Congregations needing renewal are typically, if not chronically, anxious, as they fear for the future of their congregation. This anxiety leads to behavior that often hastens the decline of the congregation. In such an environment, the pastoral role is complex: on the one hand, because our models of pastoral care are built on the theories of family systems therapy, the pastor is to be the caring, non-anxious presence in the congregation. On the other hand, the work of transformation demands the pastor act as the key agent of change within a congregation, thus requiring engagement and inevitably producing anxiety. This project will attempt to offer both biblical and theological insight regarding the role of the pastor as a non-anxious catalyst for change in the work of congregational transformation. Reflecting on twenty years of ministry; exploring the work of Reinhold Niebuhr, Shirley Guthrie, and Edwin Friedman in conversation with models for reducing and managing anxiety; and interpreting the gospel account where Jesus encounters a man named Legion, this document will point toward means by which the pastor can simultaneously practice non-anxious leadership while advocating for change and transformation. This framework for ministry will encourage both pastors and congregational members to claim their identity, find a place to belong, and exercise appropriate leadership in the life of the church.
