The Church in a Multicultural Context, Capacity Building and Evaluation for Transformative Ministry, (Chapter 11) New York 1995

1. Assessment of Pastoral Capacity

The research group members who studied and evaluated this task went through three stages. The first team, formed in 1990 when this research project began at Embury Church, consisted of seven members: Wanhee Yoon, Jean Liling, Edna Mai Quibell, Cliff Quibell, Lester Forrester, Matthew Singh, and Judy Singh. The second research group, formed between 1991 and 1993, was composed of seven members centered on Korean members of the Hallelujah United Methodist Church who established the interdenominational Korean-American Women’s United Missionary Society: Inkyung Choi, Yunkyung Choi, Hyekyung Min, Youngja Kim, Joy Park, Kwansu Kim, and Geumok Kim. The final third research group, from 1993 until March 1995, was composed of six members centered on Korean members of Lawrence Korean Church, where the pastor was appointed on October 1, 1993: Yongok Kim, Choonghee Lee, Yongbum Park, Youngkeun Jang, Yongdae Lee, and Sanghwi Kim. For all subsequent research group data, please refer to Appendix A.

Pastoral capacity evaluation was conducted four times and involved two stages. After the project began in September 1990, the Embury Church research group and the first pastoral evaluation took place between October 30 and November 13, 1990. Six research group members gathered in one place where the author explained the questionnaire. Then, they took the questionnaire home, completed it, and returned it to the author. This was a survey of the Embury Church research group’s expectations of the pastor’s role.

The second pastoral evaluation, belonging to the first stage, was conducted between September and November 1991 by nine members of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee, which serves as a bridge between pastors and congregants within the official organization of Embury Church after one year of project experimentation. The nine committee members gathered in one place to hear the author’s explanation of the questionnaire, took the questionnaire home, completed it, and submitted it to the committee chairperson, who compiled the results and returned them to the author. The questionnaire used was the pastor evaluation questionnaire employed in several annual conferences of the United Methodist Church [see Appendix A].

The second stage of pastoral evaluation occurred in June 1994, two and a half years later, when the third pastoral capacity evaluation was completed with responses from three of the six members of the Lawrence Church research group. After each research group member received the author’s explanation, they took the questionnaire home, completed it, and mailed it individually to National Computer Systems. The author also completed and sent a separate questionnaire designed exclusively for leaders. The material used at this time was the Campbell Leadership Development Survey (CLI), consisting of 100 questions (the leader’s version had 320 questions). Based on the computer analysis results, an eight-hour workshop was held on August 24 in Princeton.

The final, fourth pastoral capacity evaluation conducted in the second stage was performed using the Kouzes/Posner Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). The questionnaire, consisting of 30 questions [see results in Appendix A], was completed in September 1994. The six research group members gathered in one place to hear the author’s explanation, completed the questionnaire on the spot, and the author collected and mailed them to a “Creative Church Leadership” trainer of the United Methodist Church New York Annual Conference in advance. The author completed a separate questionnaire consisting of 15 questions for comparison. The evaluation results were shared on October 18, 1994, with about 20 pastors from the United Methodist Church New York Annual Conference participating in the “Creative Church Leadership” training.

2. Setting the Areas for Pastoral Capacity Development

To practice transformative church formation, it is necessary to establish a Korean church for Korean-American bicultural families attending existing American churches. For these families, and to fulfill the mission of liberating women through bicultural families and especially humanizing the Korean immigrant community in society, the pastor must develop abilities in the following two areas:

1) Leadership Ability

Leadership requires a clear self-identity and a definite leader. Leadership development, particularly for starting Korean-language congregations within existing American churches and establishing institutions for humanizing the Korean community, can be divided into two major aspects: first, humanity; second, mindset. A leader’s humanity consists of (1) fearless challenge toward new tasks, (2) wholehearted dedication to the work, and (3) coordination skills. For leadership development, it was decided to focus primarily on five areas:

(1) Challenging new tasks,
(2) Inspiring others with a newly built vision,
(3) Facilitating everything so others can act,
(4) Setting a good example to follow,
(5) Instilling the courage to believe “it can be done.”

Secondly, because leadership involves planning and promoting new initiatives, improving the mindset will greatly affect the effectiveness of such work. Therefore, leaders should equip themselves with “thinking tools.”

