Restructuring of Rhema A Mega Church

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A
by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752
ASSIGNEMENT 3 INTEGRATED THEOLOGICAL PRAXIS
CAPSTONE PROJECT
THE RE-STRUCTURING OF RHEMA BIBLE CHURCH, A CHARISMATIC/PENTECOSTAL MEGA-CHURCH
By Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752
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Contents: Declaration A. Introduction: 1. Abstract: 2. Background to this Project: a. Rhema as my Community and Authentic Context: b. Overall Focus of this Project: c. The Problem this Project Addresses: d. My Personal Insertion (Interests) in this Project: e. My Intended Intervention: B. Outline of this Project C. Discussion Points: SECTION 1: Review of Existing Organizational Structures: 1. Theological Considerations: Church: i. The Five-Fold Gifts: ii. The Ministry Gifts: iii. The Motivational Gifts: b. The MINISTERIAL ETHOS of Rhema Bible Church: i. Spiritually Vibrant: ii. Evangelically Potent: iii. Morally/Prophetically Relevant: iv. Socially Significant: c.
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a. The FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY PARADIGM of the Charismatic/Pentecostal
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Theological Assessment of the Former Rhema Organizational Structure, in terms of Roles and Position Holders: i. Pastor Ray McCauley, SENIOR PASTOR: ii. Church Elders, ADVISORY BOARD: iii. Senior Leadership, MANAGERIAL COMMITTEE: iv. Independent Members, FINACIAL ADVISORY BOARD: v. Heads of Departments, ADMINISTRATION, PROJECT PLANNING, PASTORAL CARE, MISSIONS, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS, RHEMA AUXILIARY SERVICES: 19
2. Regulatory Considerations: a. The South African Context: b. Relevant Legislation: 3. Experiential & Operational Nature of Existing Structures:
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Content a. My Experience of Rhema Bible Church: i. As a Active MEMBER: ii. As a EMPLOYEE:
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iii. As an ADMINISTRATOR of the Young Adults Ministry: iv. As a PROJECT PLANNER: b. Organizational Culture and Values: i. Generational Dynamics & Stereotypes: ii. Technological: SECTION 2: Theological Analysis of the Church, in relation to its contemporary context and nature as Organization: 1. Ecclesiological Considerations and Hypothesis: a. The Church as Organism vs. Organization: b. The Church as Other-worldly / God-ordained Institution: c. The Church as Organization: d. The Church as System vs. Structure: e. The PRIMACY of the CHURCH: i. As Spiritual: ii. As People: iii. As Servant: 2. Strategic Ministerial Considerations: a. Meeting the Needs: b. Efficiency, Faithfulness and Stewardship: c. Prioritization and Sustainability: 31 3. Projection of Future Development to be considered: a. Future Membership Possibilities: b. Future Leadership Possibilities: c. Future Management Challenges: 32 4. Proposed Development Framework and Paradigm: a. Theological Paradigm: b. Organizational Paradigm: 5. Outcome and Proposal: a. Leadership Recommendations: b. Developmental Recommendations: c. SECTION 3: Management Recommendations: Development of a Structure based on Organizational Efficiency, within the framework of the outcome of the aforementioned Theological Analysis: 34 33 30 26 26 25
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Content 1. Operational & Practical Considerations: a. Spiritual vs. Organizational Leadership: i. Spiritual Leadership: ii. Organizational leadership: b. Operational Management: i. Ministerial Management: ii. Managerial Management: c. Budgeting and Financial Control: i. Internal Communications: ii. External Communications: 2. Listing and Placement of Teams & Members: a. Pastor Ray McCauley, SENIOR PASTOR: b. Senior Pastors, DISTRICT PASTORS: c. Zone Pastors, GEOGRAPHICAL PASTORAL CARE: d. Ministerial Heads, AGE/GENDER-SPECIFIC PASTORAL CARE: e. Ministerial Heads, SUPPORTIVE MINISTRIES: f. Managerial Departments: 1. Administration, ADMINISTRATOR: 2. Project Planning, PROJECT PLANNER: 3. Media, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS: g. Structural Bodies within the Structure: i. Ministerial Steering Committee: 1. Pastoral Team (Geographic): 2. Pastoral Team (Age/Gender): 3. Supportive Ministries: ii. Managerial Steering Committee: 1. Administration: 2. Project Planning: 3. Media: iii. Executive Board h. Structural Cooperation, Balance and Synergy: SECTION 4: Proposal and Implementation of the new Structure: d. Communication:
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1. Proposal and Implementation: 2. Benefits of the New Structure: D. Conclusion: E. Bibliography: 47 48
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DECLARATION
I declare that THE RE-STRUCTURING OF RHEMA BIBLE CHURCH, A CHARISMATIC / PENTECOSTAL MEGA-CHURCH is my own work and that all sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of a complete reference
Marius Oosthuizen
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A. Introduction: Disclaimer: This project and its contents in no way presents the official position of Rhema Bible Church or its leadership on matters contained herein. All comments are thus made, subject to change and objection by the parties referred to. The purpose of this project is to present an academic review of the restructure of Rhema Bible Church, and to further the general well being of Rhema Ministries and its patrons. Furthermore, none of the contents of this project may be use by third party without prior permission from the author and parties represented herein, and is deemed confidential. 1. Abstract: The purpose of this project will be the strategic review and re-structuring, firstly from a theological point of view, and secondly from a organizational point of view, of the organizational structures of Rhema Ministries, in particular, Rhema Bible Church, a Charismatic/Pentecostal Mega-Church. 2. Background to this Project: a. Rhema as my Community and Authentic Context: I am a member and employee of Rhema Bible Church, Randburg, South Africa. As such, in my aforementioned capacity, I am involved in both the faith community and day-to-day operations of Rhema. Rhema currently has a membership of approximately 40 000 and holds five weekly worship services constituting a total attendance of between 12 000 and 14 000 adults and children. Rhema is also the home base of various ministerial initiatives and entities such as Rhema Bible Collage , Hands of Compassion , Rhema Television and Rhemas Trading Division . Furthermore, multitudes of smallscale religious activities take place monthly under the auspices of Rhema, including; community upliftment and evangelic outreaches, home fellowship meetings , youth meetings, womans fellowship meetings and Christian resource production. As such, Rhema Bible Church constitutes my place of worship, place of work, community of friends and fellow Christians and thereby an authentic context within my life, for this project.
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A Training Collage, presenting a three-year diploma in Ministerial Training. A Social Justice Ministry offering diverse programs for community upliftment. 3 A Television Production Company, providing production services to various Rhema initiatives. 4 A Trading Division, providing publishing and merchandising services to the Rhema group. 5 Christian meetings held in individual Christians homes where Bible-reading, Prayer, Worship and discussion takes place.
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b. Overall Focus of this Project: It is hoped that somewhat of the essential organization of the Early Church, depicted in Acts chapter 15, can be revived. This implies a re-structuring that results in a scenario where, the local church has much liberty not ruled rigidly by a central hierarchy. (Duffield and Van Cleave 1983:422) The nature of this project is interdisciplinary, as it aims to bring theological perspectives, faith practices, organizational imperatives and managerial practicalities into harmony, to be implemented tangibly. In doing so the goal is realigning organizational resources, including managerial talent, is a way that provides the firm with new capabilities capabilities aimed at innovation and responsiveness to customers. (Floyed and Wooldridge 1996:25) Furthermore, it is sought to achieve this result within the context of the South African State, society and legislative framework. As such, the focus of this project is largely Ministerial in that is seeks to provide a practical aid for real-life ministerial needs, being the functioning of a mega-church, in context. Secondary to its ministerial focus, the project seeks to be scripturally based, systematically sound, ethically informed and spiritually rooted, thereby setting a sound basis for application in praxis. It seeks to apply the theological perspectives of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movement to the realities of Church structures and organizational necessities. c. The Problem this Project Addresses: Rhema Bible Church has been in existence for almost thirty years and has grown into a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional mega-ministry. Over this time some of the organizational structures of the church, initially implemented to coordinate and manage the ministry efficiently, have become outdated and ineffective. Furthermore, the nature and context the church is fluid and requires a dynamic approach to the implementation corporate strategy, through contemporary means, to meet is spiritual and practical operational needs efficiently. The said outdated structures, both Ministerial as well as the Managerial , are constantly in need of reorganization and strategic amendment to better facilitate the process of ministry. This scenario is compounded by the fact that, since Rhema has existed for more than a quarter of a century, there is a
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Pertaining to the faith-based activities of Pastoral Care and other spiritual services, provided by the church. Pertaining to the organizational administration of the church in context.
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pressing need for the development of contingency and strategy for Rhemas future, especially in terms of human resources. d. My Personal Insertion (Interests) in this Project: As I am extensively involved in- and committed to Rhema Church, I would like to review, from both a theological and organizational point of view, the existing structure, and the challenges and obstacles it presents. I intend then to propose an amended structure and the possible benefits it proposes. It is my view that the aforementioned project will constitute my constructive role, and authentic task within my given context. I will thus not only be participating in the church as a recipient and beneficiary of its endeavors, but contributing to it and to how to better achieve its objectives. e. My Intended Intervention: In the development of an organizational structure for Rhema Bible Church, I would like to document the theological basis for the manner in which Rhema Church, primarily as Spiritual Organism, secondly as God-Ordained Institution, and thirdly as Contemporary Organization can exist and function effectively. Within this study I plan to discuss the intricate dynamics that the co-existence of these divergent realities that the notion of a church, as entity, present.
