Dreams of Excellence
This month, project directors and pastors from SPE projects across the nation will gather once again in Indianapolis for our annual Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Conference. As we look back over the past four years, we will have much to celebrate together. In that time, literally thousands of pastors in more than 60 projects have been empowered to envision and dream new dreams about what it means to be a pastor. With the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc., we have all inched ever closer to this emerging dream of pastoral excellence.
As our meeting approaches, I have been thinking much about dreams and dreaming, for it strikes me that they represent one of the most essential characteristics of excellent pastors, those through whom God acts to lift the world closer to its divine purpose. In our individual peer group meetings and in our larger SPE gatherings, we have all worked to identify and discuss the various traits and characteristics of excellent ministry. But I’m not sure if I recall us ever talking about dreams.
Yes, as we have discussed many times, morality and integrity are critically important. Clarify of belief about God, profound theological knowledge, and advanced skills in homiletics and counseling are all highly desirable for those who would be used by God. However, none of these attributes alone seem to be the dominant traits of those whom God finds most ready to be instruments of transformation.
Look, for example, at the heroes of the faith. There, in most instances, you will find these traits in short supply. Abraham was willing to permit the Pharaoh to abuse Sarah if it would save his skin. Jacob cheated his brother out of the birthright and blessing. Moses was guilty of murder and attempted cover-up. Joseph was spoiled and insensitive as a youngster. David’s tragic immorality is well-known. Jesus’ disciples reflected human failures, confusion, and betrayal. Paul had a guilt-laden past, as did most of those whom we call “saints.”
Yet, these varied saints, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, the disciples, Paul, and countless others share a quality that enabled God to use them for His purposes: they were dreamers. They were captured by a vision of something God was doing or going to do. They got a glimpse of a new world and began to move toward it.
As we gather next week in Indianapolis, let us remember that we are shaped as much by our vision of what ought to be as we are molded by our memory of what has been. Faith involves openness to the new world God is forever bringing and the willingness to live now in terms of that new world.
Walter Brueggeman describes the church as people who live toward a vision—God’s vision. As we move toward our dream of excellence, may we always ensure that it complies with God’s vision, and may we remember as well that the world needs special dreamers—those who dream God’s dreams and give themselves to fulfilling them.
Kenneth L. Carder is professor of the practice of pastoral formation at Duke Divinity School and a senior fellow with Pulpit & Pew: The Duke Center for Excellence in Ministry. He was bishop of the Mississippi Area of the United Methodist Church from 2000 to 2004 and the Nashville Area of the UMC from 1992 to 2000.
