by John Janka

The Rev. John Janka is an ordained United Methodist pastor and a member of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference, where he was a district superintendent for eight years and head of staff for 10 years. During this time, John managed the resource delivery system serving 365 congregations in southern New Jersey. He also managed the Conference visioning process, training programs for laity and clergy, and congregational revitalization.

John currently serves as an independent consultant to congregations and regional denominational structures. Previously he was an interim minister for First Presbyterian Church of Howard County in Maryland; prior to that he was the director of consulting and education for the Alban Institute. This Web resource is based on an essay he wrote for the book, www.congregationalresources.org, published by Alban in 2004.

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Introduction

The Alban Institute receives a steady stream of requests and inquiries regarding resources for clergy and congregational evaluation. Congregations often face the challenge of wanting to conduct an evaluation but finding they are ill equipped for the task. It is usually the case that congregations are looking for the "magic bullet" instrument or survey and have not taken time to examine some of the deeper subtleties of the purpose and process for the evaluation nor the assumptions out of which the evaluation is launched. There are dimensions of clergy evaluation that make this process unique and distinct from techniques commonly found in the corporate world. If this process is not approached thoughtfully, it can result in frustration, alienation, or conflict.

When considering the evaluation of the clergy leader and assessing the ministry of the congregation, there are significant foundational issues to be explored. Calling, self-knowledge, and the clergy and faith community’s prophetic role are central to shaping identity. It is important that the lay leadership of the congregation understands these issues and how they factor into the way clergy image and live out their role, and it is equally important that the clergy understand how these issues inform congregational ministry. An exploration of these issues influences how the congregation and the clergy frame the evaluation process and even helps in the shaping of questions to be asked.