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B. Outline of this Project As per Figure 1 below, the Project will consist of Four Phases:
Fig. 1 Summery of Project Content: Review of Existing Organizational Structures: 1. Theological Considerations. 2. Regulatory Considerations. 3. Experiential & Operational Nature of Existing Structures.
Theological Analysis of the Church, in relation to its contemporary context and nature as Organization: 1. Ecclesiological Considerations and Hypothesis. 2. Strategic Ministerial Considerations. 3. Projection of Future Developments to be considered. 4. Proposed Development Framework and Paradigm.
Development of an Organizational Structure, within the framework of the aforementioned Theological Analysis: 1. Operational & Practical Considerations 2. Listing and Placement of Teams & Members. 3. Contextual Considerations.
Proposal and Implementation of the new Structure: 1. Presentation of Proposed Structure.
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C. Discussion Points: SECTION 1: Review of Existing Organizational Structures: As per Figure 2 below, the organizational structure of Rhema Ministries is a typical hierarchical organization. This is illustrated by the numerous horizontal levels presented in the structure as well as the clear vertical distinction between various departments that together constitute the entity. Figure 2. Former Rhema Ministries Structure as at 6 July 2006:
In the aforementioned figure we see Pastor Ray McCauley presented as the Senior Pastor of Rhema Church and simultaneously the organizational head of the collection of ministries that Rhema represent. Below Ps McCauley, we see reflected the Management Committee and beside that the Financial Advisory Board of the organization. I must note, that the Advisory Board, a body of which Ps McCauley is the Chairman, and to which he and the Management Committee report, are not reflected in the diagram. These three bodies, the Advisory Board, Financial Advisory Board and Management Committee constitute the senior organizational leadership of Rhema Ministries. The second tier of leadership consists of the various Head(s) of Department(s) or HODs that manage and oversee departments such as Administration, Training, Social Services, Media, Music Ministry, Project Planning and Pastoral Care. These department heads are responsible both strategically and managerially for the departments they oversee. As such they are required to employ a broad set of skills, both Ministerial and Managerial, depending on the nature of the department they manage.
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Thirdly, we see within the scope of these major departments a number of smaller managerial and ministry units aimed at addressing particular organizational or ministry needs. These include, among others; Information Technology, Human Resources and RBC (Rhema Bible Collage), Sound, Records and ministries such as New Convert Counselors, Youth, Literacy and Deaf Ministry. Due to the traditional
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nature of Rhemas organizational structure, as a typical
organizational hierarchy, we see these diverse initiatives being swept under the same brush so to speak, in terms of resource allocation, management approach and organizational culture. This is problematic in practice, particularly in the context of the church, in that the organizational culture and processes required to effectively manage a department, and that required to lead a ministry are extremely divergent. This statement will become substantiated in the context of further discussion herein. 1. Theological Considerations: a. The FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY PARADIGM of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Church: The Bible, particularly in the New Testament, provides us with a substantial presentation of the Apostles understanding, albeit implicitly, of the functioning and nature of the local
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Christian church. We see their
understanding reflected particularly in portions of scripture such as Ephesians chapter 4, dealing with what is widely referred to as the Five-fold Ministry Gifts, 1 Corinthians chapter 12, dealing with what is known as the Ministry Gifts and Romans chapter 12, dealing with what is referred to as the Motivational Gifts. A discussion and understanding of these is essential as they provide the framework within which the structure will be developed. These gifts or forms of charismata are understood in the
Charismatic/Pentecostal context, to be various modes of operation whereby the members of the church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, interact and contribute in the functioning of the Church, as the Body of Christ, the felt expression of Christ on earth. In this sense, one may distinguish between the Five-Fold gifts as those that constitute the office bearers or authoritative leadership of the church. These are described as Officers stricktly by Divine appointment of the exercise of a spiritual gift (Duffield
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Traditional: Referring to the hierarchical organizational structure indicative of the corporate environment. Local: Referring to the single community of believers in a particular geographic location.
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and Van Cleave 1983:424). In comparison. the Ministerial and Motivational gifts, being the secondary gifts operating within the matrix of the Churchs members themselves, as they minister one to another. It is important to note that the gifts are not personified in a single person or persons, having one or more gifts, but understood as a spiritual dynamic whereby the Holy Spirit operates through the individual as He (Holy Spirit) wills according to the need at the time. In this sense it is possible and normal for a Five-Fold Minister to operate ministerially in one or more of the secondary gifts as well and visa versa, for a lay member to operate to an extent measure in a five-fold gift. One can furthermore distinguish between the Ministerial and Motivational gifts as those that are spiritually endowed versus those that are inherently present in the natural make-up of the person. In so doing, the various temperaments, personalities and natural acumens of individuals are seen, within the context of the Body of Christ, and from a Charismatic/Pentecostal point of view, to be special gifts to the body in service of the ministry and the Gospel. i. The Five-Fold Gifts: These are described scripturally to include; The Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. Five-Fold Gifts are central to the functioning and success of the church. These gifts can be briefly described as follows: Apostle: Prophet: Evangelist: Pastor: Teach: sent one for edification, exhortation and comfort preaching of the Gospel shepherd the Flock for the instruction of Believers
Scripture illustrates the purpose for each of the five-fold gifts. We see the Apostle Paul traveling to areas where the Gospel had never been heard and declaring it to the people, and the emergent churches in those areas as a result. We see the gift of prophesy operational in the book of Acts to encourage both the Apostle and the church. Paul admonishes Timothy to do the work of an Evangelist as the established church begins to grow. The Pastoral Epistles teaches us the guidelines of shepherding the flock through correction and exhortation. Finally, the necessity for teaching becomes evident as the Apostle urges for the maturing of the saints. This synergy of
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forces created by the five-fold gifts is the embodiment of Christs resolve to build His Church, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail. This synergy is referred to herein as the Five-Fold Ministry Mechanism.
Figure 3: The Five-Fold Ministry Mechanism Figure 3 represents the dynamics that ensue as a result of the operation and interaction of the five-fold ministry gifts. As illustrated, the Apostle is at the forefront in taking the Gospel beyond its present sphere. The Prophet and Evangelist exhort and encourage the Apostle in supportive roles while drawing interest around the Apostolic message. In the wake of these three gifts there emerges the Local Church scenario, shepherded by the Pastor and edified by the Teacher. These five divergent ministry roles at times feature within the ministry of a single person and at times within the scope of an existing faith community, where a renewal of belief or faith practice is taking place. With the aforementioned in mind one can see from the structure of Rhema in Figure 2 that no particular provision is made for the role of the five-fold-gifts in particular. This is peculiar since Rhema has historically embraced the five-fold ministry paradigm. Additionally, one can note that Pastor Ray McCauley is titled Pastor, the fourth of the five-fold gifts. The significance of this point will become prevalent as we discuss the proposed new structure. ii. The Ministry Gifts:
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These are described as including; Discernment, Faith, Healing, Helps, Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, Miracles, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, and appear to be spiritual feats as opposed to practical abilities. It is again prevalent from Figure 2 that no particular provision is made for these gifts in the structure of Rhema. This is largely due to their volatile nature and the organic manner in which they function.
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we see here the need to make provision for these gifts, not mechanically and structurally, but rather by allowing space or occasion for them to operate within the structure we create. iii. The Motivational Gifts: These are described as including; Prophecy (Perception), Serving,
Teaching, Encouraging, Giving, Ruling (Leadership) and Showing Mercy, and appear to be practical abilities as opposed to spiritual feats.
It is fairly easy to identify provision for the gifts of Serving, Teaching, Giving, Ruling and Showing Mercy within the structure as one can identify a need for them, and their relevance in the various departments indicated in the structure. What is noteworthy though is the manner in which there appears to be little or no distinction between these gifts and the ministerial gifts, in the sense that they are placed on an even keel. It would appear that activities or their resultant contexts within the realm of ministry, of the Ministerial gifts, seem to be dispersed among that of the Managerial gifts, and visa versa. In terms of the aforementioned gifts then, one may say that they are provided for more incidentally than intentionally, if at all, in the former structure of Rhema. As a Charismatic/Pentecostal Church then, known for the diversity of these spiritual operations, we see very little evidence of these gifts, or their role, being considered in the formation of the organizational structure implemented to manage the ministrys operations. In practice, the Ministerial and Motivation gifts are often grouped, referred to, and understood as Supportive Ministry, which exists as a secondary ministry relied upon by the primary five-fold ministry. By implication one finds that certain ministers work to support the endeavors of
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Volatile/Organic: Referring to the unpredictable, incidental and expressive nature.
