Literature Review
Brad Poorman
The purpose of this literature review is to learn whether there is a need for online lay leader training, whether there are other programs offering this training, which tools and methods are used by those programs, and their success in developing communities of practice.
Online training has been studied and can be as effective as
face to face classroom training. Blake,
Gibson, and Blackwell noted that 248 studies indicate online learning is as
effective as classroom instruction (Blake, 2003). Sociologist Brenda
Brasher contends that just as the printing press did centuries earlier, the
Internet promises to initiate a religious Reformation (Brasher, 2001). Science commentator Margaret Wertheim has
argued Cyberspace has become for many a new location for spiritual yearning (
Yet some religious scholars such
as Quentin Schultze are concerned that the speed, enormity, and shallow
materials available on the Internet distract people from deeper spiritual
contemplation and therefore contribute to a more superficial life (
Surveys have shown how the
Internet has come to play a role in congregations and other religious bodies,
and how persons of faith use the Internet to extend their congregational
activities (Hoover et. al., 2004).
Is there a need?
Is there a need for trained lay leaders in the
In a survey of United Methodist congregational
development leaders, Anna Workman, director of congregational development for
the United Methodist Church’s Virginia Annual (regional) Conference, was
surprised that poor funding was not cited as the No. 1 cause of failed new
churches. In fact, money wasn’t even
mentioned. Instead, she heard grumbling, complaints and horror stories about
poor leadership. “It was an awakening for all of us to see that every one of
our fantastic failures had to do with leadership.” said Workman (Aldrich, 2003,
“Strong leaders”).
“Annual
conferences realize they must train their leaders and give them the necessary
tools to succeed,” says the Rev. Craig Miller, director of new congregational
development for the denomination’s Board of Discipleship. “The conferences that
really focus on developing a leadership pool for new and existing churches are
the ones effectively turning their conferences around” (Aldrich, 2003, “Strong
leaders”, ¶ 5).
The North Alabama Conference is a good example. In
1995, the conference held its first “academy for congregational development,”
to improve pastoral and lay leadership for new and existing churches. The
academy trains 30 people annually utilizing regional and national presenters,
and has a waiting list. The program uses
the latest technical resources and training materials to build leaders in
congregational development (Aldrich, 2003, “Strong leaders”).
Nine years later after its inception, most of its
270 graduates are involved in starting new congregations or revitalizing
existing ones. They have helped develop
a new paradigm worship experiences throughout the conference. During that time
period, the conference started 31 new churches in a range of settings from
rural to inner city. None have failed (Aldrich, 2003, “Strong leaders”). 15 of
the denomination’s 63
The Book of Discipline of the
Bishop Joseph Pennel of
The Rev. Jerome King del Pino, top staff executive
of the board, emphasized the need for global leaders for a global church.
"Amid the bewildering complexities of our 21st century world, what would
it take to form and nurture leaders who have vision, the spiritual and
theological grounding, and the intellectual and practical skills to lead the
United Methodist Church in faithful ministry in the 21st century?" he
asked. The church "is experiencing,
if not a crisis, (then a) deep ambivalence and confusion about the kind of
leadership it needs in the years ahead," he said (Green, 2004).
That confusion led the denomination’s top
legislative body, the 2004 General Conference, to establish a four-year study
commission to discuss and define the church’s understanding of lay, licensed
and ordained ministry (Green, 2004).
In response to the growing need the 2004 General
Conference also created a new lay position that will be known as a Certified
Lay Minister.
Bishop Gregory Palmer, is the newly elected
president of the board. Palmer leads the church’s Iowa Area. "The church and the culture(s) have no
greater need than well-prepared Christian leaders” (Green, 2004, ¶ 12).
Del Pino is an advocate for a learned leadership
and said the church needs global leaders for a global church that
"envision an education pipeline that stretches around the world, training
leaders with the spiritual, moral and intellectual wherewithal to lead the
church and the society in the midst of profound change."(Green, 2004, ¶ 18-20)
The inability to replenish the lay leadership is
easily one of the top reasons churches wither and die, as well as “the major
thing that burns out church shepherds,” says Dr. Bob Whitesel, a lecturer,
author and consultant on church growth and evangelism (Aldrich, 2003, “Getting
Christians”, ¶ 4).
Whitesel identifies leadership training and prayer
as the most common practices that lead to church growth. “One thing leadership
training does is acquaint people with what’s required for a task,” he says.
“Once they understand what’s involved, they will usually say, ‘That’s not so
hard. I can do that’” (Aldrich, 2003, “Getting Christians”, ¶ 5).
Whitesel notes that as a church grows, it has a
tendency to move leadership training to the back burner which results in a
plateau in growth and eventually a reversal.
He urges ongoing leadership training program beginning with an
“Introduction to Leadership” course (Aldrich, 2003, “Getting Christians”).