2) Counseling Ability

To help those who have lost themselves through alienation, psychoanalysis and counseling therapy are used to discover the true selves beneath their distorted identities. Through psychoanalysis and counseling, the process of self-confirmation—i.e., identity confirmation—is carried out. Afterward, the conscious self moves toward the dehumanized community. Especially for leaders, analytical and counseling skills are urgently required in today’s era. As community formation grows, there is an increasing need for leaders who understand human relationships and can heal wounded relationships. Since the family is the foundation of the world, it is believed that marital relationships hold the key to resolving all human relationships, making counseling and therapy methods for couples very important.

3. Implementation Strategies for Developing Pastoral Competency

To develop effective and capable leadership, thirteen senior pastors received a five-day training program provided by The Center for Creative Church Leadership from July 10 to 14, 1993. The training was led by Dr. James Pat Carlisle. It consisted of two major parts: first, Creative Leadership, and second, Six Thinking Hats. In addition, for the development of counseling ability, my wife and I participated in a two-day Relationship Therapy training from July 9 to 10, 1994, led by Dr. Harville Hendrix, which included a real couple undergoing divorce proceedings. Furthermore, from July 14 to 16, 1994, I attended a summer institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, hosted by the University of Minnesota, where 45 mental health professionals received training in psychoanalysis and counseling using the MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2).

1) Leadership Development

The purpose of leadership development is to plan for growth, to share spiritual richness with others, and to affirm life and its meaning through cooperative work, aiming to build a truly equal community where no one is an owner but all are servants of Christ. Authentic creative leadership is thus essential.

The creative leadership training was organized into four areas:

The challenge of leadership
Credibility
Persuasive negotiation techniques
Meditative prayer practices

First: The Challenge of Leadership 1

Conducted over seven hours, the first session introduced creative leadership as the ability to move Christians beyond a victim mentality. Training was delivered in the following five domains, each for one hour:

Challenging the status quo: This involves questioning all ongoing processes by:
- Seeking every possible opportunity
- Taking risks and embracing trial and error
Inspiring a shared vision:
- Envisioning and imagining the future while setting concrete goals
- Exploring all possible future scenarios
Enabling others to act:
- Encouraging collaboration and nurturing
- Empowering others to be strong
Modeling the way:
- Setting an example
- Creating small wins that foster a sense of accomplishment
Encouraging the heart:
- Showing gratitude for personal contributions
- Celebrating achievements together

Second: Credibility 2

The key to leadership lies in relationships, and relationships depend on trust. Leadership without credibility is ineffective. The core of trust is honesty. In surveys conducted among Americans, honesty consistently ranked first among desirable leadership qualities—83% in 1987 and 87% in 1993. 3

The trust-building process moves through cycles of:

Clarity
Union
Focus
Returning to clarity

These three components must remain interconnected. Training in trust development includes six steps:

Discovering the self
Appreciating the components of one’s character
Affirming shared values
Developing receptivity
Serving a purpose
Sustaining hope

Third: Persuasive Negotiation Techniques 4

What is the best way to work with people who are different? How can agreement be reached?

Identify the real issue:
Arguing over positions leads to poor agreements, is ineffective, and can damage long-term relationships—especially when multiple groups are involved.
Apply key principles:
- People must come before positions in negotiations.
- Every negotiator has two concerns: the issue and the relationship.
- Conflicts often entangle both.
Therefore, we must separate the relationship from the issue and address interpersonal challenges directly.

Methods include:

Separate people from the problem:
(i) Take the other’s perspective
(ii) Accept emotions without mirroring them
(iii) Practice active listening
(iv) Focus on solving issues, not confronting people
Focus on interests, not positions
Generate options for mutual gain
Insist on objective criteria

Fourth: Meditative Prayer Practices 5

This prayer method helps leaders remain centered whether in the midst of events or planning alone. It supports physical and emotional regulation during stress and promotes overall health. I incorporated Danjeon breathing 6 and Christian yoga 7 into the practice.

Steps include:

Sit or lie down comfortably. Perform abdominal breathing (Danjeon breathing) for 3 minutes.
Clear a Space:
- Ask yourself, “How am I?”
- Let your body respond.
- Greet each concern, then set it aside.
Felt Sense:
- Choose one concern.
- Sense its presence in your body.
Get a Handle:
- Identify the duality or core quality.
- Find a word, phrase, or image to match it.
Resonate:
- Check if the word/image matches the felt sense.
- Adjust if needed.
Ask:
- Ask, “What about this issue makes me feel ___?”
- Wait for the body to respond.
Receive:
- Welcome what came.
- Know it’s one step, not the final answer.
- Revisit if needed.