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others, usually more senior ministers. The primary ministry objectives are therefore achieved through the service and work provided by the secondary ministry. As we will illustrate through this study, Supportive Ministries play a vital role in furthering and strengthening the efforts of the five-fold gifts and therefore the local church at every level. Although the most visible part of a ministry or church is often the Pastor or the Preacher, one needs to recognize that there is always a team of people behind-the-scenes working hard to achieve a unified purpose. Another major reason for the need for these supportive ministries is that a ministry does not operate or exist in a void. Although the church is seen to be a God-ordained entity, it functions within the complex realities of this present world. As a result there are numerous practical implications to running a successful ministry organization. These seemingly secular departments of the ministry form part of the overall supportive ministry structures. Below is a simple illustration of the Biblical structure of the church: CHRIST As the Head of the Church APOSTLE, PROPHET, EVANGELIST, PASTOR, TEACHER Embodying the Five-Fold Gifts ALTER-MINISTRY, INTERCESSORS, USHERS, MUSIC MINISTRY, COUNSELORS, INFORMATION DESK & OTHER MINISERIAL INTERACTION Facilitating the Ministry Gifts FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION, HUMAN RESOURCES, EVENT MANAGEMENT, MISSIONS & SOCIAL SERVICES, COMMUNICATION, TELEVISION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Facilitating the Motivational Gifts THE CONGREGATION AS NETWORK OF MINISTERS The Matrix of Ministry and Motivational Gifts of the Members One example of a Biblical supportive ministry in the early church is found in Acts 6, where we see the organizational needs of the local church outgrow the practical capacity of the apostles. People are chosen from amongst the congregation to take responsibility for, and manage these needs. The requirement the apostles gave for these helpers was honesty, being full of the
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Holy Ghost and wisdom. By delegating responsibility to these helpers the apostles were able to focus on prayer and the preaching the Word of God. We see the apostles laying their hands upon the helpers and praying for them as they were appointed to these positions. The result of the appointment of these supportive ministers was that the Word of God increased and the number of the disciples was multiplied. We also see miracles taking place as one of the supportive ministers, Stephen, ministered and spoke to the people. Interestingly we see this same Stephen preaching in the next chapter, an example of five-fold operation, possibly indicating a progression from Motivation-, through Ministerial- to Five-Fold Gift involvement. These gifts then form the basis of our understanding of the Local Christian Church. b. The MINISTERIAL ETHOS of Rhema Bible Church: An understanding of the ethos of Rhema Church will provide further insight into the tensions/forces that ought to guide Rhemas operations and by implication, the nature of Rhemas organizational structure. In order to fully comprehend the implications of the ethos of Rhema, some comments on Pastor Ray McCauleys leadership style are needed. Pastor Ray has not only founded but continues to lead Rhema through its development at every stage, and does so at present. His leadership has proven to be visionary, dynamic and comprehensive. A specific characteristic of Pastor Rays leadership seems to be an inclination to set the direction while allowing subordinates at various levels of the organization to flesh out the content of Rhemas various initiatives. This balance between top-down leadership and bottom-up initiative has proven to be a winning formulae in practical ministry over many years. As part of this approach, Pastor McCauley developed and implemented a ministerial ethos that has guided Rhema for many years. This ethos is made up of four notions or ideals, often called pillars, aimed at through and throughout the ministry, namely; being Spiritually Vibrant, Evangelistically Potent, Morally/Prophetically Relevant and Socially Significant. i. Spiritually Vibrant:
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This pillar as it has been called, refers to a characteristic of spirituality that transcends mere religious tradition and ritual, and demands a deep inner spiritual reality that expresses itself on a continual basis. Expressive worship and engaging preaching are just some of the marks that have been common of Rhema over the years. This vibrancy goes much further than Rhemas worship services though, and is aimed at within every sphere of Rhema. Thus, it is out of this inner life with God that all Christian service is expected to flow. Michael Green describes this dualism in the statement, Worship is half of the purpose of the Church: the other half is mission, in its broader sense. (Water 2000:202) If one had to identify a specific department that exemplifies this aspect of the ethos, it would be most likely be the Music Ministry, responsible for providing support in the areas of Worship throughout the ministry. By implication, when considering the structure in Figure 2, one would be nave to expect particular provision for this aspect of the ethos of Rhema within only one part of the structure. Instead, it would be viable to consider the question of whether every department represented, and every member thereof, portrays this characteristic of being spiritually vibrant? It would follow that, should the answer to that question be yes, the result would be Spiritual Vibrancy throughout the structure, organization and thus the whole entity. A statement of Ps McCauleys that exemplifies this notion is, if you are on fire for God, others will come to watch you burn referring simultaneously to the Missional drive of the church. ii. Evangelically Potent: Being evangelically potent would require that the Gospel remain central to everything that Rhema stands for and does, and a concerted effort is made to present the Gospel to non-Christians. In so doing, not only the ideological view of the Gospel, but the charge to evangelism remains in focus. The Great Commission of Jesus in Mark chapter 16 then becomes fundamental to everything Rhema strives to accomplish. Similarly to the first of the pillars, being evangelically potent cannot be relegated to a specific department, but expected to be prevalent in the make-up and strategy of that which each and every
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department seeks to accomplish. This is evident in that the climax of Rhemas worship services, usually culminate in an Alter Call, inviting people to confess their faith in the Gospel. The same can be said of Rhema Television, which being funded entirely by the Rhema congregation, emphasizes a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, more so that presenting a mere ideology or doctrinal view. It is obvious though, that provision in the structure for New Convert Counseling and Missions are specialized departments that focus specifically on giving substance to this part of the ethos. iii. Morally/Prophetically Relevant: This element of the ethos represents a desire for Rhema, as an example of The Universal Church, to address the imbalances and immorality of society actively, as a witness to Christ, fulfilling the responsibility of the Christian believer. Possibly the most pronounced examples of this being done by Rhema is its multi-racial nature, even amidst Apartheid and initiatives to further Social Justice, especially among the poor. Although service to the poor belongs to the socially significant axis of the ethos, in a nation such as South Africa, with an incredible gap in the division of wealth between the haves and have-nots, poverty becomes a moral issue, not just a social one. In terms of the structure, provision is made for initiatives along these lines, but not entirely geared outwardly towards presenting this to the public as an example or standard, or as an act of Prophetic or Moral Relevance. Based on a sheer comparison of size, one can see that the PR and Communications structure of Rhema is geared towards its internal needs as opposed to addressing her broader context. Moral/Prophetical Relevance is then currently more a result of moral/prophetic action, than presenting a moral/prophetic voice to society as it were. iv. Socially Significant: As the final aspect of the ethos, this element seeks to address the practical needs of people, as a witness to the Gospel message and the justice it presents. Substantial provision is made within the
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structure through the establishment of Rhemas Social Services and the many initiatives they embark on. One may note though, that Rhema Social Services is placed in an equal relationship with other departments and leadership, including those pragmatically needed, such as Administration and Media. This will be noteworthy as we comment on the proposed new structure. As Dorr puts it, I believe it is not enough to look at the agenda and examine what the Church has to say about the various issues of social justice. There is a further vital question of what the individual Christian and the Church as a whole can do. (Dorr 1991:3) c. Theological Assessment of the Former Rhema Organizational Structure, in terms of Roles and Position Holders: The purpose of this portion is to ask and answer the question, does the existing structure make provision for these individuals and groups to contribute fully to Rhema Ministries, along the lines of their unique and particular gifts? i. Pastor Ray McCauley, SENIOR PASTOR: Considering the aforementioned portion dealing with the various gifts represented in scripture, one may comment that Pastor Ray McCauley could quite appropriately be referred to as portraying any number of the five-fold gifts, being; Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. Bearing in mind the far-reaching influence Ps McCauley has had, in the local church of Rhema, throughout the International Fellowship of Christian Churches
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and internationally, one may
recognize the Apostleship of his ministry, similar to that modeled by the early Apostles in the New Testament. Similarly, considering the vast and radical influence Rhema Church has had, as forerunner in terms of multi-racialism amid the apartheid context of South Africa one may easily recognize the Prophetic nature of Pastor McCauley ministry. The literal thousands of individuals who have, and continue to respond to Ps McCauleys presentation of the Gospel certainly confirms an Evangelic dimension to his ministry. Finally, his role within the context of Rhema as a local church, as the senior figure
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Rhema Church belongs to a network of autonomous churches that hold a similar statement of faith and ethos.
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and preacher would most certainly constitute the role of the Pastor and Teacher. Although the nature of these gifts as a discussion is not within the scope of this project, we will comment that the authors view is that the most appropriate of these titles with which to refer to Ps McCauley would be that of Apostleship. Our reason for this is simply that Apostleship would make provision for all the other roles within its scope, while the other gifts do no necessarily do so in turn.