“We shouldn’t be prodding and pleading,” says
Whitesel. “We should be informing and training” (Aldrich, 2003, “Getting
Christians”, ¶ 9).
This need is not limited to the Methodist church. The Catholic Church has also determined there is a need for more trained lay leaders. Since 1965, the total number of Roman Catholic clergy members on the United States has dropped more than 48 percent. In that same period, the Catholic population in the United States has grown by 33 percent. More than 17 percent of parishes don’t have a resident priest (Arnone, 2005). In response they have made a push to increase their lay minister programs. “From 1985 to 2001, the number of lay ecclesial-ministry programs has doubled, to 314 nationwide, and enrollment has tripled, to 35,582” (Arnone, 2001, ¶ 11).
Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of
Also, a group of U.S. Catholic bishops along with lay
church and business leaders announced the formation of a group called the
National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management. “Its goal is to help Catholic dioceses and
parishes improve administrative practices and financial and human resource
management as the church confronts clergy shortages and the challenges of
training effective lay leaders “(“New lay group”, 2005, ¶ 2).
This emphasis has led more Catholic colleges to use distance education and
online programs to train their lay members to perform some ministerial tasks. The Satellite Theology Education Program at the University
of Notre Dame offers six noncredit courses online. Students can download their course material,
turn in assignments by e-mail, and participate in online chats. The program serves eight dioceses and has 300
participants. The program expects to add
the
There is some debate as to whether online courses
fit as well with Catholic teaching traditions as more traditional distance
learning techniques. The Loyola Institute for Ministry Extension at Loyola
University New Orleans, the largest grantor of lay ecclesial-ministry degrees
and certification in the nation, offers no online courses. Loyola offers 51 lay ministry degree and
certificate programs via distance education.
Participants are divided into groups of 12 and meet weekly. Currently there are more than 800 students
from 49 states and
Would online delivery
of lay leader training be accepted?
If religious or spiritual people do not use the Internet it
would limit the potential for online training.
64% of the nation’s 128 million Internet users have done something
online that relates to religious or spiritual matters. These online faithful are slightly more
active as Internet users that the rest of the Internet population. These 82 million people are devout and more
likely to be connected to religious institutions and half go to church at least
once a week (
Adequate connectivity would also be
a limiting factor and frustrate the participants. However, of the online faithful, 60% have
broadband connections (
When using the Internet for religious purposes, the online faithful seem most interested in supplementing their traditional faith practices and experiences. “28% of the online faithful said they had used the Internet to seek or exchange information about their own religious faith or tradition with others” (Hoover et. al., 2004, p. 7).
“Internet-based
programs—ranging from orientation classes to Bible study and online discussion
groups—are a growing trend among churches and other Christian ministries. Ease
of use and flexibility are key reasons, says Julie Lewis, online technical
coordinator for United Methodist Communications” (Elder, 2005, ¶ 5).
Is online training being used to address the
lay leader shortage?
“United
Methodist Communications created UM 101 in 2003, and the course already has
been used by more than 1,000 people to learn basics about the denomination”
(Elder, 2005, ¶ 7).
“In fact
we believe that the revolution coming in the following years, will bring an
increasing use of Internet technologies to teach, train, and equip the saints
for the work of ministry” (“Web as Ministry,” n.d., ¶ 2).
“Asbury
Theological Seminary has taken the lead in this regard among seminaries educating
United Methodists for the ordained ministry. Students can complete
fully 2/3 of a master of divinity degree without leaving their current location” (“Web
as Ministry,” n.d., ¶ 7).
“At
LifeWay Christian Resources, the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist
Convention, online Bible studies by author Beth Moore are among the most
popular, says Andrew Young, Internet service coordinator at LifeWay” (Elder,
2005, ¶ 10).
Some
churches are also introducing Internet-based classes and programs. At
“The
church's 4,000 members engage in Bible study and take Sunday school classes via
the Internet. There's even wireless Web access in the sanctuary, offering the
potential for interactive worship” (Elder, 2005, ¶ 13).
Who currently offers
online lay leader training?
It is important to know what other online and distance education programs aimed at lay leaders currently exist. Below are the programs I have identified.
