Vernon F. Holstad, USA, wrote;
Can the Author do it alone?: Can the one who wrote the book entitled Can the pastor do it alone? to aid in developing a lay pastoring ministry — can he do it alone? And, does the Body in the local church need the larger Body? What began rather modestly in Cincinnati less than two decades ago address both of these questions. It had a rather unpretentious origin — the development of a lay pastoring ministry at College Hill Presbyterian Church by Dr. Mel Steinbron that has now expanded into international proportions. As a vision that lay people grew in Mel’s heart, he proved it by developing a working strategy for equipping lay people to pastor. As pastor and lay people from other churches learned of the developing lay pastoring ministry in College Hill, they began to beat a path to the door requesting assistance and training for their lay pastors ministry. A better “mousetrap” had been discovered! Such a critical need was being addressed that in 1986 Regal Books asked Dr.Steinbron to write a book. It was published under the title, Can the Pastor Do It Alone?
Modest beginning! Good news, however, cannot be contained! There a growing awareness that other churches needed to learn from the model of lay pastoring at College Hill, and this pioneering church desired to learn from other churches as well. Thus, the first Consultation on Lay Pastoring was held in Cincinnati in 1984 with about 25 attending. the pastor could not do it alone!
Just as a taste of the goodness of Christ causes a hunger for more (Phil. 3:10), the first Consultation created a desire for more help in lay pastor equipping and resources. Four successive Consultations indicated that we not only needed to learn from Mel Steinbron but many others had experience and wisdom to share as well. God seemed to be unleashing the laity for ministry — the theme of the 1989 Consultation. The goals of the consultation were stated in only three works — To know, Grow and Glow, but encompassed far-reaching objectives for pastors and lay people alike. It was obvious the pastor could not do it alone!
But could the author do it alone? Was this only a private vision by a man, Mel Steinbron? And what about the churches. Are spirituals gifts exercised toward the whole church and do we — should we –expect of any kind of relationship with or commitment to each other as churches? Within less than half a decade, the vision of providing equipping and support to other churches by Mel and begun to be shared and owned by others. A Consultation Planning Task Force worked along with Mel to plan each successive consultation. After all, could the author do it alone?
And, although it has not included a subscription fee or formal covenant agreement, a number of pastors and churches by their interest, participation and vision for lay pastoring have become a part of an informal lay pastoring network. Not only does the quarterly “Network News” edited by Mel provide invaluable resources ideas, information and training, it tends to united and bind us in common bonds of labor for Christ.
But to quote Mel’s quote of someone else (a good reason to question this writer’s editorial credentials!), “What do you do with a baby elephant?” Answer — “Let it grow up!” Thus the Lay Pastors’ Ministry Network is growing from infancy toward adolescence.
That which at one time was primarily a consultation in which participant basically conferred with each other has now become a conference because we have something to offer: vision, experience, equipping. From the eight workshops in the first Consultation, we expanded to included twenty-two equipping seminars of very high quality in the 1990 Conference.
But, can the author do it alone? Can a Body (individual church) do it alone? Additional growing steps (and pains?) were taken at Montgomery last spring when a Network Leadership Team was formed to stand with Mel, share his vision and assume leadership responsibilities. Although steps were a little tenuous and cautious, a mission statement was adopted, and a Network Leadership Team of 15 members was proposed, with a steering committee appointed to begin plans for the 1991 International Conference to be held in Grand Rapids. Old men are dreaming dreams; younger men are developing a vision; and both men and women are sensing the Spirit’s presence.
There is a growing conviction that God is in the Lay Pastors’ Ministry Network and that it is greater than any one of us or all of us combined. Where will the Lay Pastors Ministry Network go from here? Only God knows for certain. But, answers to our earlier questions have been somewhat illuminated. Can the author do it alone? Does a Body (local church) need the Body. What do you think?
(Vernon F. Holstad), Network Co-Coordinator