2) Six Thinking Hats 8

As a tool for creative thinking, the Six Thinking Hats method was introduced. People usually approach problems with mixed thinking—logic, emotion, opinions—all at once. This tool enables sequential thinking with clarity and effectiveness. When everyone “wears” the same hat together, consensus builds smoothly, and confusion is minimized.

The six hats and their functions:

White Hat: Focus on facts and information
Red Hat: Emotions and intuition
Black Hat: Critical judgment, pointing out potential problems
Yellow Hat: Positive logic, exploring benefits and feasibility
Green Hat: Creativity and alternatives
Blue Hat: Managing the thinking process itself

3) Development of Counseling Competency

(1) Relationship Therapy Training

This training was designed to heal broken marital relationships and to deepen already healthy ones. It consisted of three major parts:

First, the couple learns the “mirror-reflection” method of communication by examining how their personal growth history impacts their marriage and by improving their dialogue techniques.
Second, the couple undergoes training to recognize and adjust the unconscious power struggles and self-defensive behaviors that occur within the relationship. As part of this process, each partner secretly identifies something the other likes and prepares a surprise gift each month to bring joy and healing.
Third, the couple explores a transformative approach toward a “conscious marriage,” in which they intentionally commit to redefining their relationship. This includes drawing a new image of their partner and actively blocking emotional “exits” that may lead to invisible moments of separation or potential divorce.

(2) Analysis and Counseling Training Using MMPI-2 Psychoanalytic Data

First, the basic training was led by Dr. Kevin L. Moreland and included the following components:
- General Description of the MMPI-2
- Administering the Inventory
- Scoring the Inventory
- Validity Scales
- Clinical Scales:
  - Scale 1 (Hypochondriasis)
  - Scale 2 (Depression)
  - Scale 3 (Hysteria)
  - Scale 4 (Psychopathic Deviate)
  - Scale 5 (Masculinity/Femininity)
  - Scale 6 (Paranoia)
  - Scale 7 (Psychasthenia)
  - Scale 8 (Schizophrenia)
  - Scale 9 (Hypomania)
  - Scale 0 (Social Introversion)
- Interpreting the Entire Basic Profile
- Computer-Assisted Interpretation
Second, advanced counseling and therapeutic assessment training based on MMPI-2 data was led by Dr. Stephen E. Finn and covered the following:
- Goals and Theory of Therapeutic Assessment
- Flow Chart of a Therapeutic Assessment
- Initial Interviews
- Assessment Intervention Sessions
- Feedback Sessions
- Client-Directed Reports
- Case Examples
Third, the use of MMPI-2 in legal and forensic contexts was led by Dr. Stuart A. Greenberg and Dr. Kevin L. Moreland. The content included:
- Forensic Evaluation Practice
- Acquiring Forensic Competence
- Clinical Evaluation Versus Forensic Evaluation
- Forensic Boundaries
- Civil Forensic Evaluations
- Requesting Records
- Evaluation Results and Attorney Feedback
- Releasing and Declaration and Affidavits
- What to Do When Subpoenas Come
- Depositions and Testimony
- Forensic Applications of the MMPI-2
- The MMPI in Court: Landmark Legal Cases
- Explaining MMPI Basics in Court
- Context Effects
- Generating Hypotheses from Profiles
- Effective ministry cannot be produced without clearly established and consistently maintained standards and processes for evaluation. Therefore, it is crucial to set clear evaluation criteria, keep thorough records throughout the process, and regularly reflect on the outcomes. The following evaluation standards were used in monthly assessments conducted during the executive board meetings of the Korean-American Women’s United Mission Association.
- It is important to note that the two evaluation formats below represent:
- An evaluation of the implementation process of each project, and
- An evaluation of the results and overall impact after the project’s completion.

4. Evaluation Criteria for the Development of Pastoral Competency

Effective ministry cannot be produced without clearly established and consistently maintained standards and processes for evaluation. Therefore, it is crucial to set clear evaluation criteria, keep thorough records throughout the process, and regularly reflect on the outcomes. The following evaluation standards were used in monthly assessments conducted during the executive board meetings of the Korean-American Women’s United Mission Association.

