Part-Time & Shared Pastors:
Ministry Models for Today's Churches
In the 2010s and into the 2020s, many ABCNYS congregations have shifted from a full-time pastor to a pastor who is part-time (and therefore dependent on other sources of income), and as of this writing, 14 ABCNYS churches are in the midst of a "pastor sharing" relationship with a nearby congregation (American Baptist or of another Protestant denomination).
As part of its commitment to resource our churches, ABCNYS offers materials to help our churches and pastors with these models of ministry (part time and/or shared pastors) so that our churches can continue into the future and do as we have done before: adapt to changing times to proclaim the Gospel and serve our local communities. Opportunities to explore this material are available by inviting Region staff to provide informative workshops for churches and Associations as well as via ZOOM webinars (to be determined in Spring 2024).
RESOURCES: Conference on Part Time Ministry (Fall 2021)
An earlier conference in October 2021 featured Rev. Steve Reynolds facilitating a conference for our churches, studying the book Part Time Is Plenty and how this book on part-time ministry helps our churches understand this model of ministry. All videos and related materials appear below for your use!
PART TIME AND SHARED PASTORS GUIDE (Fall 2023) & A THREE PART ZOOM SERIES! (Winter 2024)
In Fall 2023, Rev. Jerrod Hugenot (Associate Executive Minister) prepared a guide to help church leaders understand these models of ministry and to help pastors (now and yet to come) understand this new context for ministry.
Session One: Calling (and keeping!) a part-time pastor
Session Two: How to share a pastor and thrive in ministry together
Session Three): A panel of part-time and shared pastors currently serving in ABCNYS to talk about their experiences and answer questions about working in such a pastoral calling.
These events made possible by your gifts to the ABCNYS Region Offering!
The Part-Time & Shared Pastors Guide is available via this link (MS Word): Questions? Contact [email protected]
As part of its commitment to resource our churches, ABCNYS offers materials to help our churches and pastors with these models of ministry (part time and/or shared pastors) so that our churches can continue into the future and do as we have done before: adapt to changing times to proclaim the Gospel and serve our local communities. Opportunities to explore this material are available by inviting Region staff to provide informative workshops for churches and Associations as well as via ZOOM webinars (to be determined in Spring 2024).
RESOURCES: Conference on Part Time Ministry (Fall 2021)
An earlier conference in October 2021 featured Rev. Steve Reynolds facilitating a conference for our churches, studying the book Part Time Is Plenty and how this book on part-time ministry helps our churches understand this model of ministry. All videos and related materials appear below for your use!
PART TIME AND SHARED PASTORS GUIDE (Fall 2023) & A THREE PART ZOOM SERIES! (Winter 2024)
In Fall 2023, Rev. Jerrod Hugenot (Associate Executive Minister) prepared a guide to help church leaders understand these models of ministry and to help pastors (now and yet to come) understand this new context for ministry.
Session One: Calling (and keeping!) a part-time pastor
Session Two: How to share a pastor and thrive in ministry together
Session Three): A panel of part-time and shared pastors currently serving in ABCNYS to talk about their experiences and answer questions about working in such a pastoral calling.
These events made possible by your gifts to the ABCNYS Region Offering!
The Part-Time & Shared Pastors Guide is available via this link (MS Word): Questions? Contact [email protected]
| parttimeandsharingpastorsguidewinter2024.pdf |
Part-Time & Shared Pastors (Winter 2024)
Rev. Jerrod Hugenot, ABCNYS Associate Executive, facilitates this ZOOM webinar for ABCNYS congregations seeking help and best practices for calling and better yet, retaining(!) pastors who serve part-time and/or are shared with another congregation. Each session is around one hour with half presentation and the other half begin the Q&A from that evening's gathering of participants. We remind you that the Guide that accompanies this series and is referenced throughout is available as a PDF file (see above).
The video above is a playlist, which will go from Part I to Part II to Part III as one long video.
