major ones (such as below) will be placed into the
Ministry Health Archives at http://genesis.acu.edu/ministryhealth and will
be formatted in a more presentable fashion.

The Five Stages of Ministry:

Ministry Time Line

I just picked up George Barna’s recent book, Leaders on Leadership. It’s a
compilation by Barna of articles by various authors (Jack Hayford, Kenneth
Gangel, Gene Getz, Leighton Ford, et al.) on a variety of leadership topics
including “The Character of a Leader,” “Being Tough, but Tender,”
“Conflict: The Refining Fire of Leadership,” and a host of other
interesting topics.

Chapter Eight is entitled, “The Life Cycle of a Leader.” Written by J.
Robert Clinton and Richard W. Clinton, this chapter describes a general
ministerial development time line. Though gender, ministry setting and
situation, and other factors may cause slight deviations, I believe that
this timeline is generally applicable to most ministries and can be an
important tool for ministry support. Quoting the Clintons,
“On the whole, the same general kinds of things happen because God is in
the business of developing leaders. And He is consistent. And certain
things must be there-like character, spiritual authority, relationship and
giftedness.” (LOL, p. 158).

The following is an adaptation/summary/over-simplification of each of these
five stages which they say, describes how God shapes us toward His destiny
and calling for us.

The Five Stages of Ministry

Stage One: Ministry Foundations (Age 16-26)
Character Shaping Phase: Basic character formation, underlying values,
growing awareness of God, beginnings of spiritual formation are developed.

Stage Two: Early Ministry (5-12 years in ministry)
Ministry Formation Phase: Leadership character and commitment to leadership
role are formed on the basis of early experiences (e.g. conflict, crises,
etc). Experimentation and awareness of ministry giftedness emerges,
spiritual formation and ministry formation become priorities.

Stage Three: Middle Ministry (8-14 years in ministry)
Spiritual Formation Phase: Life purpose, giftedness, and major roles in
ministry are clarified. Insights for empowering people in ministry are
learned. Authority and conflict issues are faced, perhaps in the setting of
a leadership “backlash.” Challenges emerge requiring special attention and
growth.

Stage Four: Latter Ministry (12+ years)
Strategic Formation Phase: Acting on one’s specific life purpose and
calling in ministry as one’s ultimate areas of contribution clarify.
Ministry becomes more efficient and effective at this “ministry peak.”
Spiritual warfare and spiritual formation become greater foci as the
ministry engages in “deep processing.”

Stage Five: Finishing Well (??)
Fulfillment Phase: Ultimate contributions continue to be developed,
consolidation of a lifetime of ministry achievements and experiences,
important values are passed on to other generations of leaders, perception
of “destiny fulfillment.”

Some Comments…
First, these five stages describe the stages of HEALTHY ministry
development. Ministries are made and broken at any of these phases as
individuals struggle with spiritual, strategic, and other formational
issues and experiences.

Second, the stages have an almost overwhelming overlap in the 8-14 th
years of ministry. I would suggest that these be called the period of
“Ministry Adolescence” because the formative issues and experiences shape
the character and content of one’s ministry as greatly as adolescence has
shaped one’s life.

Third, everyone in ministry-pastors, congregations, denominational leaders,
and other ministry professionals–ought to have a high sensitivity to those
ministers in their 8-15th years. They need support, resources, and the
wisdom of other trusted Christian brothers and sisters so that they can
survive, endure, and be strengthened through this “do-or-die” phase.

Fourth, the period of “Ministry Adolescence” may reach its peak during the
“change of life”, especially in those denominations where pastors enter the
ministry in their late 20’s or in those pastors who have entered the
ministry as a second career. This, I believe, is another key time needed
for support.

Fifth, I would venture to say that these five phases are not restricted to
the ministry. I believe leaders in secular endeavors might also follow a
sequence of developmental stages which might prove similar to these.
Perhaps this might indicate how leaders in the secular world can certainly
be of help to those in the ministry.

Finally, it would be interesting if the recognition of these phases became
the basis for denominational ministry health programming. Certainly
ministers in each phase have something to offer to others in other phases
of ministry and those who are experiencing the same phase of ministry ought
to be networked and identified to give mutual support through what may be
similar experiences.

I strongly urge you consider and read this monumental ministry resource.

Blessings!

Tom

Barna, George. Leaders on Leadership. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
1997.