It is important to note that the two evaluation formats below represent:

An evaluation of the implementation process of each project, and
An evaluation of the results and overall impact after the project’s completion.

Korean-American Women’s United Mission Association Evaluation Form

📅 Date: ______________________ (Year: 199___)

📝 Title or Nature of Today’s Meeting:

👤 Facilitator: _________________________________________

A. Content of the Topic

Section	Too Difficult	Good	Insufficient
1. Theory	☐	☐	☐
2. Practice	☐	☐	☐

B. Level of the Topic

Too Basic	Appropriate	Too Difficult
☐	☐	☐

Instructions:

Please check (☑) the box that best describes your evaluation.
Use the comments section on the back if needed.

Evaluation of the Leader

C. Presentation
Effectiveness: High Moderate None

Communication Skills ______ ______ ______
Emphasis on Key Points ______ ______ ______
Audio-Visual Materials ______ ______ ______
Printed Materials ______ ______ ______

D. When summarizing today’s leader’s performance, what number would you give from 1 to 10?
(10 means excellent, 1 means poor) ___________

E. When evaluating today’s meeting overall, what number would you give from 1 to 10?
(10 means excellent, 1 means poor) ___________

F. To make the next meeting more effective, in what areas should growth or improvement be made?

_____________________________________________________________________________

G. If you have any other advice, please feel free to share.

_____________________________________________________________________________

(If you wish, please fill in the following:)

Name: ___________________________

Attending Church: __________________________________________

Senior Pastor: ___________________________________

Thank you for participating today and giving your valuable advice. We promise to strive to make future meetings even more effective.

Korean American Women’s United Mission Society

2) Evaluation Form for Measuring the Impact Resulting After Implementation

Name: _______________________________ Phone Number: ______________

Organization Name: ___________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________

The Korean American Women’s United Mission is eager to receive your valuable opinions to make our service more effective.

A. Is your church (or organization) involved in the Korean American Women’s United Mission’s ministry for multicultural families?
( ) Yes ( ) No ( ) No, but would like to participate.

B. How much do you think your church members know about the importance of ministry to multicultural families?
( ) Very much ( ) Somewhat ( ) Not very much ( ) Don’t know well

C. If there have been multicultural families among your church members, have you ever fellowshiped with or helped them?
( ) No ( ) Yes
If yes, how did you help? _____________________________________

D. Do you think the church should volunteer to support multicultural families who are facing difficulties?
( ) Yes ( ) No

E. What kind of volunteer service do you think is needed?
( ) Prayer support
( ) Homeless shelter volunteering – for emergency cases
( ) Agape House volunteering – for long-term shelter
( ) Credit Union participation
( ) Newsletter – cooperation and subscription for community paper
( ) Nursery – volunteering to operate daycare and kindergarten
( ) Counseling center support
( ) Language school support
( ) Volunteer teacher for high school equivalency education
( ) Volunteer teacher for technical school
( ) Food pantry support
( ) Clothing pantry support
( ) Visitation for mental institutions / prisons / hospitals
( ) Active participation in community issues
( ) Volunteer police, volunteer firefighters, volunteer EMTs, parent associations, education committees, councils, hospital volunteers, nursing home volunteers, prison visits and leading Bible studies, etc. ________________
( ) Community center volunteering
( ) Support for sponsorship network
Other: ________________________________________________________________

F. Would you like to invite officers of the mission to your church to hear about multicultural family ministry in the New York area?
( ) Yes ( ) No

G. Are you or your church already engaged in ministry for multicultural families?
( ) No ( ) Yes, how many families or individuals? _____
Men: _____ Women: _____

H. If you or your church have not yet engaged in ministry to multicultural families, would you like to in the future?
( ) Yes ( ) No
If you do not choose to engage in multicultural family ministry, what is the reason? _____________

I. If a multicultural family were to arise in your own family, what would you do?

__________________________________________________________________________

J. Please give any advice or suggestions that the Korean American Women’s United Mission should pay more attention to.

___________________________________________________________________________

Thank you very much for your precious time.

Korean American Women’s United Mission

5. Comprehensive Evaluation on Pastoral Competency Development

1) Expectations of the Pastor’s Role 9

A survey consisting of 31 questions categorized the roles of a pastor into 31 areas, asking respondents to evaluate each role. This approach provides a more concrete and practical assessment of the pastoral role than a formal or abstract one. The questions themselves are descriptive, making them easy for congregants to understand and concrete for pastors to apply to their ministry.

