When Ministry Is Messy

by Brown, Richard C.

• ISBN13: 9780867167771
• ISBN10: 0867167777
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-07-30
• Publisher: Franciscan Media

Summary

Dr. Brown's portrait of the dynamics of the problem is insightful and challenging. --Andrew Greeley, from the Foreword When Ministry Is Messy: Practical Solutions to Difficult Problemsaddresses the three major causes of conflict within parish ministry--natural personality differences, emotional illness and sin. With the help of Scripture, namely Matthew 23, and modern psychology, Dr. Brown offers solutions to conflicts so that pastoral ministers can free themselves from fear and anxiety in their daily work and bring peace to church ministries. Drawing from his extensive background in both psychology and ministry, Dr. Brown provides effective solutions that are both practical and spiritual.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD	ix
INTRODUCTION	1	(4)
CHAPTER ONE: AN OVERVIEW OF CONFLICT IN MINISTRY	5	(10)
Ministry Conflict—Three Causes and Possible Solutions	6	(9)
Natural Personality Differences
Emotional Illness
Sin
CHAPTER TWO: JESUS' APPROACH TO CONFLICT IN MATTHEW 23	15	(20)
Do Whatever They Teach—Natural Personality Differences	15	(1)
Woe to You, Blind Guides!—Emotional Illness	16	(1)
Full of Greed and Self-indulgence—Sin	17	(1)
The Greatest...Will Be Your Servant—Loving Servanthood	18	(2)
For Which is Greater—Logic	20	(1)
As a Hen Gathers Her Brood—Loving Forgiveness	20	(2)
The City That Kills the Prophets—Choosing to "Stay Stuck" in Conflict	22	(13)
CHAPTER THREE: NATURAL PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES	35	(4)
The Value of Identifying Personality Skills	25	(3)
Identifying Personality Skills	28	(3)
How Natural Personality Skills Cause Conflict	31	(1)
Twelve Skills and How They Cause Conflict	32	(7)
CHAPTER FOUR: EMOTIONAL ILLNESS	39	(8)
The Behaviors of Emotional Illness	39	(2)
The Impact of Emotional Illness Behaviors on Victims	41	(1)
The Impact of Emotional Illness Behaviors on Ministries	42	(1)
The Need to Avoid Overreaction to Single Instances	43	(1)
Insufficient Reactions by Observers of the Emotionally Ill	44	(1)
How the Emotionally Ill Get Past Evaluations	44	(3)
CHAPTER FIVE: SIN	47	(14)
Lists of Sins from Saints Paul and Thomas Aquinas	48	(1)
Prioritizing the Sins That Cause the Most Harm to Ministry	48	(13)
Pride—The Primary Gateway to Harming Ministry
Injustice—Firing and Poor Hiring Practices
Scandal—Lust, Greed and Other Addictions
Lack of Courage—Lack of Ministry Protection
Sloth—Procrastination and Negligence
Factions—Source of Destructive Power
Unjust Accusations—Acting on False Information
Envy and Hatred—Source of Other Harmful Sins
Slander and Lies—Behavior That Destroys
Enmity and Strife—The Infighting
CHAPTER SIX: LOVING SERVANTHOOD	61	(12)
Loving Servanthood in Scripture	61	(2)
Servanthood as the Practical Application of Loving Your Neighbor	63	(1)
God's Servanthood Toward Us	64	(1)
Thankfulness and Humility—Corollaries to Servanthood	65	(2)
Servanthood as a Preference for the Poor	67	(1)
Servanthood as a Solution to Each of the Three Causes of Conflict	68	(1)
Practical Applications for Servanthood in Ministry Conflict Spirituality	68	(1)
Some Difficulties in Servanthood	69	(4)
CHAPTER SEVEN: LOGIC	73	(8)
The Importance of Logic in Spirituality	74	(2)
Logic's Place in Scripture	76	(1)
Petitioning for Light and Strength—the Corollary to Logic	77	(1)
Practical Applications of Logic in Ministry Conflict Spirituality	78	(1)
Logic as a Solution to Each of the Three Causes of Conflict	78	(3)
CHAPTER EIGHT: LOVING FORGIVENESS	81	(10)
The Importance of Loving Forgiveness in Scripture	82	(5)
Gratitude and Petition for Help—Corollaries of Loving Forgiveness	87	(1)
Practical Applications of Loving Forgiveness in Ministry Conflict Spirituality	88	(1)
Loving Forgiveness as a Solution to the Three Causes of Conflict	89	(2)
CHAPTER NINE: "STAYING STUCK" AND "SPEAKING UP"	91	(8)
How We "Stay Stuck" Today	91	(1)
Putting God on the Cross	92	(1)
Why We "Stay Stuck"	92	(1)
Why "Staying Stuck" Results in the Desire to Kill the Prophet	93	(1)
Jesus "Speaks Up"	94	(1)
Other Solutions to "Staying Stuck"	95	(1)
Practical Applications for "Speaking Up" in Ministry Conflict Spirituality	96	(3)
CHAPTER TEN: THE MINISTRY CONFLICT SPIRITUALITY OF JESUS	99	(8)
What Is Spirituality?	100	(1)
Practicing God's Will and Joy Through Our Talents	100	(1)
Responding to God's Physical Creation	101	(1)
Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit	101	(1)
The Mass and Sacraments	102	(1)
The Rest of Daily Life	103	(1)
Why the Ministry Conflict? Why the Cross?	104	(3)
BIBLIOGRAPHY	107	(6)
INDEX	113