A Pilgrimage Of Faith, J.B. Toews, 1993

no longer work together; each has a separate workplace community. Young people leave for college and find new social spheres. Churches no longer enjoy experiential commonality. They may agree on spiritual principles and biblical teaching, but lack the function- al capacity to help one another integrate them into their re- spective spheres. This cultural change, understandable as it may be, has had an impact on the Mennonite Brethren Church in general and the question of leadership in particular The 1951 General Conference called attention to the Men- nonite Brethren understanding of Scripture with regard to the teaching ministry and leadership within the church, with in- structions for application in the life of the church,1* It recog- nized the prevailing cultural changes and their implications for ministry and leadership. The conference affirmed the di- rectives as a biblical mandate to pray for God's call of leader- ship from within the church. Twenty years later, the General Conference of 1972 re- newed this concern over the shortage of ministers and pas- tors. Following is the admonition directed to the churches: There is today a shortage of ministers and pastors in our brotherhood. We now need more pastors for our churches than are becoming available. This shortage presses us to give this matter serious study and prayer. In addition to the shortage of ministers, a concern has arisen over the "one pastor" system in our churches. The roles both of the layman and also of the minister, are be- ing reexamined and hopefully adjusted so as to follow more perfectly the New Testament pattern. More and 230 HOW SHALL WE THEN BE LED? more, it is being recognized that lay people possess the gifts of the Spirit, and these thus become available to the ministry in the church. Historically, our churches selected ministers and pastors from their own midst. Some thus called went out for fur- ther education and returned to minister in their home congregation. Churches usually had a multiple ministry. Contrary to past practice, few churches today elect min- isters from their own ranks. We depend upon our schools or look to other sources from which to secure pastors when these are needed. Because most local congrega- tions no longer elect ministers, the churches have also shown decreasing interest and involvement in the recruit- ment of ministers. There is too little encouragement ("shoulder-tapping") and yet we recognize that (essential- ly), ministers must come from the local fellowships. In view of the situations above described, we affirm the following