Steve Vensel initiated a doctoral dissertation in the United States on "Mobbing in the Church and Missions" and is seeking ministers and mission personnel to respond to on-line research on it.
A definition of Mobbing is as follows:
"Mobbing is an emotional assault in which a hostile workplace environment is created through innuendo, rumours, and public discrediting.
“Mobbing is defined as the prolonged malicious harassment of a co-worker by a group of other members of an organisation to secure the removal from the organisation of the one who is targeted.
“Usually a single individual initiates the mobbing by gathering others to participate in malevolent actions to force a person out of the workplace.
“Mobbing involves a small group of people and results in the humiliation, devaluation, discrediting, degradation, loss of reputation and the removal of the target through termination, extended medical leave or quitting.
“In a church workplace setting "co-workers" may include other clergy, staff, volunteers, elders, deacons, and/or congregation members.
Steve Vensen says that 'mobbing' has never been empirically researched in church settings, which is a fancy way of saying it doesn't exist in the academic literature, and is therefore not recognised as something that actually happens.
He established the blog to begin a meaningful conversation regarding how to help pastors prevent and/or overcome this experience.
Dr Janice Harper has a good paper on what mobbing is in the work place - as does Griffth University – in the church and mission scene the bullying often comes from lay leaders who have long been self-appointed custodians, particularly theological issues.
Investigating ‘mobbing’
He is investigating "mobbing" and clergy and asking people to assist him in getting the word out to pastors (Senior, Associate, Assistant, Executive, Youth Pastors, Worship leaders: anyone serving in a pastoral/ministry position in a church) to participate in this research.
Steve Vensen says that if you have experienced mobbing, seek help immediately from your denominational peers or a Christian agency. Reverend Steve Brown of KeyLife Ministries has endorsed this research study and speaks of this in his weekly 'Pooped Pastors' video: http://www.poopedpastors.com/
In my view this is an incredibly important subject for ministers and encourages fellow clergy to watch the Steve Brown video and then go to the Steve Vensen blog.
Australia's Reverend Dr Rowland Croucher the Pastor's Pastor (John Mark Ministries) says he has counselled many who have suffered from 'mobbing' and has now placed this Steve Vensen link on his web site (FaceBook page). http://www.jmm.org.au/
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Dr Mark Tronson’s Press Service International in 2019 was awarded the Australasian Religious Press Association’s premier award, The Gutenberg. In September 2020 Summer Moore presented her commission portrait of Dr Mark Tronson holding the Gutenberg plaque. The above photo is the upper part from this portrait.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at: http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
