In the fresh paradigm, the ministry of all Christians is affirmed and empowered. No longer are the employed staff alone depended upon to accomplish the ministry of the church. Rather, all members are engaged in ministry. Everyone is about the work of feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and imprisoned, clothing the naked, caring for the outcast, and bearing witness to the gospel of Christ in the world. Spiritual leaders are engaged in the life and work of the church in many ways, and all are crucial if the church is to perform its mission, to make disciples for Jesus Christ.
Spiritual formation is at the heart of the work of the effective pastor.
It is impossible to lead others on a spiritual journey until we have worked at discovering our own spiritual center. So a major part of the pastor's responsibility is to focus on developing personal spirituality. Time spent in prayer, reflection, and listening for the voice of God is at the heart of the pastor's calling. Indeed, The Book of Discipline 1996 calls for every pastor to devote at least one week in each year and at least one month during one year of each quadrennium to focusing on spiritual formation. However, one week a year and one month every four years is not enough time for the pastor to devote to this work which is at the heart of ministry.