Respondents were asked to choose one number from 1 to 5 for each question. The question was framed as follows:
“How important are the following functions of a pastor to you? If you believe it is of utmost importance, circle 5; if it is next in importance, circle 4,” and so on.

The 31 functions included:

Adult education
Community involvement
Pastoral care for the sick, dying, and bereaved
Leading public worship
Cooperation with church committees and departments
Maintaining prayer meetings and spiritual formation
Public speaking and media relations
Overseeing church departments, bulletin publication, documentation, and records
Resolving conflicts and promoting reconciliation in church programs, finances, and leadership elections
Preaching
Visiting and recruiting new members
Counseling individuals with personal problems
Conducting continuing education programs
Teaching and working directly with children, visiting Sunday school, giving children’s sermons
Helping victims of social injustice and collaborating with social welfare agencies
Working with and teaching youth through church school and events
Officiating baptisms, communion, weddings, and funerals
Encouraging families and individuals to participate in community and friendships beyond church events
Leading fundraising and building campaigns
Discussing personal spirituality and religious faith with individuals
Participating in denominational events, conferences, and district meetings
Introducing denominational events and programs to the congregation
Helping to plan and manage the church budget
Nurturing fellowship within church gatherings
Serving as a role model of high moral and ethical standards
Presenting overall vision and goals for church policies and programs
Identifying and training lay leaders through church activities
Regular home visitation of church members
Counseling individuals on major life decisions such as marriage
Providing new ideas for church events and plans
Inspiring enthusiasm and engagement in church events

The evaluation results revealed that the most important pastoral functions, in order, were: 10

Moral role model
Life of spiritual discipline and preaching
Care for the sick
Counselor
Worship leader
Administrator

2) The United Methodist Church’s Pastor Evaluation Questionnaire 11

This questionnaire includes 59 semi-structured multiple-choice questions, 5 open-ended questions, and 1 summary recommendation.

The 59 multiple-choice questions are divided into two major areas:

Personal Character (23 items), divided into 7 subcategories:
1. Integrity and credibility (2 items)
2. Evangelistic passion (3)
3. Interpersonal skills (8)
4. Self-reflection and professional growth (2)
5. Leadership style (3)
6. Theological and biblical understanding and tendencies (3)
7. Human participation (2)
Functions and Skills (36 items), divided into 8 areas:
1. Preaching (6)
2. Worship (5)
3. Administration (9)
4. Pastoral care (3)
5. Church and community involvement (2)
6. Christian education (4)
7. Denominational responsibilities (3)
8. Evangelism (4)

The 5 subjective open-ended questions are:

What does your pastor do particularly well?
What areas of skill should your pastor further train in to be more effective?
In what areas has your pastor shown growth over the past year?
What area of church ministry will demand the most of your pastor’s time in the coming year?
In what areas of the denomination’s work is your pastor involved?

Each multiple-choice item includes two parts:

Part A: The committee’s rating of the importance of the pastor’s ministry in the church:
1 = slightly important, 2 = important, 3 = very important
Part B: The actual performance evaluation of the pastor using a 5-point scale:
1 = poor, great need for improvement
2 = below average, needs attention
3 = average, satisfactory
4 = above average, desirable
5 = excellent, outstanding ministry

The Pastor-Parish Relations Committee considered the pastor to be especially strong in preaching, kindness, church growth, visitation, counseling, encouraging, and striving for a healthy church.
Areas for improvement included English proficiency.
Achievements from the past year included growth in new membership, improved English, and progress in education.
Focus areas for the upcoming year were youth group development, expansion of Bible study groups, and launching prayer groups.

3) Campbell Leadership Development Survey (CLI) 12

In this survey, research team members act as observers of the pastor and answer 100 questions. Each question is answered by selecting one of six options and shading the circle with a No. 2 pencil for computer analysis. The options are:

A = Always
U = Usually
So = Sometimes
O = Occasionally
Se = Seldom
N = Never

Pastors answer a separate 320-question survey selecting their preferences using five degrees:

LL = Strongly like
L = Like
l = Slightly like
d = Slightly dislike
D = Dislike
DD = Strongly dislike

Pastors and observers send their answers to the National Computer Systems (NCS) for analysis. Key leadership evaluation areas include:

Leadership
Activity level
Sociability
Dependability
Resilience

Psychological analysis of leadership is done in five areas:

Overall analysis
Leadership
Interests and skills
Team building
Community life (See Appendix E-4)

Comparative evaluations showed:

Leadership: Observers rated the pastor very high; the pastor rated themselves high but slightly lower than the observers.
Activity Level: The pastor rated themselves high; observers rated them moderately high.
Sociability: Observers rated very high; the pastor also rated high, but slightly below the observer rating.
Dependability: Both observer and pastor rated similarly high.
Resilience: Observers rated moderately high; the pastor rated slightly higher.

