Mentoring Men in Pastoral Ministry

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You want to find a mentor who is the kind of person you want to be. Someone with the skills and experience you want. Look for another pastor who has the particular ministry skills you want to improve upon. Find someone who is good at something you want to be good at. Neither you nor your mentor have unlimited time. What can you do to maximize your time with your mentor? Before you meet with your mentor, spend some time thinking about questions you want to ask. One of my mentors was a guy named Billy, who had a mentor himself. Billy went to a large church in Texas and put himself under the pastor.

God speaks through everything you teach. I would like to know how you stay fresh. To do that, I read through the New Testament once a week. Anyone — at any time — can be a mentor if you learn to ask questions. Everyone has a reservoir of knowledge, skills, and experience they can share. A wise person will learn to draw them out. Be prepared with standard questions to ask every time you get around someone you might learn from.

Getting feedback from mentors is absolutely critical.

During all the Apollo trips to the moon, those spaceships had to do constant course corrections. The earth was turning, and the moon was turning. To make it, the astronauts had to change the course of their ship, and the only way they could do that was to get feedback. You need to make course corrections from time to time in ministry as well. Pastor, you need a mentor in your ministry. Find someone with character.

Find someone with skills you desire. Find someone you trust.

Text formatting is available via select HTML. I am a Pastor. My wife cheated with my best friend. No church will hire me. I started a church in large house. Just baptized 5 people in river. Father died, watching Mom who is partially blind. So stressed and financially poor.

I hear what you are saying, but, I have not been able to find a qualified mentor. Where do you find someone who is willing to invest the time and energy in helping an unknown, non connected.

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We need more to seminar and conferences, we need personal one on one help. Pastor I would like to ask you a question if I may? She is very aware of her spiritual gift and operates in it quite often. I know that I am called to preach.

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But I do not have anyone here to mentor me. What do you suggest I do? Thank you pastor for the advice I really agree with you that a pstor needs a mentor thanm you. First off, I want to say two things: My brother committed suicide many, many years ago after battling drugs, abuse from a father, etc…. So, I can only imagine you have gone through a lot. With all that said, I have to respectfully disagree with folks needing a mentor. To many times in this SECULAR society, we think we need someone else to coach us in life or to coach us to be more and more successful.

What happen to being content with where we are in life? Phil have turned our society into thinking we need this or we need that to be successful or to do this to be more efficient in life or more healthier. Because usually, the pastor of a church, helps guide his flock with comprehending and getting a clearer understanding of biblical passages, fellowship among the church, and guiding us in how to become better disciples for Christ. Yes, we need trainers or teachers that know more about a certain craft like fitness, technical skills, or academia, which one may pursue, so in that instance and PhD could be a Graduate Students mentor in becoming a PhD themself.

Yes, a lawyer may have a Senior Partner in a Law firm act as a mentor, while they start out in a firm, so they know the ropes. Similar to another player on a team shows a new player how things are done. These are the people we look up to and go to for guidance in our life. They can learn on their own, come up with innovative ideas, and look to God or Family for guidance if they are struggling in life or moving their life in a different direction. But to me, success in life is through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Once again, thank you Pastor for what you do each and every day and sorry again for the loss of your son. If you are mentored i believe it helps you reduce costly and grievous mistakes which could have destroyed your life and vision. Church leadership will benefit by improving their mentoring strategies and techniques.

When Jesus began establishing His kingdom on earth, He chose men from diverse walks of life to be the foundation stones for His church. His choices included highly skilled men from the professional world a tax collector as well as men of common labor fishermen. Jesus knew these men would need to be trained and equipped for the assignment at hand. Thus, He chose men who were willing to be mentored. As a result, the disciples were prepared for their ministry assignments through the mentoring process of Jesus. Where could one find a more able mentor than Jesus? He had learned from His Heavenly Father, and He used earthly experiences to prepare men for their supreme spiritual responsibility.

The model mentor of the universe is Jesus. We would do well to consider His principles of mentoring. Jesus selected 12 men with whom to be closely associated: The Twelve were selected and set apart for a divine purpose. Jesus desired to establish close, quality relationships with the Twelve. Jesus used this close association to teach His disciples how they should live. He invited His disciples to observe every aspect of His daily life as He reproduced himself in these 12 men. The Master saw potential in His disciples.

He saw them, not as they were, but as they could be through proper mentoring. Peter was brash, impulsive, and impetuous. Through mentoring, however, Peter became a leader of the Early Church in Jerusalem. Church leaders today would do well to adopt the mentoring style of Jesus. Followers need opportunity to associate with their leaders. It has often been said that life-changing principles and insight for effective living are more often caught than taught. The principle of association will produce positive results in the lives of our staff and volunteers.

As a young pastor at Calvary Church in Irving, Texas, I quickly recognized the powerful potential of mentoring. Although the church was small in the beginning, I realized that if the church were to experience healthy growth, I must duplicate myself in the lives of trustworthy men. I began to search for men who would walk by my side, learn from my example, and share the responsibilities of ministry. I met with a small group of men for breakfast every Saturday for 18 months. This initial group of 30 became a committed team of 10 during that defining year and a half.