Figure 4: The Church Planting dynamic of the Five-Fold Ministry. The repetition of the five-Fold Ministry mechanism, as indicated in figure 4 has a Church Planting dynamic as result. What emerges is a network of semi-autonomous local churches, drawing from the leadership of the Apostle, each having their own Pastoral leadership and partially unique faith practice. This dynamic certainly illustrates an aspect of Pastor McCauleys Apostolic role. This statement has major implications on the structure of Rhema Ministries. Pastor McCauley would then not simply be at the head of the organizational structure by virtue of his role in the local church, but by virtue of a much broader role, that of an Apostle to numerous churches. This paradigm would provide more ideological room for the inclusion of Pastor McCauleys influence within the scope of the structure, instead of being admired as something beyond it. Additionally, it creates the ideological space for other individuals to
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operate in the other five-fold gifts, without encroaching on or undermining Pastor McCauleys rightful authority and role. ii. Church Elders, ADVISORY BOARD: The Advisory Board of Rhema has traditionally consisted of a number of senior men in the Church, usually ordained in their own right who hold key organizational positions in the structure. At the time of the structure reflected in Figure 2 this included; the Head of Pastoral Care and a number of District Pastors of similar seniority, the Head of Social Services and then the Heads of the major departments in the organization such as Administration, Media, Project Planning and Rhema Bible Collage. Although being vastly representative of the senior leadership of the organization and even the church, this body was typically constituted independent of a consideration of either the gifts or ethos aforementioned, or the specific ministerial strategy of Rhema Ministries. As a result, in spite of their seniority or ministerial competence, this forum would automatically tend to be inadequate, irrespective of individual competencies, to address the massive task of overseeing, leading and managing Rhema Ministries in its entirety. The unique ministerial abilities and experience that these individuals exhibit may be said to be stifled in the context of their role as Board Members. We will discuss this and seek to address some of these challenges in the development of the new structure. iii. Senior Leadership, MANAGERIAL COMMITTEE: The Management Committee constituted of the same Board members, with the addition of less senior Pastors and selected HODs. The purpose of this forum was to deliberate on matters arising in detail and make recommendations to the Board, who would finally pass decisions on the matters presented. As the structure indicates, this forum does not necessarily constitute broad-based representation of the departments that constitute Rhema Ministries, nor does it make provision for the fact that Rhema is in essence a Church as opposed to a corporation. These elements combined may undermine this forums ability to have access to grass-roots knowledge of the organization, and produce conflict between
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Ministerial objectives and values and Managerial processes and priorities. These elements, the new structure will seek to address. iv. Independent Members, FINACIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Apart from being a requirement in order to ensure financial compliance within the regulatory framework in South African, the Financial Advisory Board exists to provide independent advice and accountability on high-level financial matters. As is clear from the structure, this forum interacts solely with the senior leadership of the organization. As a result, the presence of participants, in- and members of Rhema Church on this forum is essential to ensure an understanding and knowledge of the grassroots issues and objectives of Rhema. Additionally, this forum requires highly skilled individuals, capable of addressing the complexities of financial issues presented to them. This will be considered in the development of the new structure. v. Heads of Departments, ADMINISTRATION, PROJECT PLANNING, PASTORAL CARE, MISSIONS, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS, RHEMA AUXILIARY SERVICES: The Heads of Departments are accountable to the senior leadership for the operation of their respective departments. From the structure in Figure 2 it would appear that the HODs are structurally isolated from one another. The result of this is an equal expectation of all HODs in terms of organizational competence. This applies to areas such as; Financial Management, Human Resource Management and Leadership as well as Strategic Decision-Making and Personnel Monitoring and Departmental Reporting as the pertain to each department separately. HODs are then additionally required to have special skills in the focus area of their particular department. In a corporate environment this would typically be the case and would not constitute a problem. However, in the context of a Christian Ministry, this poses some challenges. Firstly, the assortment of skills required of each HOD is unrealistic, especially so in a Ministerial environment where an individual who is highly competent as a Minister
12 13
12
may have very little Managerial
13
know-
Minister: Referring to activities and services relating to religious activities and socio-cultural needs. Managerial: Referring to organizational tasks and skills employed in a secular work environment.
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how, and visa versa. Secondly, the complex operational symphony required between the Ministerial and Managerial Departments in the process of Ministry would require a unique mode of operation so as to avoid value conflicts. This challenge, not unique to the Church environment, is aptly described by Shafer-Landau in the statement, moral skeptics gives us a universe exclusively regulated by scientific laws, Ethical objectivists give us a fuller, more expansive ontology which adds moral principles and facts. (Shafer-Landau 2004:93) So, in our spirituality we introduce morality and the ensuing complexities that implies. These will be discussed and addressed in the development of the new structure. 2. Regulatory Considerations: a. The South African Context: As a result of the unfortunate legacy of Apartheid, the South African context presents challenges in terms of skills development and equity. The result, to some degree is the temporary scarcity of skilled individuals of color who are available to work within the context of a non-profit organization such as Rhema. On the other hand, there are multitudes of previously disadvantaged individuals who have the potential to rise within the structures of the organization, but who require opportunities, coupled with training and exposure. A Charoux describes it, we have embarked on a fundamental and irreversible process of change in this country which will lead to a radically different society As managers we have a role to play in managing this change process (Charoux 1990:viii) This applies to the church in context and will be considered in the development of the new structure. b. Relevant Legislation: In South Africa, non-profit entities are expected to register either as a Section 21 Company or a Public Benefit Organization. These two vehicles afford entities various rights where taxation and other regulations are concerned but require various compliances with legislation. Where the PBO status of NGOs is concerned, this is a fairly new development in South Africa and must still be fully tested in terms of to what extent the rule of law provides adequately for the Church context. Fortunately the South African Constitution makes provision for Freedom of Religion and as such affords Churches a healthy measure of freedom to manage their affairs autonomously, in line with their
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particular belief-system. Although this is not the main focus of this project, it will be given due consideration in the development of the new structure. 3. Experiential & Operational Nature of Existing Structures: a. My Experience of Rhema Bible Church: i. As a Active MEMBER: As an attending and participating member of Rhema Bible Church I can comment that the church is vibrant and exciting. There are various opportunities to not only benefit from the services of the church, but to be part of the church actively using ones gifts and talents in its service. One challenge encountered as a member is the seeming inaccessibility of some of the structures. By this, I refer to difficulty in particularly communicating and engaging with individuals within the structure. This, at times, makes it difficult to increase ones involvement, should ones spiritual/religious inclination be to do so. The turn-around time of a particular request for communication can for example be weeks instead of days. This proves to be challenging as a member, from a participation point of view, to move through the phases of Rhemas Ethos and put tangible expression to ones spirituality/religious inclinations towards ministry. ii. As a EMPLOYEE: Being an employee of Rhema is a unique opportunity in a ministry with world-renowned influence and effectiveness. The staff contingent of the church is both large and diverse. Apart from the excitement of being part of such a team, there are some operational challenges. There tends to be a lack of synergy between staff in various departments. This is, in my opinion, due to the nature of the former structure as hierarchical and linear as well as an organizational culture stemming from the baby-boomer era, where task-orientation was seen as of primary importance and relational interaction with collogues being only functional or even utilitarian. Out of this challenge arises the need for a teamwork environment where relationships are valued and developed. iii. As an ADMINISTRATOR of the Young Adults Ministry: This position allowed me to interact with the structure extensively, working with the Administration Department in the organization of
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events and activities in service of Pastoral Care and particularly Sunday Services. This position proved particularly challenging in areas of communication and inter-departmental cooperation. There tended to be a breakdown between departments, stemming from a lack of insight into the strategy and objectives of other departments. This resulted in unnecessary resistance at times and a higher level of communication and motivation required than the task often merited. This challenge raises the need for opportunities for broad-based exposure of HODs to other departments. iv. As a PROJECT PLANNER: This position is uniquely placed in the middle of the major operational activities of Rhema, both of a large and small scale. It enabled me to gain an understanding of the big-picture of Rhema as a church model, the strategies of various departments and the dynamics of how these departments interact. From this position, clear shortcomings in the area of communication and cooperation were encountered. The reporting process illustrates this point. Under the former structure the reporting takes place, vertically to the Management Committee and Board. This resulted in a lack of broadbased understanding among heads of departments on the status and challenges experienced in various pockets of the organization. Decision-making as a result was tedious and often contentious. This highlights the need for speedy decision-making mechanisms. b. Organizational Culture and Values: Apart from the practical dynamics involved in the former structure, often resulting from the nature of the structure, one must recognize the underlying culture and values that operate throughout the structure, though superficially. This, although transcending the role of the structure, needs to be strategically addressed in the formation of the new structure. i. Generational Dynamics & Stereotypes: Due to Rhema existing for almost thirty years, there are a number of stereotypical generation groups represented in the congregation and structure, being that of; Baby-boomers, Generation-Xers and Millenialists. These groups interact across a complex set of generation gaps that arise from their varying cultures and value systems. To summarize, the Baby-boomers are task-orientated and
