Evaluating My Ministry - Essay Example

Evaluating my Ministry Evaluate the emotional system of your current ministry context (or a ministry context from your past) and your function within it, using at least four of the following key concepts from Family Systems Theory and the Richardson text. Triangling (pg.120) Triangulation involves a third party barging in a conflict between two people1. This creates more anxiety and does not solve the conflict. As a pastor I try to engage the two parties to directly discuss their conflicts and not involve a third party that will mess with their emotions.

The pastor calls the parties in argument and let them discuss the problem in his or her presence if they cannot do it alone maturely. The conflict will therefore not escalate or end up hurting any of the two parties’ emotions. Under & over-functioning Under-functioning means that the pastor is not doing enough to take care of the emotions of the congregation. This may be as a result of the pastor’s lack of emotional autonomy or self- differentiation and this may therefore lead to the followers being groped with anxiety hence blaming each other or their pastors.

The pastor experiences burnout in over-functioning as a result of being weighed down by emotions of self and of the congregation in general2. The pastor therefore has to ensure that they balance their work and emotions to avoid over or under-functioning in order to maintain the emotional stability of the followers. Richardson, Ronald. Creating a Healthier Church: Family Systems Theory, Leadership, and Congregational Life. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996. Anxiety This is a debilitating feeling that makes individuals lack objectivity and hence end up blaming others, increase secrecy and even increase uncertainty of not only the particular individual but also of the others close to that individual.

Due to the negative emotions elicited by an individual that is anxious, the pastor has work to do to protect the rest of the followers as this may lead to differentiation. The pastor therefore has to come up with anti-anxiety ways that will ensure that the whole congregation is unified. Self-differentiation (pg.92) This involves the pastor first of all being aware of their own personal emotions and dealing with them effectively before he or she can deal with the emotions of others. Emotional stability and autonomy of the pastor will enable the rest of the followers to also be aware of their emotions and deal with them effectively3.

On the other hand, if a pastor is able to differentiate their emotions well, then he or she can be able to deal with the emotions of the rest of the followers without their emotions getting on the way. Richardson, Ronald. Creating a Healthier Church: Family Systems Theory, Leadership, and Congregational Life. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996. Reference Richardson, Ronald. Creating a Healthier Church: Family Systems Theory, Leadership, and Congregational Life. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996.