The Need for Hope
Friend: Are you really writing another book?
I mean, don’t you want your weekends and holidays free? Mark: Yep. Mary Kay and I really are.Immediately after writing our book, A Path to Belonging: Overcoming Clergy Loneliness, Mary Kay and I experienced the satisfaction of completing a significant writing project. We celebrated and savored the feeling. The most satisfying part, however, came later. Now and then, we’ll hear from a reader about how they read the book at just the right moment and it struck just the right chord. One reader even mentioned that they carried it around like a lifeline. It validated their experience, provided solace, and gave them a path forward.
We want people to have a similar experience when reading our upcoming book on hope. As people in ministry, we know that hope is foundational to our sacred texts. Based on our faith, most of us in ministry believe that compassion and love will ultimately prevail. And yet, there’s the nagging reality of declining membership, tight finances, and high anxiety in our congregational systems. Exacerbating this situation, the climate of our larger society can be polarizing and life-draining, and, as many of us experience, these same dynamics often seep into our faith communities.
The following scenarios, two examples among many, highlight the need for a book on hope aimed at faith leaders and their communities. They call us to deeper reflection. Can you relate to either, or perhaps both?
Scenario 1
“Give us hope!” The seminary vice president looked at me squarely and explained, “We need hope, Mark. Our churches and seminaries are struggling. If there’s a single thing you and your center can do to make a difference, it would be to give people in ministry hope.” We were in the seventh hour of strategic planning. Large newsprint pieces, full of goals and action steps, lined the walls. Toward the end of the day, his plaintive statement captured them all. “Give us hope!”
Scenario 2
Six “high-potential under-45 spiritual leaders” from around the country gathered at the conference table, and LeaderWise was to facilitate a conversation about resilience in ministry. Looking around the room, it was evident that this downtown church, which had generously donated its space, was thriving. The tone of the conversation, though, contrasted sharply with our surroundings. Rather than a feeling of wealth and unlimited resources, there was a sense of scarcity. As the group opened up, they shared their worries and anxieties about the future of the institutional church and, by extension, their future. One person questioned his decision to enter ministry as he struggled to provide for his family. Another individual wondered how she would have enough money to send her children to college. Several weighed the challenges of their current ministry settings versus the reality of a diminishing pool of other full-time openings. Their commitment to ministry was evident, as was their commitment to providing for their families. A feeling of overwhelm hung in the room.
A Way Forward
Although these scenarios may initially stir feelings of hopelessness and despair, there is good news. A 40-year-old science of hope demonstrates that we can learn to hope as individuals and faith communities despite the challenges before us. We don’t ignore reality and the enormity of the challenge, but with eyes wide open, we choose to act despite it. The research on hope conceptualizes hope as both a decision and a practice rather than a mere feeling. Jane Goodall, for instance, takes this approach to her work with chimpanzees in the face of climate change and diminishing habitat. In The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times (2021), Godall cites the hope research: “Hope does not deny all of the difficulty and all that danger that exists, but it is not stopped by them. There is a lot of darkness, but our actions create the light.” She continues, “It is important to take action and realize that we can make a difference, and this will encourage others to take action, and then we realize we are not alone and our cumulative actions truly make an even greater difference. That is how we spread the light. And this, of course, makes us ever more hopeful.” Mary Kay and I wonder, what would it look like for our faith communities to adopt such a mindset?
The latest research even shows that hope is contagious. Much like a common cold, hope can pass from one person to another. And this is a contagion we want to catch! Mary Kay and I want to start spreading this hope contagion among our faith leaders and communities, and you can help us. If you haven’t already taken it, we’d love for you to complete our five-to-ten-minute hope survey. Although you won't receive individual results, the results of all those responding will be instrumental to our understanding of hope among people in ministry, and we will share the findings in our book. In addition, your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous and will be analyzed only in group form.
Click here to complete our Ministry Hope Survey. Please forward it to other ministry leaders, too.
Hope Resources
While you wait for our hope book for faith leaders and communities, we recommend the following excellent resources based on the science of hope, which are aimed at a general audience.
The Psychology of Hope (2003) by C.R. Snyder. Snyder is the grandparent of hope theory based on his research. Although twenty years old, this book retains a contemporary and highly readable feel. It’s both humble and hopeful.
Making Hope Happen: Creating the Future You Want for Yourself and Others (2014) by Shane Lopez. Lopez was Snyder’s protege and continued the hope research agenda. By the time he wrote this book, he was well-established as the foremost hope researcher of his generation. This book extends Snyder’s focus on the individual to talk about how hope can be developed in leaders and spread through communities.
8 Ways to Hope: Charting a Path Through Uncertain Times (2024) by William Miller. Miller is a highly experienced psychological practitioner, researcher, and author. He broadens the conversation beyond Snyder’s narrowly defined hope theory and considers eight dimensions of hope that provide more nuance. The book draws upon the research of Snyder and Lopez while incorporating classic research studies on locus of control, the Pygmalion Effect, and other well-known concepts that may ring a bell from your days in Psych 101!
To my dear friend, who was looking out for my well-being, the answer is straightforward: We are writing a book on hope. We write because we believe in the power of hope and the power of faith communities to make a difference in the world through hopefulness.