I did not miss a single meeting, and encouraged those early followers to make a serious commitment to Christian discipleship. Each Saturday we fellowshipped during breakfast; afterward I taught principles of discipleship. It was exciting to observe the spiritual growth and development in these men who were truly committed to the purpose of God.

Every Pastor Needs a Mentor

From that humble beginning came the first group of lay leaders for our fledgling church. The core of that small group that came together 35 years ago is still active as lay leaders in our church today. Staff pastors understand that their senior pastor has more responsibility, earns more money, and often has some benefits not offered to staff pastors. There is an emerging benefit for senior pastors, however, that can be shared with staff pastors and will add value and refresh their ministry. I am referring to the sabbatical program offered in some districts.

This program provides opportunity for senior pastors to lead the way by allowing staff pastors to take sabbaticals. In 1 Corinthians We know little, if anything, about Fortunatus and Achaicus. These three visited Paul and refreshed him verse Evidently these three men not only knew how to refresh someone, but they also practiced it.

Senior pastors need to consider how they might refresh their staff. The following observations are intended to be prompters. They may even create discussion for a pastoral staff meeting or a meeting with the official board. At West End Assembly of God in Richmond, Virginia, any staff pastor can earn 2 weeks of sabbatical leave for every 5 years of service — in addition to regular vacation. It is not surprising that most of the pastoral staff have been on the team 5 years or more.

Three of the pastors including the senior pastor have more than 70 years of combined service. While the sabbatical program at West End is not the singular cause of longevity, it is an important ingredient. We reap what we sow is one of the laws of Scripture. A culture of generosity begins with the senior pastor. If culture is what people do without being told, then the senior pastor must constantly model what he wants others to do. The greatest human power a leader has is modeling. Interestingly, Paul said the three men who refreshed him deserved recognition 1 Corinthians They did not ask for or expect recognition.

Paul was simply putting the law of sowing and reaping into action. One may not be convinced of the full benefits of a sabbatical or may not feel church leadership is ready to take this step. The senior pastor can prime the pump by providing a weekend away for a staff pastor, and then measure the results.

Give it a chance. If you want to make a statement, provide extra cash for your team member. Perhaps his short time away will lead to a more formal sabbatical program. The coach of any athletic team knows what it takes to win. The term fresh legs is used in basketball. Certain players are given bench rest so they can make a strong finish and help the team win. The coach knows his players and game plan well enough to rest players at the right time.

We can learn from this sports analogy. If you are still asking, Why? I want to respond with, Why not? Refresh others on your pastoral staff with a sabbatical.

I am a strong promoter of this truth because I believe it is biblical. Each week I meet with two small groups of men as I continue to mentor for ministry. Jesus gave specific assignments to His disciples: Jesus understood the need for plurality of spiritual leadership. He also recognized that He needed to give the Twelve a detailed description of their responsibilities Mark 6: Jesus told them precisely what He expected of them.

The disciples understood and accepted the responsibility of ministry that Jesus gave them. But by providing good instruction and loving encouragement that would counteract their feelings of insecurity and incompetence, Jesus gave His disciples the best opportunity for success.

Mentoring pastors need to be aware that staff pastors and lay leaders may at times feel insecure or inadequate when faced with a daunting responsibility. In most cases, a definitive job description will allay negative feelings. It is also important that the person being mentored be made aware that he has the complete support, encouragement, and covering of his mentor. Church staff members and lay leaders need to know that their senior pastor believes in them. Their insecurities will be alleviated through positive input from their mentor. An effective mentoring pastor will focus on strengthening the confidence of his staff and volunteers.

Always expect God to give you sufficient strength for the size of every task. You and God are a winning combination. Following a period of ministry, Jesus called His disciples together and asked them for a report of their ministry activities: And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: The review process is an essential ingredient in the growth process for those being mentored.

I often tell my staff that a leader should never expect what he does not inspect. All ministry should be inspected and approved by spiritual leadership. The servant who serves well will desire to give a report and have his service reviewed by the leadership to whom he is accountable. Those being mentored will become weary with going the extra mile and striving for excellence when their mentor demonstrates a lack of interest and an attitude of unconcern by failing to review and evaluate the effectiveness of their ministry.

Mentors must review the ministry of those who serve under their oversight. Disappointment, disillusionment, and disinterest result when mentors fail to demonstrate interest in the manner in which ministry assignments are completed. Mentors must become involved in the lives of those being mentored. The attitude that says just do your own thing and do not bother me with questions or details is detrimental to spiritual growth and emotional health.

Mentors must demonstrate that they care and that they desire to be involved in the process.

Jesus used the time of review as an opportunity for teaching and imparting a higher principle to His disciples. When the 70 returned from their mission, Jesus asked them for a report. When the Good Samaritan took the wounded man to the inn and arranged for his care, the Samaritan made an interesting promise to the innkeeper. In making that promise, the Samaritan was holding the innkeeper accountable for the care of the wounded man. The Samaritan was also demonstrating a high level of concern for the wounded man by promising to pay for the full cost of his care.

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