Would you spend two, or even three years training to be the manager of a bank in a small town or village when all the signs indicate that, because many of them are being closed, it would be to no purpose? That is the way some people view those want to work full time in the church? Surely those wanting to become vicars or pastors are on a hiding to nowhere. Charlie Kosla, a 'fortysomething' from Southend in Essex, is one of a remnant who disagree.
Charlie is in his first year of working as a curate in the Diocese of Chelmsford. That means that on his next step up the ecclesiastical ladder he will become a vicar. Why do it? Charlie's quick answer is that it was “A vocational calling”. He explains this by saying that he “believes in God and believes that God guides people”. Charlie is convinced that God led him into ministry and showed others that this was the way that he should go too. The novice vicar attaches much importance to getting counsel and confirmation from his contemporaries. He says, “It's not just me making a decision but others have recognised certain qualities in me”.
But with massive decline being reported in the established denominations wouldn't it have been better to go into one of the 'new church' groupings? Why go into the Church of England to fulfil this “call”? Old habits die hard: “Firstly it was because I became a Christian in the C of E”, he says, “and secondly because it is the state church”. He values what he calls “the tremendous links it has with society and culture in the nation”. He reckons that in terms of mission he has a head start in making contacts and communicating with folk. He sums this up by saying “If someone wants to get married what do they do? ... they call the C of E!”
There have been criticisms regarding the motives of those wanting to work in the church, particularly evangelicals, of which Charlie is one. It is said that evangelicals, having a strong desire to tell others the Christian message, often feel frustrated in the secular world where they may be working, possibly in a factory or office. Attitudes of work mates may only serve to strengthen the evangelicals' beliefs that others are wrong and harden a resolve to stick to one’s guns. With compromise being out of the question, going into the church appears a desirable alternative to indifference or even insults.
Not so for Charlie, he says that being a curate helps in his attempts to convert others to Christianity because people expect it. But he draws various responses, “some people hold you in awe”, he says, “and others expect you to be the fount of all wisdom”. He tells how it can also be a hindrance, “some people don't expect you to have a life or do normal things - like go for a pint.”
Charlie is not sure if there is a long-term future for the Church of England but says that “at the moment there's a lot of mileage still in it”. He reckons that the organisation needs more evangelicals - those who are “mission minded”. He reports that “there are not so many jobs for evangelicals as they leave the (theological) colleges. There are plenty of jobs in 'high church' and 'Anglo-Catholic' parishes, but the evangelicals don't want to go there”. His assessment is that this will change and claims that it is happening now. He explains that 'as evangelical curates move up the ladder, by becoming vicars, they in turn will introduce even more like-minded curates and, as Charlie hopes, a shift will eventually occur.
The shift is much needed given that recent estimates of the number of evangelical Christians in Britain is increasing. The figures, reported by The Times, are said to “vary between the 1.6 million, claimed by the umbrella group the Evangelical Alliance, to three million”. This means they comprise about half of all Britain's churchgoers, or 5 per cent of the total population. They cross all denominations and all ethnic groups, says The Times.
Charlie did a two-year stint at Ridley Hall, a theological college which is part of Cambridge University. His training included studies on psychology, sociology, theology, and philosophy as well as standard bible study. He relates that half of his time there was spent on, what he called “hands-on vicar training” including lots of how-to-do sessions - things like conducting weddings and funerals and taking communion - and there was also a lot of people management. He came out with a Cambridge Certificate of Theology for Ministry which is a diploma issued through the University.
With a wife and family to support the financial aspect is important. Whilst training at college he received the standard two grants: one from the diocese that sent him into ministry which covered any accommodation fees and food bills and another, from Church of England central funds, which paid for all education fees and materials. With his wife, who is a nurse, working part-time they were living on about twelve thousand pounds per year.
Now that he is a curate, things are easier financially. Charlie receives a monthly wage called a stipend which, to the outsider seems to be one of two things: either a confusing arrangement or just a playing with words. This is because a stipend is not regarded as a wage but rather, it is viewed as “a payment in kind to help him fulfil his call” and is sometimes known as “call wages”.
He gets fourteen thousand pounds per year now as well as many other financial bonuses. These include a house to live in and the privilege of being able to claim tax back on most standard bills such as gas, electricity, and telephone because, with the church being a registered charity, those expenses come under the umbrella of charity regulations. He says that his immediate boss, the rector of the parish, gets about one thousand pounds a year more than him and that Bishops get about thirty thousand a year.
On starting his training, he sold his house in Essex and bought a small property in Cambridge. He now rents this out to pay off the mortgage on it saying, “my wife and I regard it as a retirement nest egg”. He could live in a Church of England house when he retires but has rejected the idea concluding that it would never be theirs. Charlie shares in the organisation’s non-contributory pension scheme.
He says that in the other denominations “the salaries are comparable but, in some cases, they come with strings”. He explains that in Baptist churches each local congregation pays the wages of the resident pastor. He feels that this could be a source of problems if there were ever any disputes because “the church members would have a hold over you and could tell you what to do”.
In view of this he says that “with the C of E having a central pot there is a distinct advantage”. This has its downside though, as Charlie explains. “If you have a lazy vicar who does not do his job properly then it's not so good because that person can still get paid'”.
In the 'new churches' there is not the vast organisational and structural underpinning found in the traditional denominations. Nevertheless, training-up new people is a high priority to ensure there are enough capable leaders for their rapidly increasing numbers of 'churchlets'.
In New Frontiers International, the largest of the UKs new church 'streams', several one year or two-year training programmes operate. Candidates within the UK will usually spend time in various New Frontiers centres around the country as part of these courses. Much more commitment is required on the part of trainees because they must arrange their own living expenses and pay course fees during the training period.
Stephanie Hedley, administrator of New Frontiers training programmes at their Woodside Centre in Bedford, says that “course fees are two thousand pounds whilst living expenses can be anything up to four thousand”. She goes on to say that “it is usual for the local church sending the candidate to support them financially”. She stresses that all recommendations for and subsequent training of candidates operates within a framework of personal relationships so there is no danger of anyone getting into financial difficulties.
In Pioneer, the second largest of the UKs new church groupings, methods are similar. The leader of Pioneer, Gerald Coates, says that the organisation likes to adapt courses if felt necessary. He says, “There is no one sort of training because there is no one sort of leader”.
Criticisms levelled against new churches imply that because they are not 'real' churches their training is insufficient. If candidates do not receive a formal qualification, are they 'doing it properly?' Gerald Coates' response to this is similar to that of other new church leaders when he says “What is 'doing it properly'? We like to think that we are doing it properly because we are doing it like Jesus Christ did it!”.
Charlie thinks that it might “require more faith to train for ministry in the new church set-up”. He says that the “relative safety of the Church of England is not always a good thing”.
Is it a wild idea to 'go into ministry'? The death of God has often been announced in western Europe and the need for ministers of religion is said to be becoming redundant. People like Charlie are proving these statements premature.