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traditional (resistant to change), the Generation-Xers are relational and easy-going (welcome change if it seems appropriate) and Millenialists who are socially-specialized, associating according to interest and social identity, with a noticeable desire to contribute to issues encountered in the public domain, while being skeptical of positional authority. The former structure tends to be dominated by Baby-boomers, thus presenting a task-orientated environment of rigid structures with proven strategies applied to tasks. Being a Generation-Xer within this structure, communication and innovation proved challenging. There tended to be a partial disconnect between initiatives that appeal to Millenialists and the legitimate placeholders in the structure of the organization. ii. Technological: Due to the overwhelming emergence of technology as a social player in the last quarter century, it merits a mention here. The words of Billy Graham, a central figure in the Evangelical Christian world exemplifies this need, At my age, I would like to just sit in a study somewhere and preach through this new electronic equipment they have the Internet. You can touch the world from just one place. (The Times Union Albany, NY. June 8, 1997) The aforementioned generational dynamics at Rhema have obvious implications on the employment of technology within the organization. Due to the limitations of technological know-how among many of the senior members of the organization, implementation of new technologies tended to be impractical and problematic. Why this is a problem operationally is that fact that Rhemas sheer size requires the use of new technologies to ensure efficiency and adequate communications.
SECTION 2:
Theological Analysis of the Church, in relation to its contemporary context and nature as Organization:
1. Ecclesiological Considerations and Hypothesis:
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In order to accurately provide for the church in terms of its organizational-structural needs, one must understand the unique qualities that set the church apart from other organizational phenomenon such as corporations, social groups or clubs, political parties or even human networks through cyber space.
Figure 5: The Progressive, Tri-Dimensional Nature of the Church. The church is progressive in nature, illustrated above in figure 5 as a Tri-Dimensional entity. As the Local Church emerges in the wake of the Apostolic, Prophetic and Evangelic Ministry, the churchs nature as Organism becomes prevalent. The Local Church, a faith community interacting upon itself in practicing its spirituality depicts a distinctly organic nature, drawing life from its spiritual essence. Once the local church(s) become established, the Other-worldly or God-ordained Institution mystery of the Universal Church becomes a reality. This Institutional dimension of the Church exists as the expression of the authority that vests in the leadership of the church, through the manifestation of the five-fold gifts. Once in operation, the Institutionalized Church begins to facilitate the operation of the Church as organism. The further development of the Church, particularly in the context of the real/material world, results in the establishment of an Organization, referred to as the Church itself, yet existing merely in its service. It is this Organizational Reality of the Church that we herein seek to structure adequately. a. The Church as Organism vs. Organization: The church is a complex, interactive network of human relationships, including even the other-worldly relationship between them and God. As a
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result, the church functions at times more like system than a structure and an organism rather than organization. Charles Colson describes this reality in stating, The Church is an organism, not n organization; a movement, not a monument. (Water 2000:202) Much of the protocol and rigid procedures that govern secular organizations dont practically apply to churches. Secular organizations are made up of groups of skilled individuals organized in a structured manner, compared to churches being made up of individuals with both skill and spiritual gifting. As a result the church environment tends to be more volatile and organic. It is the primacy of this organic nature of the church that ensures the existence and spiritual wellbeing thereof. It is therefore essential to root the structure of the Church in its essence as a Church, adapting all organizational structures to accommodate that reality. Doing the reverse would result in rigid structures that limit the church, bending its value system to accommodate this present reality alone, the end result of which will be institutionalism. d. The Church as Other-worldly / God-ordained Institution: Apart from being organic in the sense above, the church must be understood as primarily an other-worldly or God-ordained Institution. This is rooted in viewing the church as an extension of Christ and therefore the fulfillment of His incarnation. Provision must thus be made ideologically for the churchs spiritual, transcendental nature and the complexities that it presents. These include; the authority of the Church and its office bearers, the spirituality of the church in practice through religious ritual and rite, the churchs non-profit and missional essence which seeks to serve and give to others as opposed to selling a product or exchanging services for a fixed revenue or event profit. This value of the Church is well embodied in what Dorr call The Churchs Option, described as two equally crucial aspects an experiential aspect and a political aspect which has to do with action. (Dorr 1991:109) Finally, and potentially importantly, the validation of authority in the church stemming not from organizational position or educational competence, but spiritual leadership, as evident through the operation of the gifts, must be acknowledged and accommodates within its structure. This particular point necessitates a further documentation of the Ecclesiology of the
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Charismatic/Pentecostal Church and its leadership in particular, which transcends the scope of this project. e. The Church as Organization: As stated above, the Church eventually emerges as an organization of material elements, in service of the ministerial endeavors of the church. It is critical at this point to caution the identification of the church either as organization in essence, or as organization primarily. Both of these said views would result in the reduction of the Churchs spirituality to material constraints and the undermining of the authority of the church. f. The Church as System vs. Structure: At times the structural organization of the church becomes inadequate and unable to deal with the churchs organic nature and operation. This is due to the fact that as the divergent Ministerial and Managerial realities come together in the reality of the local church, so too they coexist in the singularity and being of individual believers. The result is that, although one may be positioned over a person managerially, they may at times minister to one as a fellow believer, exercising spiritual leadership in ones life. Conversely, although a person may be over another individual in a ministerial sense, they may managerially be required to report to or elicit aid from one of whom they are spiritually superior. Thus, the church could be viewed as a complex, multi-dimensional system rather than a mere rigid structure. g. The PRIMACY of the CHURCH: When considering the church organizationally one must insist on recognizing the Church, a local body of believers, as primary to any of the organizational structures or entities that it may have as result. Carpenter, in a different sense, embodies this sentiment with the statement, Theology must not take its conclusions from any other science, however friendly. It must stand on its own legs, similarly, the Church must not draw its essence from any other body. It must remain the Body of Christ. (Carpenter 1953:135) This is necessary both for sustainability and to retain the freedom the church requires to fully express itself. i. As Spiritual: Although the church is constantly engaged in liturgical activities, informed often by a vast traditional heritage, one cannot lose sight,
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especially in the Charismatic/Pentecostal context, of the primary spiritual nature of the church. Not only is each individual person deemed to be fundamentally spiritual, the church collective constitutes and has a corporate spirituality that is primary. This spirituality of the church should therefore be acknowledged, accommodated and even encouraged, over and above the Programs, Activities, Liturgy or the broader Ideology of the church. In this way the line in the sand remains drawn between those individuals who understand the doctrines of the church intellectually, yet are devoid of its essence, and those who maintain its essence, while yet being infants in the knowledge of the Truth, the latter truly constituting the Church. ii. As People: The spirituality of the church arises from the reality of God in Christ, and furthermore the notion that people encounter that mysterious Reality. As a result it is equally important to maintain a view of the churchs nature as a community of people, as opposed to a building or brand or any other tangible construct. This anchor prevents the objectives of the church from becoming orientated towards this world and issues of prominence, power, possessions and pragmatic ideals that are not connected to the needs of real people. iii. As Servant: This dimension of the churchs essential nature is problematic, when considered from a managerial point of view, yet holds true to the notion of the Kingdom of God as preached by Jesus. The Church is primarily a Servant, geared towards meeting the spiritual, and at times even practical needs of others as opposed to preserving its own existence. In this sense the church is constantly Ministering while expecting a return through the giving of the saints, of which there is no guarantee. This approach to ministry makes planning problematic in that it is constantly sacrificial and giving, expecting a return, yet unable to be entirely assured of it. 2. Strategic Ministerial Considerations: a. Meeting the Needs: One essential consideration in developing the structure of the church is the goal of the church of meeting the needs of its people, or addressing the