To watch each segment separately, visit our YouTube page:
Part I: Calling (and keeping!) a part-time pastor https://youtu.be/f80vywrBJnA
Part II: How to share a pastor and thrive in ministry together https://youtu.be/irGF7428Dp0?feature=shared
Part III: A panel of part-time and shared pastors currently serving in ABCNYS to talk about their experiences and answer questions about working in such a pastoral calling. https://youtu.be/KIQbsisNpWY?feature=shared
To watch each segment separately, visit our YouTube page:
Part I: Calling (and keeping!) a part-time pastor https://youtu.be/f80vywrBJnA
Part II: How to share a pastor and thrive in ministry together https://youtu.be/irGF7428Dp0?feature=shared
Part III: A panel of part-time and shared pastors currently serving in ABCNYS to talk about their experiences and answer questions about working in such a pastoral calling. https://youtu.be/KIQbsisNpWY?feature=shared
Part Time Ministry Conference Videos (October 2021)
Rev. Steve Reynolds, 4T I40 Consulting, facilitates this conversation with ABCNYS local church leaders and pastors. Watch this session in full above (all six hours!) or watch the videos individually via these links and download the Powerpoint slides for these sessions below:
Part One: Part Time Is Plenty
Watch this session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7QJsBIbuzuM
Part Two: Biblical & Theological Foundations of Part-Time Ministry
Watch this session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LgtI5DxyCd4
Part Three: Changing the Culture from Full-Time to Part Time
Watch this session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NGi2b7ljqHc
Part Four: From Lead Actor to Supporting Cast
Watch this session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZY2lLQFm68I
Part Five: Are Part Time Churches Not 'Real' Churches?
Watch this session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0WfXSRLw6Rg
Part Six: Ways forward with Part-Time Ministry
Watch this session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BArmha0zJJ0
Follow along with the conference video with this PDF of all the Powerpoint slides (with room for your notetaking!):
| parttimeconferencehandouts.pdf |
,The book Part Time Is Plenty: Thriving without Full-Time Clergy by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, is available from major book sellers (locally, nationally and online). Westminster/John Knox Press, 2020. ISBN # 978-0664265991.
We encourage you to read this book alongside our conference videos and notes, which are contextualizing MacDonald's insights into part-time ministry with regard to how ABCNYS churches are adapting to new models and how the ABCNYS Region provides support through its ministries, particularly in our Region staff's work with churches, the support of the Regional Enhancement Team, and the ABCNYS Lay Study Program.
Learn more about ABCNYS' Lay Study Program: https://www.abc-nys.org/lay-study-program.html
Questions? Conversation? We welcome you to contact Rev. Dr. James Kelsey, Executive Minister and Rev. Jerrod Hugenot, Associate Executive Minister, to talk about how "Part Time Is Plenty" could help YOUR congregation and pastor thrive in your own work together!
Our Part Time Ministry conference is made possible in part by a "Church of the Future" Palmer Grant via the American Baptist Foundation and your church's contributions to the ABCNYS Region Offering. To donate to support similar programs and initiatives to help ABCNYS support our 273 churches, please give via our PayPal: https://www.abc-nys.org/giving-to-the-region.html
Thank you for supporting our churches!
We encourage you to read this book alongside our conference videos and notes, which are contextualizing MacDonald's insights into part-time ministry with regard to how ABCNYS churches are adapting to new models and how the ABCNYS Region provides support through its ministries, particularly in our Region staff's work with churches, the support of the Regional Enhancement Team, and the ABCNYS Lay Study Program.
Learn more about ABCNYS' Lay Study Program: https://www.abc-nys.org/lay-study-program.html
Questions? Conversation? We welcome you to contact Rev. Dr. James Kelsey, Executive Minister and Rev. Jerrod Hugenot, Associate Executive Minister, to talk about how "Part Time Is Plenty" could help YOUR congregation and pastor thrive in your own work together!
Our Part Time Ministry conference is made possible in part by a "Church of the Future" Palmer Grant via the American Baptist Foundation and your church's contributions to the ABCNYS Region Offering. To donate to support similar programs and initiatives to help ABCNYS support our 273 churches, please give via our PayPal: https://www.abc-nys.org/giving-to-the-region.html
Thank you for supporting our churches!