Pastors: How Seriously do you take the Training of Young Ministers?

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Steadfast

Okay folks... in the midst of so many substance defunct threads let's try something significant to all those precious Saints that feel a call of God on their lives.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not against Bible College. I've spoken in all but one of our colleges and have no axes to grind with those that have, are or will be attending Bible College.

Having said that I have to admit that one of my greatest pet peeves is to see young men come to their Pastors feeling a call to preach only to be told "Okay, go to Bible College". Again, I'm not against Bible College but I think many Pastors see Bible College as an easy way to get out of the effort it requires to train young ministers.

I have 19 preachers who are (a) in training in my Church, (b) Pastoring, (c) Evangelizing, (d) full time Assistant Pastors and (e) retired Pastors who call me 'Pastor'. Obviously this means that I have spent serious time dealing with them, training them and opening doors for them to be around other viable ministries that come through our Church.

I tread softly here because I don't want to be perceived as attacking the role of a Pastor. I cherish my own Pastor and hold in the highest regard those precious Patriarchs that walk in Apostolic ministry and hold the Apostolic message as sacred. However, I'm literally shocked by the number of Pastors who feel absolutely no responsibility to work with young ministers in their Churches. In my travels I have heard such things as:
> "I came up the hard way and if they are going to be tough they need to come up the hard way, too!"
> "He came to me and told me he was called to preach so I told him to get a trailer he could evangelize in and get out of here!"
> "I was called to preach to Saints... not babysit immature preachers."

QUESTION A / PASTORS: How many of you Pastors take mentoring young ministers seriously and what are some of the things you do to teach and train them.

QUESTION B / MINISTERS: What things did your Pastor do that seemed to help you the most as you were maturing in ministry?

Question A:

I take it very seriously. I teach a class for ministry, I spend a lot of time with them just doing my best to teach them what I can, and I have them lead services and preach regularly. I also make certain that they get the opportunity to rub shoulders and spend time with men of God that come here to preach. I take them with me when I can when I preach out. I recommend good books for them.

Question B:

The pastor I started preaching under didn't really do much in the way of training, but he did let me spend a lot of time with him, and I gleaned a lot. He gave me NO systematic instructions on sermon preparation. I didn't really ever get any teaching about that until this past spring when I got to spend a few days with a master of the art, and he wa gracious enough to give me a few pointers. I was very grateful, I can promise you, and the thinhs he told me have improved my preaching.

My next pastor took a lot more time to try and train me. He kept pushing books at me to read in a week, and then we would talk about them the next Sunday, and he would grill me about what I learned from the reading. He also prayed with me and pushed me to reach for the things of the Spirit, and reach out in faith for the supernatural. He also gave me quite a bit of affirmation, something my original pastor did none of.

He also made his rather extensive collection of sermon tapes available to me, and I took full advantage of that. I was only with him about 18 months, but he helped me immeasurably.

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

Question A:

I take it very seriously. I teach a class for ministry, I spend a lot of time with them just doing my best to teach them what I can, and I have them lead services and preach regularly. I also make certain that they get the opportunity to rub shoulders and spend time with men of God that come here to preach. I take them with me when I can when I preach out. I recommend good books for them.

Question B:

The pastor I started preaching under didn't really do much in the way of training, but he did let me spend a lot of time with him, and I gleaned a lot. He gave me NO systematic instructions on sermon preparation. I didn't really ever get any teaching about that until this past spring when I got to spend a few days with a master of the art, and he wa gracious enough to give me a few pointers. I was very grateful, I can promise you, and the thinhs he told me have improved my preaching.

My next pastor took a lot more time to try and train me. He kept pushing books at me to read in a week, and then we would talk about them the next Sunday, and he would grill me about what I learned from the reading. He also prayed with me and pushed me to reach for the things of the Spirit, and reach out in faith for the supernatural. He also gave me quite a bit of affirmation, something my original pastor did none of.

He also made his rather extensive collection of sermon tapes available to me, and I took full advantage of that. I was only with him about 18 months, but he helped me immeasurably.