Pastors also completed a personal interest and skill inventory. The results assessed:

Influence – very high interest, skill exceeds interest
Organization – fairly high, with skill and interest aligned
Caring ability – high, with skill exceeding interest
Creativity – low, skill exceeds interest
Analytical ability – high, but skill lower than interest
Productivity – very low overall, skill exceeds interest
Risk-taking – both skill and interest are low

4) Kouzes/Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) 13

Both the pastor and observers completed separate 30-question surveys, the results of which were analyzed without their knowledge of how. The questions were sent to a computer lab for analysis. Key areas assessed were:

Challenging new initiatives – Observers rated 94%, pastor 82%
Inspiring a shared vision – Observers 98%, pastor 94%
Enabling others to act – Observers 80%, pastor 70%
Modeling the way – Observers 93%, pastor 90%
Encouraging the heart – Observers 95%, pastor 89%

6. Comprehensive Evaluation of Pastoral Competence

1) Expectations of a Pastor’s Ministry

According to the evaluation, the key functions of a pastor were ranked by the research group as follows:
(1) Moral role model,
(2) A disciplined life of spiritual practice and preaching,
(3) Care for the sick,
(4) Counselor,
(5) Worship leader,
(6) Administrator.

This shows that the relationship between the congregation and the pastor is primarily shaped by the pastor’s trustworthiness. In other words, trustworthiness is the lifeline of leadership. This concept is supported by Credibility and The Leadership Challenge by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner.

2) Evaluation Questionnaire of the UMC (United Methodist Church) in the U.S.

The Pastoral Support Committee evaluated the pastor as performing well in areas such as being approachable, preaching, kindness, church member growth, visitation, counseling, encouragement, and efforts toward church health. The area requiring the most improvement was English proficiency.

The previous pastor’s achievements were reported as growth in new members, improvement in English, and development in the area of education. Areas to focus on in the coming year include youth gatherings, expanding Bible study groups, and launching prayer groups.

3) Campbell Leadership Development Survey (CLI)

In the CLI, the research team rated the pastor’s leadership and sociability higher than the pastor rated himself. However, although activity level, dependability, and resilience all received high scores, the pastor rated himself higher than the team did. This suggests that greater effort should be invested in improving these qualities—activity, dependability, and resilience.

In summary, pastors should not directly carry out analytical and productive tasks but should instead identify and train leaders who can take on these roles.

4) Kouzes/Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI)

Overall, 80% of the research team agreed that the pastor facilitates action in others, while the pastor himself evaluated this ability at 70%. The pastor’s leadership needs further development to enable others to act freely and with ease.

When drawing a comprehensive evaluation of pastoral competency, it leads us to a foundational question: “Who is the pastor?”
This question fundamentally concerns pastoral identity. A pastor’s identity is not merely that of an individual—it must align with the identity demanded by the base community. Only then will the base community possess the proper leadership needed for ecclesial formation. The question of pastoral identity is one of the most fundamental inquiries for the Christian faith community.

1) Negative Definitions of Pastoral Identity

(1) The notion that a pastor is a “shepherd”
This implies a non-communal, authoritarian element within the church. The “shepherd and sheep” analogy is valid only when applied to Jesus Christ, our one true Shepherd. The idea of a pastor being a shepherd reflects a premodern, feudal, and authoritarian concept. All baptized believers are called to be disciples of Christ and are co-ministers of mission.

(2) The idea that only pastors are “clergy”
This creates a dualistic conclusion that only church work is holy while worldly work is sinful. However, all acts of volunteer service by believers are sacred. This widely used term no longer suits the times. The dichotomy between sacred and secular stems from dualism, which was characteristic of the medieval period before the Reformation. Jesus, Peter, and Paul never referred to themselves as clergy but rather saw themselves as messengers or servants.
In Protestant theology, all vocations are seen as divine callings (vocations from God), making all work sacred. Therefore, distinguishing between sacred and secular work or viewing only pastoral work as sacred blocks the church’s engagement with society. All baptized Christians are clergy.

