Christian Leadership engages a unique discussion in the context of congregations, denominations and ministry organizations. As an emerging academic discipline, it is easy to recognize, yet difficult to define or prescribe. From a biblical and spiritual perspective, leadership centers upon influence – moving people from where they are to where God wants them to be. Currently in the Southern Baptist Convention, the average pastoral tenure is 3.5 to 4 years. Three state conventions (LA, MS, AL) report 20-25% of their churches do not have pastors. The dropout rate of pastors increases annually. Consider this quote from Brian Croft, Executive Director, Practical Shepherding:
“Pastors are leaving the ministry in droves. Recent statistics reveal that 50% of current pastors will not be in ministry in five years and 80% will not be pastors in ten years. But it doesn't stop there. Many pastors admit having battled depression at some point in their ministry and 42% of pastors considered quitting just in the last year.” (The Foreword of Strategic Church Revitalization, p. 13)
We, through the Jim Henry Leadership Institute (JHLI) at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, will provide an intentional impact and influence on present and future ministry leaders, with the purpose of increasing pastoral tenure and reducing the pastoral dropout rate. Five Strategic Initiatives will drive this effort.
The JHLI offers Research Fellowships utilizing NOBTS doctoral students to explore and research identifiable leadership topics. The Research Fellowships include tuition and fees for a doctoral student up to four years as long as the student remains in good standing in their respective program after an annual review. Five research topics have been identified: pastoral tenure, ministerial wellness, burnout prevention, pastoral transition and strategic leadership proficiencies. The JHLI currently employs two research assistants and current research projects include Pastor Tenure and Bi/Co-Vocational Pastors.
The JHLI hosts an annual Leadership Conference at NOBTS, built around a specific topic of leadership interest. This year, the Jim Henry Leadership Institute restructured its annual leadership conference, and it is now called, the Prepare Here Pastor's Summit. Our second annual leadership conference, planned for senior pastors from five state conventions, occurred on October 10-11, 2024 at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. At this year's Prepare Here Pastor's Summit, Baptist state conventions of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee partnered with the JHLI and NOBTS to fund, plan and facilitate the event for over 60 pastors. State convention executives each played a role in the conference program. Conference content included three Plenary Sessions with the theme of Steadfast Joy in Leadership. The conference also included four different Breakout Sessions, a presentation by the director of the JHLI of initial findings of current JHLI research, and a panel discussion. For the Summit’s final breakout session, pastors were given the opportunity to meet with their state convention representatives and other pastors from their convention.
The JHLI hosts Leadership Summits involving leadership roundtable discussions, peer groups/networks and mentoring sessions. Summit topics include Resolving Church Conflict, Leading Congregational Change, Becoming a Strategic Leader, Revitalizing Dysfunctional Churches, Preventing Leadership Burnout and Restoring Ministerial Wellness. A customized option is available for additional summit topics. Summits completed in 2024:
The JHLI will sponsor book projects involving NOBTS faculty and NOBTS alumni as authors and editors. In addition, findings and results of the research completed by the Research Fellows will be published and available on the JHLI website. The JHLI is working on the following three publishing projects:
The JHLI partners with researchers, state conventions, local associations and other ministry organizations to provide consultants when requested. Consultations completed in 2023: (1) Strategic Planning for Woodland Heights Baptist Church, Conway, TX, June 10-11, 2023, and (2) Associational Merger for East Texas Baptist Network, Longview, TX, July 25-26, 2023. One consultation initiated in 2024 with the leadership of the AL Associational Missions Strategist, will continue to emerge in 2025.
3939 Gentilly Blvd., Box 280, New Orleans, LA 70126
504.816.8046
jimhenryinst@nobts.edu
Dr. Reggie Ogea
Director of the Jim Henry Leadership Institute, Professor of Leadership and Pastoral Ministry
rogea@nobts.edu
Kimberly Myers
The institute honors the ministry of Jim Henry, an NOBTS graduate and longtime pastor who served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1994 and 1995. Under Henry's leadership from 1977 until 2006, First Baptist Church in Orlando, Florida, grew to a congregation of 10,000 plus members. The church consistently gave sacrificially to the shared work of Southern Baptist through the Cooperative Program. A few years after his retirement from Orlando First, Henry began pastoring again. According to Henry, he was "redeployed” as pastor of Downtown Baptist Church in Orlando from 2015 until 2019.
During his time at NOBTS, Henry pastored churches in Alabama and Mississippi. After his graduation, Henry pastored Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, before accepting the call to FBC Orlando.
To learn more about Jim Henry, go to his website at Jim Henry Today.
