1) the second part of your quetion is the right one: “Or does that mean that the nature of the decision that needs to be made determines who will take the lead in making said decision?” that’s what we try to do.

2) yeah, lots. :) character, leadership history, their involvement in community, etc. – all the intangibles that are hard to categorize.

3) hmm. good question. the short answer is no but we do license ministers which is nothing close. that’s something we’ll talk about in the future.

4) good point. i think i like that and i think it gets to the heart of what i am trying to say here. i think some churches seek to be so “missional” that they forget that pastoral care is part of the whole thing. other churches are so focused inwards that they don’t ever reach outside themselves.

thanks for your questions…

There are some great insights here. A few questions:

1) You write, “The decision itself guides.” Does that mean that a leadership team makes a decision, and then finds others to lead in the working out of that decision? Or does that mean that the nature of the decision that needs to be made determines who will take the lead in making said decision?

2) In determining who will lead in a given area for a given time, are any additional criteria besides giftedness considered?

3) Does your community practice any kind of ordination?

4) Re: “consumer needs” and “pastoral care,” I wonder whether a distinction could be made, with the first being “consumer preferences” and the second being “actual needs”…?