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varying and often unpredictable needs they present. These include life-stage related needs such as Births, Deaths, Weddings and Counseling, as well as practical needs such as financial aid or even food. As Bonhoeffer said, The Church is her true self only when she exists for humanity. (Water 2000:201) This reality predicates a high level of communication necessary between the church and its members and secondly can result in the need for complex financial- and other management systems. a. Efficiency, Faithfulness and Stewardship: Due to the endless needs that the Church is confronted with, often in the face of limited resources, one must place a high priority on efficiency in utilizing those resources. b. Prioritization and Sustainability: As a result of the diversity of needs presented to the church one must prioritize to addressing them acceptably. This means not neglecting one entirely in service of another but often proportioning resources across the board to address needs adequately and reasonably as far as possible. This is particularly difficult in the environment of a charity-based or givingbased organization, but nonetheless is the challenge of the church. 3. Projection of Future Development to be considered: a. Future Membership Possibilities: With Rhemas current membership being over 40 000 and growing, there seems to be evidence to suggest that a membership of 100 000 is a possibility. The implications of such a scale of church are staggering and have obvious organizational and structural ramifications. In dealing with the current scale of the church, Extension Services have been initiated to enable participation in Rhemas worship services at three remote locations. This is done via satellite, coupling elements of live presentation with broadcast aspects of the services at the main church site. With these developments have come the additional Ministerial opportunities and demands as well as Managerial necessities of four sites instead of one. With this in mind, the notion of semi-autonomous ministry units could be introduced to ensure the successful operation of these entities, as opposed to relegating them, by implication, to a far corner of a hierarchical structure. b. Future Leadership Possibilities:
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Due to Pastor McCauleys charismatic and visionary leadership at Rhema over the years, his absence in years to come will have vast implications, both Ministerially and Managerially. These Key-man dynamics
14
would certainly
be adequately resolved by an equally influential successor, which may well be the case with Pastor McCauleys son, but will certainly require robust organizational stability structural provisions for such a transition. This will be considered in the development of the proposed structure. c. Future Management Challenges: As previously stated, Rhema is faced with the challenge of sourcing, developing and empowering Ministerial and Managerial leaders to take Rhema into the future. This will inevitably have transformational implications on the organizational culture of Rhema and require adjustments to both the Ministry and Management paradigms of the church. 4. Proposed Development Framework and Paradigm: a. Theological Paradigm: Based on the above discussion I recommend a Theological Framework for the development of the structure, which includes considerations and make adequate provisions for: The various gifts as discussed above. The ethos of Rhema, allowing it to inform the strategy and thereby the structure of the Church. The Ecclesiological considerations and realities of the church. The Roles and Key Position Holders and their unique contributions to the Church. This framework will ensure an organizational paradigm that is inclusive of organizational imperatives and contemporary methods, while being receptive to the primary realities of the Church, which are theological. In so doing the Church organization will itself remain a sojourner and a pilgrim in this present reality. b. Organizational Paradigm: Based on the above comments, I recommend an organizational paradigm that is flexible and susceptible to the needs and realities of the churchs
Key-man Dynamics: Referring to the impact of prominent individual roles within an organization and the implication of their absence.
14
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nature. To borrow the sentiments of Thomas Jefferson, although referring to law in the context of the judiciary, the organization, itself a legalism; I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with progress As development takes place, new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. (Villa-Vicencio 1992:10) All that is Managerial is thus valued as essential, but understood to be in service of the Ministerial endeavors of the church, and never the reverse. Additionally, an organizational paradigm rooted in a systems approach, which encourages high levels of communication and cross-departmental interaction and synergy. Thus, the structure being comprised of a family of teams, each working in symphony towards a strategically unified goal, which is to Minister, and employ Managerial techniques, processes and systems that best serve that objective. 5. Outcome and Proposal: a. Leadership Recommendations: In the light of the above, I recommend the inclusion of vacant seats on all the structural Board and Forums of the structure to be developed. These would be used to rotate potential candidates on a regular basis to ensure exposure to the nature and environment of these boards or forums. The involvement and exposure of a broader group of individuals, as illustrated above, would facilitate the impartation of the ethos of Rhema in these individuals and so preserve the organizational culture, as far as it is desired to do so. b. Developmental Recommendations: Through the creation of pockets of involvement and exposure as described above, the development of individuals in terms of skills and capacity will be the result. One cannot however underestimate the need for conscious empowerment of these individuals by persons in the structure. This will entail not only providing opportunities for their involvement but also the impartation of knowledge and skill. In order to create the environment wherein this transference can take place I would recommend the establishment of coaching relationships between those in positions of
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prominence and significance with those who aspire to participate in a similar fashion. This relationship can be described as, a process which takes place in a committed and supportive relationship, during the course of which one empowers the latter to become integrated through better performance into the organization. (Chardoux 1990:66) These relationships would entail a conscious endeavor on the part of the organization to ascertain the career objectives and aspirations of these individuals, the analysis and monitoring of their gifting and maturity in order to adequately guide them in this process of development. The urgency of this requirement, is portrayed accurately by Noel Vose, in saying, Success without a successor is failure. (Water 2000:600) c. Management Recommendations: The most essential Managerial requirement within the structure, in my view, would be the implementation of clear communication systems and processes to facilitate the efficient interaction between the organizations various parts and participants. This, I would recommend, could be enhanced by setting the goal of having no more than three tiers/levels at any given point in the structure. By this I mean that no individual in the structure, should be represented by a person more than three tiers from any other individual in the structure. Bearing in mind the aforementioned leadership style of Pastor McCauley, this organizational goal ensures a connectedness between his visionary leadership and the role-players throughout the structure, who give tangible expression to the vision. An additional operational requirement in this regard would be environments where cross-pollination and dynamic interaction can take place on a continual basis. These managerial imperatives will be considered in the development of the structure.
SECTION 3:
Development of a Structure based on Organizational Efficiency, within the framework of the outcome of the aforementioned Theological Analysis:
1. Operational & Practical Considerations: 1. Spiritual vs. Organizational Leadership: i. Spiritual Leadership: One needs to give due consideration to the fact that church leadership is primarily a spiritual activity, although in practice it may
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require vast practical skills. Spiritual leadership requires an individual spiritual life that influences that of others, moving them along a spiritual journey of their own, in their best interests and spiritual development. As such, each leader in the organization is to provide spiritual leadership to their team/department primarily, in the process of guiding them organizationally. This introduces sacred practices, such as; prayer, scripture reading and spiritual deliberation among team members as part of the day-to-day operations of the organization. These are not merely ideal but essential as E.M. Bounds notes, What the church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations, or more novel methods; but men/woman who the Holy Spirit can use men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. (Water 2000:201) ii. Organizational leadership: It is equally important to realize that spiritual leadership will not address organizational needs automatically. As such, sound organizational leadership, such as planning, organization, monitoring and motivation and control are essential to the success of the organization and the reaching of its goals. 1. Operational Management: i. Ministerial Management: Due to the churchs nature as primarily a body of people, the role of interpersonal relationships in the context of church management tends to be more pronounced than that in the corporate environment. As such the management approach is required to be peopleorientated and personnel-driven. By this I refer to the fact that the involvement of individuals in the environment of the church is usually motivated by inward values held by the persons, as opposed to financial or other benefits to be gained. This places great importance of the acknowledgement and accommodation of personal needs. In light of the aforementioned discussion of gifts one may here propose the necessity for due consideration of the gifting of individuals in their placement within the structure accordingly. ii. Managerial Management:
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With the primacy of the church considered above in mind, one may state that the Managerial dimension of the church exists to Resource the Ministry or to provide Practical support to the activities of the ministry in context. This does not in any way undermine the need for management system and processes driven in the organization of the ministry, it does however inform the design and prioritization of these systems and processes to align with ministerial goals. In terms of management in the context of the church, there are a myriad of needs that arise for specialized skills as the church grows and develops. These, in the case of Rhema, are vast and complex, including; Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Information Technology Management and Maintenance, Musicianship, Sound Management, Audio-Visual Production and Media Management. It is the role of the Management of the church then to recognize, interpret and efficiently provide for these needs. 2. Budgeting and Financial Control: As stated above, budgeting in the Missional context of the church can be challenging. However, a couple of due considerations in this regard are that financial resources need to be proportionally allocated according to the strategic endeavors of the church. This implies that resources are allocated in a manner that best serves the ethos and implied strategy of the church, as opposed to merely being evenly spread throughout the organization. Additionally, the appropriate monitoring and control of finances are essential to the sustainable and orderly running of the church. 3. Communication: As stated above, adequate communication within and through the structure is essential. This can be viewed in terms of internal and external communication to the various stakeholders in the church. i. Internal Communications: 1. Managerial Meetings: Adequate opportunity needs to be created for managers within the structure to interact, both up and down the structure and equally across the structure horizontally. This interaction tends to be the oil that facilitates the operation of the structure.
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2. Monthly Reporting: In addition to the opportunities created by these meetings, an adequate reporting protocol is required to ensure that essential pulses throughout the organization are regularly measured. The ability of Management to make accurate decisions in the day to day running of the organization depends greatly on the accuracy and relevance of such reporting. The combination of the said meetings and reporting, scheduled adequately, provide the cycles of interaction according to which the organization operates. It therefore follows that organizing these around the strategic objectives and goals of the church result in an increase in terms of their value. This is particularly clear in the realm of the departments within the structure responsible for the production of media, as these typically follow the cycle of, Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production activities. ii. External Communications: Due to the continual convergence of media, the adequate management of the Public Image of the church is increasingly important. It is this necessary for the organization to be geared towards projecting an Authentic, Strategic, Missional and Informational communication initiative outwardly. It is helpful to distinguish between the requirements of various parties in line with a outward-moving focus, from the center of the organization, along the lines of the following tiers; Key-Stakeholders, Stakeholders, Associated Parties, Outsiders with Interest, Outsiders without Interest and Key-Outsiders. 3. Listing and Placement of Teams & Members: With the aforementioned sections in mind, we now move to the development of the Proposed Structure and the placement of individuals therein:
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Figure 6: Proposed New Organizational Structure Figure 6 above depicts the church at the center, as the core existential reality of the entire structure, thereafter the organization as the contextual manifestation of the church and these two, the church and organization, together providing the basis for various semi-autonomous ministries to operate from. a. Pastor Ray McCauley, SENIOR PASTOR: At the head of the structure is Pastor McCauley. Due to the dichotomous nature of the church as both sacred and secular, Pastor McCauley is position ally required to operate in a Theocratic manner, as both the Spiritual Leader of the Church as well as the Central Executive Officer of the Organization. His placement at the head of the structure provides Pastor McCauley with the adequate positional authority and involvement to exercise both spiritual leadership and organizational leadership. It is the challenge of the substructures from this point to adequately accommodate Pastor McCauleys gifts, while supporting him in other areas through the strategic placement of other individuals. Pastor McCauley placement here is additionally accommodating of his role as Apostolic. The placement of other ministers who exhibit the other five-fold gifts then follows naturally. b. Senior Pastors, DISTRICT PASTORS: At the forefront of the structure, bearing in mind the abovementioned fivefold mechanism at work in the church, are the Spiritual Elders of the Church,
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among who are the District Pastors who constitute the Pastoral Care Team. These ministers are placed first, ahead of any other team or department, in recognition of the primacy of the church and the authority of the five-fold gifts. In so doing they are strategically placed to lead the church alongside Pastor McCauley. Furthermore, they are partially released from the organizational burden in that they are not expected to provide organizational leadership to justify their position, but spiritual leadership instead. c. Zone Pastors, GEOGRAPHICAL PASTORAL CARE: Within the scope of the Pastoral Care Team are the Zone Pastors and by implication the other spiritual leaders of the church. Through there integrated involvement and participation in the Ministerial operations of the church, providing spiritual leadership and influence. These ministers are in so doing strategically placed to progress through the structure into the more senior roles as spiritual leaders, again not based on organizational competence. d. Ministerial Heads, AGE/GENDER-SPECIFIC PASTORAL CARE: Beside the Pastoral Care Team is positioned a second dimension of Pastoral Leadership within the structure. While the Pastoral Care Team addresses the individual needs of the congregation, such as Weddings, Funerals, Counseling etc, the secondary Pastoral Care Team focused on the Group-specific needs represented by the various demographic groups within the congregation. These include; i. Age / Gender Specific: 1. Kids at the Cross, KIDS PASTOR. 2. Youth, YOUTH PASTOR. 3. Young Adults, YOUNG ADULT WORKER. 4. Womans Ministry, HEAD OF WOMANS MINISTRY. These individuals are placed structurally alongside the Pastoral Team, illustrating the supportive role they provide in ministering to the congregation. They are similarly placed on the ministerial side of the structure to both facilitate their maximum contribution without bogging them down with organizational responsibility. e. Ministerial Heads, SUPPORTIVE MINISTRIES: The third and final dimension of ministry that is presented in the structure is a group of Supportive Ministries that utilize Rhema Church as their base and home church. These include; i. Supportive Ministries:
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1. Music Ministry, WORSHIP LEADER. 2. Rhema Bible Collage, DEAN. 3. Hands of Compassion, PASTORAL OVERSIGHT 4. Rhema Television, HEAD OF RHEMA TV. An important dynamic to note in terms of these ministries is their tendency towards autonomy in as far as they develop and outgrow the context of the local church in terms of influence. It is however important to understand that although they may achieve a level of independence, even in terms of financial resources, they remain connected to the vine in that they are constantly aware of their primary responsibility towards the needs of the Local Church of which they are a part and draw from it in terms of the spiritual essence it represents. f. Managerial Departments: Secondary to the Ministerial Teams discussed above are the major Managerial Departments, Administration, Project Planning and Media that constitute the Organizational dimension of the church. 1. Administration, ADMINISTRATOR: This Department represents a conglomerate of smaller administrative units that focus on and deal with specialized administrative systems and processes of the church. Particularly due to the positioning of Financial Management within the Administration Department, this segment of the organization is critical to the strategic resourcing of the church and its strategy. As the core Managerial Department, Administration sets the pace for the Project Planning and Media Departments, in the same manner in which Pastoral Care ought to direct the other Ministerial Teams. The individuals placed on this side of the structure are expected to exhibit particular motivational gifts and in so doing make a critical contribution to the functioning of the church. 4. Project Planning, PROJECT PLANNER: Project Planning, positioned between Administration and Media, fulfills a central role in the coordination of the operational functioning of the major initiatives of the organization. As with the Administration Department, these individuals provide unique skills to the organization, and although they too may exhibit
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ministerial acumen, they role of catered for not as ministers but as managers. 5. Media, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Media is responsible for initiating both the internal and external communications of the church. As such, it is required to provide in the development of media material that address the various needs of the other departments and teams of the church, based on their respective ministerial strategies. g. Structural Bodies within the Structure: As illustrated in figure 6, there are three major bodies formed in the structure that bring the various sub-units into synergy. They include; The Ministerial Steering Committee, Managerial Steering Committee and the Executive Board. i. Ministerial Steering Committee: This Committee is a conglomeration of the following three bodies of people; 1. Pastoral Team (Geographic): This team meets weekly to discuss the general Pastoral direction and running of the church. They are able to integrate learnings in this environment and provide guidance and leadership to the 30 pastors that function within their sphere. This group is overseen by the Head of Pastoral Care, with assistance form four senior District Pastors, who each in turn coordinates a team of five or More Pastors. From a management point of view, these individuals have similar budgetary and operational needs and can thus address them as a collective. 2. Pastoral Team (Age/Gender): This team meets weekly to discuss the Age/Gender specific needs of the congregation and how to address them. Synergy in this regard is required as each congregant finds themselves simultaneously within the target audience of two of these ministries, such as Womans Ministry and Youth. Additionally, each congregant will progressively move through the various Age-specific ministries as they grow in age, thus requiring a level of integration and
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exchange between these departments. As with the previous team, from a management point of view, these individuals have similar budgetary and operational needs and can thus address them as a collective. 3. Supportive Ministries: These semi-autonomous ministries meet monthly to provide accountability and strategic advice to one another. As with both previous teams, from a management point of view, these individuals have similar budgetary and operational needs and can thus address them as a collective. The Ministerial steering Committee is thus made up of