(3) The notion that only pastors are “priests”
This risks elevating the pastor to a divine role, bordering on blasphemy. Pastors are merely servants acting according to the command of Christ, who is the head of the church. The “command of Christ” refers to decisions made through the consensus of the whole body of believers, grounded in Scripture and prayer.

Just as the title of “Shepherd” is meant for Christ, the title of “Priest” should not be applied to human pastors. In the Old Testament, a priest was a public official who served God on behalf of the people, offering sacrifices and acting as an intermediary. The act of offering sacrifices—confessing and seeking forgiveness on behalf of the people—defined the priest’s role. 14

In Protestant belief, each believer stands directly before Christ and receives forgiveness—a doctrine grounded in the biblical concept of justification. To require a priest as a mediator undermines this core principle and reflects a priest-centered religion that blocks direct access to God’s grace.

Today, whether pastors identify themselves or are identified by others as “priests,” this reflects a mistaken logic. The New Testament attributes the priestly role to Jesus Christ alone—especially emphasized in the book of Hebrews, which describes Him as the eternal High Priest.

Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, Protestant churches do not assign the status of priest to pastors. Rather, the Reformers opposed the Catholic priesthood and emphasized the doctrine of the “priesthood of all believers,” as found in 1 Peter 2:5,9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10; and 20:6. Thus, no one can claim priestly status in the church except Jesus Christ.

2) Affirmative Definition of the Identity of the Pastor 15

(1) The Pastor as a Righteous Person with Moral Conscience
Henry Nouwen advises modern pastors to turn from compromise with worldly systems and return to dialogue (prayer) with God. Pastors should be among the few righteous who can redeem corrupt communities. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for the lack of just ten righteous people shows the significance of moral conscience. These are not merely religious people, but a “creative and critical minority” with a deep ethical awareness—what Toynbee called the “creative minority.”
Christians and pastors are the light that exposes and banishes corruption and are the salt that preserves moral health. Such figures correspond to the “ten righteous ones” needed for a healthy community.

(2) The Pastor as Prophet
Nouwen encourages pastors and believers to shift from being “public stars” to genuine servants of God. Both pastors and lay believers are called to prophetic roles—receiving God’s word and conveying it to the world. The difference lies in training and calling: pastors receive both an internal call from God and an external call from the church, whereas laypeople may only have the internal call.
Therefore, pastors must have authority in interpreting the Word—not to please listeners, but to proclaim God’s righteous voice in a dark age. The biblical prophets were leaders who cried out in the wilderness for justice and human dignity, striving for social reform and the protection of the weak.

(3) The Pastor as Ambassador of Reconciliation
Nouwen also views pastoral work not as domination but as service—particularly, the ministry of reconciliation. This is about turning broken relationships into dialogue and building bridges, reflecting the cross of Christ. A pastor is an “ambassador of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:17).
This ambassador is not someone sent to the laity by God, but someone sent into the world on God’s behalf. All Christians are ambassadors of reconciliation, following Christ, who removed hostility and divisions, brought reconciliation, and built unity through His cross (Eph. 2:14–16).
Thus, all Christians—especially pastors—are called to be prominent representatives in the ministry of reconciliation, peace, and unity.

[Notes]

Kouzes, James M., & Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge: How to Get Extraordinary Things Done in Organizations, (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1987).
_______________, Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It, (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993).
Ibid., p. 14.
Patton, Bruce, Roger Fisher, & William Ury, Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, (New York: Penguin Books, 1981).
Gendlin, Eugene T., Focusing, (New York: Bantam Books, 1979).
Hwang Moo-Yeon, Danjeon Breathing Method, (Seoul: Uiyaksa, 1979).
Dechanet, J. M., Christian Yoga, (New York: Harper & Row, 1972).
Bono, Edward de, Six Thinking Hats, Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (Des Moines, Iowa: Advanced Practical Thinking Training, Inc., 1992).
See Appendix [E-2-1]
See Appendix [E-2-2]
See Appendix [E-3]
Kouzes, James M., & Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) Self-Assessment and Analysis, (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1993), p. 11. & See Appendix [E-5]
The Great Dictionary of Christ, (Seoul: Korean Christian Publishing House, 1972), p. 923.
Henry M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus, (New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1990).