Online you can rate your teacher, restaurant, or any list of other things. Now, on a German website, http://hirtenbarometer.de, you can rate your pastor. Here is the English translation of the site.
There are five areas you rank the pastor on:
worship – how good is the service you lead; and is there room for new people
credibility – do you trust the pastor; does s/he live up to the values preached?
on the cutting edge – does s/he have a finger on the pulse or is out of touch?
youth work – works with youth and can be trusted with youth
elderly – provides opportunities for the elderly
Each is ranked out of a top score of 6 and then averaged. A sheep is provided as a rating icon alongside the averaged score: white sheep, very good; black sheep, very bad.
Pope Benedict XVI is coloured grey, scoring an average of 3.89 out of a possible 6. He scores lowest on having his finger on the pulse, and is judged as living in a world of his own.
Perhaps the pastor should have the ability to rate the congregation!
Actually, in our diocese, many churches participate in a process called a Mutual Ministry Revue which recognizes that we are all in ministry together. How well we fulfill our mission is a function of the synergy between us all. We all need constructive feedback as well well as encouragement, and it is an intricate dance that we perform as the body of Christ. The church is not a fast food restaurant, an auto repair shop or a hotel.
These online anonymous rating sites are largely destructive, I believe. There is no accountability on the part of those that comment, and no opportunity for follow-up or dialogue.
Thanks, Helen. I think, Helen, your final couple of sentences are important starting points. These anonymous rating sites can be affirming. I have also seen them being quite destructive. I believe this liturgy site has managed to develop a positive culture in part because people are prepared to put their name to their comment. There are different places that review congregations anonymously (here and here, for example). In our church, parishes are still reviewed regularly. In the days when clergy training and formation was more to the fore, clergy had an annual appraisal. That has gone. Blessings.
Ranking the pastor on the quality of all these things assumes that the pastor, alone or principally, is responsible for them. Not true in so many instances!
Thanks so much for that very important point, Peggy!