representatives of each of these three Teams. The result is a quorum of Ministers that together address the Ministerial realities of ministry together. This Steering Committee is chaired by the Head of Pastoral Care, the most senior Ministerial figure in the structure, second to Pastor McCauley. ii. Managerial Steering Committee: This Committee is a conglomeration of the following three bodies of people; 1. Administration: This department initiates various meetings weekly in the dayto-day operations of the Administrative aspects of the organization. 2. Project Planning: This department initiates a number of cross-functional meetings weekly to coordinate the activities of the church, such as Sunday Services and Conference or Events. These cross-functional teams are constituted of people drawn from various positions throughout the structure, and are custom-made to the event or activity to be discussed. As such, loosely held task-teams form under the leadership of the Project Planning Department, for the duration of a particular project. 3. Media:
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This department initiates weekly operational meetings for the department itself, plus various briefings with other teams or departments in the structure in order to facilitate the servicing of their needs. The Managerial Steering Committee is thus made up of
representatives of each of these three Departments. The result is a quorum of Managers that together address the Managerial realities of organization together. This Steering Committee is chaired by the Administrator, the most senior Manager figure in the structure, second to Pastor McCauley. Both the Ministerial- and Managerial Steering Committee provide the ideal spaces for meaningful interaction at the heart of the organization. The result is access to grass-roots information as well as strategic insight fromleadership. This synergy in the middle is an essential component, as Floyed and Wooldridge rightly note, middle managers today must become adept at spotting the strategic significance of evolving trends. Internally, they must lead, facilitating and championing innovative strategic initiatives appropriate to an ever-changing context. (Floyed and Wooldridge 1996:ix). Additionally, these forums contain a vacant seats used for the rotation of non-members to these forums for the sake of exposure and development. In so doing, minister and mangers are continually exposed to a higher-level of the organization, facilitating communication, growth and the impartation of the Rhema ethos throughout the structure. iii. Executive Board The Ministerial and Managerial Steering Committees are brought together in the Executive Board, the most senior organizational body within the structure. The Board is constituted of a representative of each aforementioned Team and Department, resulting in a collaborative symphony between Ministers and Managers. These severally represent the ministerial and managerial needs of the church and organization respectively, and do so under the leadership of Pastor McCauley.
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Figure 7: Superimposed view of Five-Fold Ministry over the Proposed Structure. At this point it is necessary to introduce the relationship between the Five-Fold Ministry paradigm, Progressive Nature of the Church as Tri-Dimensional and the Structural Design. We do so under the following heading: h. Structural Cooperation, Balance and Synergy: From figure 7 we see provision being made in the structure for the nature of the church Organism, God-Ordained Institution and Organization. The structure provides the freedom for the Ministerial thrust of the church, in this case being Apostolic, to guide the Managerial reality of the church as organization. The entire organization then is tailor-made to accommodate the needs of the church. This approach requires an understanding on the part of the Managers of their calling as being that of service to the objectives of the Ministers. These managers become reservoirs of the organizations capacity to accumulate and deploy critical strategic resources. (Floyed and Wooldridge 1996:ix) This understanding ensures a balance between spiritual initiative and material pragmatism. The minister is in so doing saying to the manager, help me do the following as opposed to the manager telling the minister what can or cant be done. The goal here is synergy, where the best of both realities are extracted in service of the
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institutionalized church. This illusive, yet necessary notion of synergy, is described as a constant revision of the strategic situation Interpersonally, influencing the shared understanding of strategy within the organization through interactions with subordinates, peers, and top managers. (Floyed and Wooldridge 1993:69) This requires the practice of the Biblical notion of submitting one to another, in the fear of the Lord.
SECTION 4:
Proposal and Implementation of the new Structure:
1. Proposal and Implementation: The Proposed Structure was developed and presented to the following key individuals for comment; Pastor Harold Black (Head of Pastoral Care), Pastor Alan Plant (Zone Pastor), Joshua McCauley (Head of Media and Communications) and Pastor Ray McCauley (Senior Pastor). Once recommendations of these individuals had been considered and incorporated, it was presented to the following leadership bodies; the Rhema Advisory Board and Rhema Management Committee. Upon acceptance of the proposed structure by the aforementioned bodies, it was presented to the general Membership Body of the Church. The structure was implemented and currently constitutes the structure of Rhema Ministries, South Africa. 2. Benefits of the New Structure: The new structure provides for the following contextual benefits; Eliminates the prevalence of ministerial and managerial individuals, teams, departments or initiative being swept under the same brush. Provides for the structural and ideological space for the other-worldly and hereand-now realities of the church to be contemplated and accommodated. Creates pockets of opportunity, in the form of the various committees, for ministry and managerial gifts to be fully realized and employed, based on strategic consideration of their need. Allows for adequate supportive relationships to develop between the five-fold, ministerial and managerial gifts. Accommodates the ethos of Rhema structurally, giving preeminence to the spiritual while retaining a practical, yet missional approach to organization.
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Affords adequate freedom to the transcendental ministerial side of the church, while welcoming the essential managerial dimension. Facilitates cooperation between individuals with diverse skills, and the resultant sharing of these as needed. Enables empowerment and development to take place organically, within the organization, as part of its core functioning. Provides clear access for individuals, both within and outside of the structure, to the structure, based on the nature of their needs. Ensures a relational association of individuals with similar interests on a regular basis. Provides access to grass-roots knowledge throughout the organization, ensuring broad-based knowledge being attained at critical levels. Ensures quick decision-making at various levels of the organization, differentiated by nature and implications, avoiding value conflicts. Facilitates the passing of the baton across the generations though dialogue and practical cooperation. Accommodates the Churchs organic and systemic nature. Gives pre-eminence to the meeting of the needs of the people, as opposed to the needs of the organization. Ensures broad-based, transitional support in the development of prospective organizational participants. Eases change management and communication through interactive, functionorientated committees. Places the organization bodies at the center of the operational reality of the organization, providing cycles of interaction through which real-time management becomes possible.
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F. Conclusion: I believe this project has been of immense benefit to me, in that it facilitated the documentation of my current theological praxis, while allowing me to incorporate numerous insights and competences accumulated not only through my theological studies but other experiences and reading. I am certain that this project will both illustrate the manner in which I have benefited from studying theology, as well as providing a resource to anyone who is confronted with some of the challenges of change and organizational leadership of a megachurch or church movement.
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G. Bibliography: Wolfaardt. 2007, Congregation Management, UNISA Press, Pretoria, RSA Dorr, D. 1991, The Social Justice Agenda, Gill and MacMillan Ltd, Dublin, Ireland Schafer-Landau, R. 2004, Whatever Happened to Good and Evil?, Oxford University Press, New York, USA Villa-Vicencio, C. 1992, A Theology of Reconstruction: Nation Building and Human Rights, David Phillip Publishers (Pty) Ltd. Claremont, USA Duffield and Van Cleave. 1983, Foundations of Pentecostal Theology, L.I.F.E Bible Collage, Los Angeles, USA Carpenter, S.C, 1953, Christianity: An outline of the fundamentals and development of the Christian Faith, its place in civilization, and its message to the modern world, Penguin Books Ltd, Middlesex, UK Water, M. 2000, The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations, John Hun Publishoing Ltd, Hampshire, UK Floyd and Wooldridge. 1996, The Strategic Middle Manager: How to Create and sustain Competitive Advantage, Jossey-Bass Inc, San Francisco, USA Charoux, E. 1990, Coaching & The Black Manager, Juta & Co, Ltd, Johannesburg, RSA Adler, B. 2007, Ask Billy Graham, Thomas Nelson, Inc, Thennessee, USA
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Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

ASSIGNEMENT 3 INTEGRATED THEOLOGICAL PRAXIS

THE RE-STRUCTURING OF RHEMA BIBLE CHURCH, A CHARISMATIC/PENTECOSTAL MEGA-CHURCH

By Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

a. The FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY PARADIGM of the Charismatic/Pentecostal

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Content a. My Experience of Rhema Bible Church: i. As a Active MEMBER: ii. As a EMPLOYEE:

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

1. Proposal and Implementation: 2. Benefits of the New Structure: D. Conclusion: E. Bibliography: 47 48

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Proposal and Implementation of the new Structure: 1. Presentation of Proposed Structure.

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

nature of Rhemas organizational structure, as a typical

Christian church. We see their

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Volatile/Organic: Referring to the unpredictable, incidental and expressive nature.

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

and internationally, one may

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

may have very little Managerial

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752

Assignment 03 Integrated Theological Praxis BTH320-A

by Marius Oosthuizen Student No: 32673752