|
Lay
Leader Training Program |
School/Organization Associated With |
Denomination |
WebSite |
|
Asbury
Online Institute |
Asbury
Theological Seminary |
Methodist |
|
|
Wesley
Ministry Network |
Wesley
Theological Seminary |
Methodist |
|
|
Equipping
Lay Ministry Program |
Wesley
Theological Seminary |
Methodist |
|
|
Continuing
Lay Training (CLT) |
|
Nazarene |
http://clt.nazarene.org |
|
Wilke
Institute For Discipleship |
Southwestern
College |
Methodist |
|
|
Lumicon
Worship Resources |
Lumicon
Digital Productions -UMC.org |
Methodist |
|
|
UDTSLearning.net |
University of Dubuque Theological Seminary |
Presbyterian |
|
|
Weyerhaeuser
Center for Faith and Learning |
Whitworth
College |
Presbyterian |
www.whitworth.edu/FaithCenter/ClergyLay/Certificates/LayMinistry.htm |
|
Symmetry |
|
founder is
Lutheran |
|
|
The
Academy for Spiritual Formation |
The Upper
Room |
Methodist |
|
|
UMCOMM
Training Center |
United
Methodist Communications |
Methodist |
http://www.umcom.org/pages/news.asp?class=1&Type=2&ID=932&product_id=0 |
|
Satellite
Theological Education Program (STEP) |
University
of Notre Dame |
Catholic |
|
How are these
programs delivered?
Knowing what delivery methods the other programs are using could be helpful when deciding how to deliver the training we are planning. There are several ways methods to deliver online courses. Some programs offered several options to obtain the course information.
|
Lay Leader Training Program |
Number of Certifications |
Number of Courses |
Facilitated Online |
Un-facilitated online |
Face-To-Face Training |
Mail Delivered Training |
|
Asbury
Online Institute |
2 |
4 |
|
Yes |
|
|
|
Wesley
Ministry Network |
|
4 |
|
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Equipping
Lay Ministery Program |
2 |
35 |
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
|
Continuing
Lay Training (CLT) |
7 |
35 |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Wilke
Institute For Discipleship |
|
7 |
|
Yes |
|
|
|
Lumicon
Worship Resources |
|
|
Yes |
|
|
Yes |
|
UDTSLearning.net |
1 |
16 |
|
Yes |
|
|
|
Weyerhaeuser
Center for Faith and Learning |
5 |
10 |
|
|
Yes |
|
|
Symmetry |
1 |
|
|
|
Yes |
|
|
The
Academy for Spiritual Formation |
1 |
|
|
|
Yes |
|
|
UMCOMM
training Center |
|
6 |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Satellite
Theological Education Program (STEP) |
5 |
25 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
What communication
tools were used?
In addition knowing what communication methods are being used by the other programs could be useful information. Besides the delivery of course content, a successful program should include ways to communicate with the participants.
|
Lay Leader Training Program |
e-mail |
Chat Rooms |
Forums |
Online Resources |
|
Asbury
Online Institute |
|
|
|
|
|
Wesley
Ministry Network |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Equipping
Lay Ministry Program |
|
|
|
|
|
Continuing
Lay Training (CLT) |
|
|
|
|
|
Wilke
Institute For Discipleship |
|
|
|
Yes |
|
Lumicon
Worship Resources |
Yes |
|
|
Yes |
|
UDTSLearning.net |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Weyerhaeuser
Center for Faith and Learning |
|
|
|
|
|
Symmetry |
|
|
|
Yes |
|
The
Academy for Spiritual Formation |
|
|
|
|
|
UMCOMM
training Center |
|
|
|
Yes |
|
Satellite
Theological Education Program (STEP) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Some of the site would only allow you in to these features if you were signed up for a course, but looking at the ones that did allow guests in, most of the forums or chat rooms did not have much participation which raises some concern.
What are Communities
of Practice?
“Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis” (Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder. 2002, p. 4).
“These people don’t necessarily work together every day, but they meet because they find value in their interactions. As they spend time together, they typically share information, insight, and advice. They help each other solve problems. They discuss their situations, their aspirations, and their needs. They ponder common issues, explore ideas, and act as sounding boards” (Wenger et. al. 2002, p. 4).
They form a bond by learning together and develop a satisfaction in knowing other colleagues that share their perspective and understand their problems (Wenger et. al. 2002).
You should not confuse knowledge with information. Knowledge is the ability to use and apply information based on practice and experience. An expert has accumulated not only a wealth of information but also an accumulation of their actions, thinking, and conversations. This knowledge is dynamic and part of their ongoing experience. This kind of knowledge is too important to lose and needs to be shared. This knowledge can only be passed on by interaction with others. It can be transferred through stories, conversations, coaching and apprenticeships; the type of interactions provided by communities of practice (Wenger et. al. 2002).
Can Communities of Practice be employed to
support lay leaders?
Can
Communities of Practice (CoP) be developed to support the continued growth and
development of expertise in lay leaders?
Renee Elder states, “Along with enhancing options for cyber-learning,
the Internet is becoming an effective community-building tool” (Elder, 2005,
¶19).
"The
hot item right now at Ginghamsburg is our Transformation Journal," says
Mark Stephenson, director of cyber-ministry and technology for the church
(Elder, 2005, ¶ 14).