CoonBishop,

As you know, I enjoy spending time with my Young Ministers. In fact, it's hard for me to come out of 'leader' mode and just enjoy life at times because when I'm around Young Ministers I find myself constantly trying to make a point / press a thought / teach some principle. That's not always easy.

Of the 18 preachers under my ministry (technically, 4 are still here with me and not full time) I think each of them will tell you that I've tried to give them more than just 'teaching' knowledge; I've tried to put them in a ministry that would get their 'hands' dirty with actual ministry experience.

I'm not against Bible School (I'm preaching at one this weekend) but I think one SERIOUS misconception about Bible School is that we can teach them theory and concept and think we've fully trained them. I'm of the opinion that we DESPERATELY need to find a way to give them 'real time' experience in ministry.

It's one thing to 'hear' it and quite another thing to 'do' it!

One of the things that I also do, again as you well know, is to make sure they are able to experience other ministries outside of the pulpit. I've determined that I haven't accomplished much if everyone that comes from under my ministry is a clone of myself. I know my flaws and weaknesses. However, I've found it invaluable to put these young men in close proximity to men I think highly enough about to have come preach for me.

In my opinion, it helps produce a more well rounded ministry if they have the 'spiritual fingerprints' of the many styles, personalities and mentalities of ministry that comes from being around our guest speakers.

[Rev]

Originally Posted by Steadfast

CoonBishop,

As you know, I enjoy spending time with my Young Ministers. In fact, it's hard for me to come out of 'leader' mode and just enjoy life at times because when I'm around Young Ministers I find myself constantly trying to make a point / press a thought / teach some principle. That's not always easy.

Of the 18 preachers under my ministry (technically, 4 are still here with me and not full time) I think each of them will tell you that I've tried to give them more than just 'teaching' knowledge; I've tried to put them in a ministry that would get their 'hands' dirty with actual ministry experience.

I'm not against Bible School (I'm preaching at one this weekend) but I think one SERIOUS misconception about Bible School is that we can teach them theory and concept and think we've fully trained them. I'm of the opinion that we DESPERATELY need to find a way to give them 'real time' experience in ministry.

It's one thing to 'hear' it and quite another thing to 'do' it!

One of the things that I also do, again as you well know, is to make sure they are able to experience other ministries outside of the pulpit. I've determined that I haven't accomplished much if everyone that comes from under my ministry is a clone of myself. I know my flaws and weaknesses. However, I've found it invaluable to put these young men in close proximity to men I think highly enough about to have come preach for me.

In my opinion, it helps produce a more well rounded ministry if they have the 'spiritual fingerprints' of the many styles, personalities and mentalities of ministry that comes from being around our guest speakers.
I think, looking back, if there is

I have a good one for you. If you want to get the young preachers hands dirty so to speak, let them start preaching in a nursing home. That's where I started out. If they can preach there they can preach anywhere.
But it is also where I saw my first miracle.

Originally Posted by Rev

I have a good one for you. If you want to get the young preachers hands dirty so to speak, let them start preaching in a nursing home. That's where I started out. If they can preach there they can preach anywhere.
But it is also where I saw my first miracle.

Let's just say that's a 'sore spot' for my young ministers! hehehe

I let my Nursing Home Ministry Director have 'free reign' with my young preachers. I say exactly that: "If you can preach in a nursing home you can preach anywhere!"

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Rev

I have a good one for you. If you want to get the young preachers hands dirty so to speak, let them start preaching in a nursing home. That's where I started out. If they can preach there they can preach anywhere.
But it is also where I saw my first miracle.

Originally Posted by Steadfast

Let's just say that's a 'sore spot' for my young ministers! hehehe

I let my Nursing Home Ministry Director have 'free reign' with my young preachers. I say exactly that: "If you can preach in a nursing home you can preach anywhere!"

Well there is hope for me yet!

That and hospital visitation.

I think for any minister to be "well rounded" he needs to have "exposure" to different ministries and be willing to serve anywhere.

Good thread Steadfast!

Question-what advice could you give "new/young ministers?"