Dean-elect Phillip Jensen also appointed to recruit and train 11,000 new pastors and says it’s time we all made some sacrifices.

by Jeremy Halcrow

Critics and supporters alike agree that Phillip Jensen, the new Dean of Sydney, has the strategic ‘genius’ needed to recruit 1,000 ordained and 10,000 lay ministers required to convert 10 per cent of the population in a decade.

So it’s not surprising he has also been handed the reins to a new position – Director of ministry, training and development – giving him oversight of Part Three – the ‘recruitment’ section – of the four Mission policies adopted by Sydney Synod last month.

However, Archbishop Peter Jensen has indicated that the boundaries of this new role were not yet defined.

Key to Phillip Jensen’s plans is a major refurbishment of the Chapter House.

“Church law says the Cathedral is the ‘parish church of the entire Diocese’. Civic responsibilities, the Cathedral School and the healing service have a special place in the Mission of reaching Sydney,” he said. “I am also hoping to turn the Cathedral into the training centre of the diocese. The Cathedral will be the place where leadership is given in evangelism and church planting.”

He will also remain UNSW chaplain and the seven university congregations will become a ‘recognised church’ under the Dean’s supervision. St Matthias’ will be reduced to three congregations.

Mr Jensen said it was essential he retain his hand with these church plants because he ‘needs to be doing it’ if he is to ‘train all parishes to become mother churches of new congregations’. Indeed Mr Jensen is already looking at what opportunities exist to reach the CBD Chinese community.

Mr Jensen openly admits this newly created combined post of Dean and Director was what persuaded him to accept the challenge of the Cathedral.

“From a career point of view, I was freer to do what I want at St Matthias.”

But Mr Jensen is convinced the Mission will not advance without massive sacrifices from all Anglicans.

“If it wasn’t for the Mission I wouldn’t have accepted the role of Dean. The Mission requires us to give up our preferences for the salvation of mankind.”

Mr Jensen pleads with his critics to do likewise, acknowledging his appointment is a high-risk strategy.

“I am an experimenter. I frequently make mistakes. But we have to take action. We’ve waited far too long for this Mission.”

Full unedited report will appear on the Anglican Media web site shortly.