To ensure local pastors have a complete view of their ministry and how to continue developing engagement within their church, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) has introduced the all-new, strengths-focused EM360 program built using the latest industry-leading technologies.
Your support of the World Service Fund apportionment supports program-related general agencies, which are especially important to the common vision, mission, and ministry of The United Methodist Church.
EM360, a comprehensive online system aimed at enhancing leadership effectiveness, provides a platform for clergy to receive 360 feedback in an easily digestible format to identify their strengths and challenges, and reach their mission and ministry goals.
Using the Dimensions of Effective Leadership – ranging from preaching and worship to administration, training and development – EM360 compiles feedback from clergy, staff-parish relations committees, District Superintendents, and other invited contributors to generate a comprehensive report for every participant. This EM360 Feedback Report provides valuable insight into the knowledge, skills, abilities and personal characteristics (KSAPs) of individual clergy and offers a starting point to help pastors and District Superintendents develop personalized growth plans.
“EM360 is a powerful tool that gives pastors a real understanding of their gifts, strengths and skillsets. It helps them identify where they can grow and be more effective, and also where they can lean into the strengths of others within their congregations,” said the Rev. Jeffry Bross, Prairie Central District Superintendent of the Northern Illinois Conference. “We all rely on one another; we facilitate growth in one another. The common language of EM360 allows for strengthening a much-needed connection in the world. If we can use the same language to strengthen our connection, strengthen our churches, then that will make each of us and the UMC stronger.”
Rooted in research conducted initially by Richard P. DeShon, Ph.D. and sponsored by GBHEM on clergy leader effectiveness, EM360 is now the only official 360° feedback and leadership formation tool endorsed by the UMC. Available for mobile and desktop, it provides an enhanced, streamlined experience to help participants drive performance and increase engagement.
“To fulfill our mission of creating and nurturing disciples of Jesus Christ, we have to provide our clergy and churches with a complete understanding of who they are – their strengths, areas where they can grow, areas where they can enlist others within their congregations,” said GBHEM Innovation Officer Janet Jones. “EM360 allows us to do that in a way and format that is consistent and actionable by Church leadership. Ultimately, it provides data to help us be more effective as individual leaders, congregations and as a Church.”
With improved reporting and a more user-friendly experience, EM360 is also a valuable tool for District Superintendents to inform the placement process, ensuring churches with specific needs are matched with clergy who can fill them.
“The key is not that pastors have to be perfect in all Dimensions of Effective Leadership – no one can be great at all 12. The key is to identify how you can nurture your gifts and the gifts of others so that the church is complete,” Bross said. “From my perspective as a District Superintendent who is involved in clergy appointments to different locations, it gives real data about the strengths and skillsets of pastors beyond merely observing or making educated guesses. EM360 helps ensure our pastors feel more taken care of and will be placed into a situation where they can succeed and be more effective, and that’s something I get excited about.”
General Board of Higher Education and Ministry website
The World Service Fund provides basic financial support to program-related general agencies, which are especially important to the common vision, mission, and ministry of The United Methodist Church. Through World Service funding, agencies support annual conferences and local congregations in living out God’s mission for the worldwide Church. General agencies also provide essential services and ministries beyond the scope of individual local congregations and annual conferences through services and ministries that are highly focused, flexible, and capable of rapid response.