“Weekly
introductory text and daily Scripture readings are offered in both paper and
online versions. In the online version, participants write journal entries that
are encrypted so they are only accessible by the author. The resource also
includes a community forum where participants can discuss topics online with
each other” (Elder, 2005, ¶ 15).
“We see ourselves in their postings, which causes us to stop and reflect on our own relationships,” says Jerry Warner, a member of the Ginghamsburg Web ministry team and a regular visitor to the church’s Fellowship site (Brown, 2005, ¶ 16).
“People here share more of themselves…I think it also helps some of us to say things that we might not have the courage to say in person” (Brown, 2005, ¶ 18).
“At the Church
of the Resurrection, a United Methodist Congregation in Kansas City, about 70
members, all in their 20s, interact daily through an online discussion board”
(Elder, 2005, ¶ 20).
“Online communities also work well when people are learning from others in the community. They enjoy asking for and getting advice, learning news, and getting practical information that helps them live their lives” (Brown, 2005, ¶ 21).
However, success is not guaranteed. “Many online communities fall apart when a small number of people dominate the ‘conversation’ or are extremist filibusters. It is better when lots of people participate and share their views and experiences,” says Lee Rainie, director of the Pew project (Brown, 2005, ¶ 20).
There are many reasons that a Community of Practice may not succeed, particularly when used in an online environment. Distance and cultural differences can make it hard to develop the personal connection and trust that is necessary to establish an open dialog among the members. Other times factionalism may poison the group as disagreements turn into religious wars. Cliques can form, or stratification can occur within a group which causes it to split (Wenger et. al. 2002).
At times they are just victims of their own success. Sometimes they grow too large and the members lose their identification with the group. Other times the group can become too close and outsiders do not feel welcome, or their ideas are rejected because the group has become egalitarian or dogmatic about their methods or ideas (Wenger et. al., 2002).
However, if these potential problems are identified early they can be corrected before the community dissolves. There are also methods and techniques that can be employed that will minimize problems (Wenger et. al., 2002).
Setting regular meetings will help establish a rhythm to the community and keep it in the member’s minds. Enable personal information to be shared so people can get to know one another. Set up regular conference calls or face-to-face meetings to help build relationships. Facilitate threaded online discussions to generate interest and interaction and develop the private space for the community. Related to and feeling responsible to other community members is a strong force for increasing participation and aliveness within a Community of Practice (Wenger et. al., 2002).
Conclusion
The United Methodist and
References:
Aldrich, M.W. (2003). Strong leaders make churches grow. United Methodist Communications. Retrieved November 7, 2005 from http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=5781
Aldrich, M. W. (2003) Getting Christians up from their pews: growing lay leadership in the church. United Methodist Communications. Retrieved 11/3/2005 from http://archives.umc.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=1&mid=5398
Arnone, M. (2001, Oct 19). Catholic colleges use distance education to train lay ministers. Chronicle of Higher Education, 48, 8, 34.
Asbury Online Institute. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2005 from http://www.aoi.edu/index.html
Blake, C., Gibson, J.W., Blackwell, C.W. (2003) Web-based Training: What supervisors need to know. SuperVision; Dec 2003; 64, 12; ABI/INFORM Global pg.3.
Brasher,
B. E. (2001). Give me that online religion.
Brown, V. (2005). Online Communities Connect Christians in Cyberspace. United Methodist Communications. Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://archives.umc.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=20&mid=6476&pagemode=print
Continuing Lay Training. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2005 from http://clt.nazarene.org
Elder, R. (2005, Oct 24). Online study is growing trend among churches. United Methodist Communications. Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://archives.umc.org/interior_print.asp?mid=10134&pagemode=print
Good
News for Parish Ministry. (1999, May 29).
Green, L. (2004). Church’s future depends on developing leaders. United Methodist Communications. Retrieved November 3, 2005 from http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=2&mid=5830
Institute for Discipleship. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2005 from http://www.institutefordiscipleship.org
LaRue, J.C. Jr. (1999, Mar/Apr). The Wired Pastor. Your Church. Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://www.christianitytoday.com/yc/9y2/9y2080.html
Lumicon Digital Productions. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2005 from http://www.lumicon.org/index.asp
New
lay group formed to improve church management. (2005, Mar 28).
Satellite Theological Education Program. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2005 from http://step.nd.edu/
Symmetery. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://www.symmetryorg.com/index.html
The Academy for Spiritual Formation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://upperroom.org/academy/
The Book of Discipline of the United
UDTSLearning. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://www.udtslearning.net
United Methodism 101. (updated 10/14/05). United Methodist Communications. Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://www.umcom.org/pages/news.asp?class=1&Type=2&ID=932&product_id=0
Web as Ministry: Discipleship. (n.d.). United Methodist Communications. Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=1&mid=4842
Wenger,
E., McDermott, R., Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating
communities of practice,
Wesley Theological Institute. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://www.wesleysem.edu/layministry