Bishop Todd Hunter has appointed The Rev. Alan Fadling of Holy Trinity Costa Mesa to succeed the Very Rev. Ger Jones of Vintage L.A. as Dean of Southern California. Ger is stepping back to devote his full attention to the time-intensive responsibilities of leading four campuses. Before Alan’s August 1 start date, we caught up with him to chat about his new role and what he’s looking forward to most.
Q. What drew you to take on the responsibility of Dean?
Alan Fadling: I had been watching for a way to be of service in the diocese. When Bishop Todd raised the idea of my serving as Dean to the Southern California region, I recognized in it an opportunity to be a blessing to fellow clergy in our region. Having been in vocational ministry my whole adult life, I have a special place in my heart (and prayers) for men and women who are similarly called.
Q. What has equipped and prepared you for this role?
AF: For more than 20 years, my primary ministry has been to Christian leaders in churches, nonprofits, cross-cultural ministry organizations and other settings. I’m glad to being able to bring my experiences as a spiritual director and a formation coach to Christian leaders to the Deanery in this part-time role.
Q. What’s your vision for the SoCal Deanery?
AF: My primary desire is to be an encouraging, prayerful presence among our clergy. My main focus will be to support our clergy in their God-given vision for their local community of faith. I want to do what I can to help them engage that service from a place of wholeness and fullness of soul. Ministry is challenging work, and I want to come alongside these leaders who seek to cooperate with God’s work in their churches.
Q. What are you looking forward to most?
AF: I look forward to being together occasionally as a community of clergy, but also to connecting individually. One of my favorite forms of ministry is to have spiritual conversations about the work of God in us and through us as leaders. Alongside my writing focus, it is a primary way I seek to be of service to leaders.
Q. How can we pray for you?
AF: Like every other leader, in these months of COVID-19 changes, racial justice concerns, and economic uncertainties, I am seeking God’s guidance and direction for the shape of my own work in this new season. I would be grateful for prayers that I will have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to me, for my own life, for my core ministry of Unhurried Living, and for my service as Dean.
Alan Fadling (MDiv) serves as a frequent speaker and consultant with local churches, national organizations and leaders internationally. His content is approachable, usable and transferable. He shows leaders how to get perspective so their leadership flows from a full soul and out of healthy rhythms of rest and work. A trained spiritual director, Alan is author of An Unhurried Life (IVP 2013) and An Unhurried Leader (IVP 2016).