Training Up New Leaders for Full-time Ministry

The process of caring for those who have committed themselves to full-time service.

Training Up New Leaders | T wo Confirmations | Training Process   |  Specific Steps

The Specific Steps of Training

We might feel a bit more apprehensive about specific steps of training. After reading this, you will not feel so inadequate. From Ephesians 4:11-13 we read of God’s gifted people in the church. They are to equip God’s people to serve. Sometimes we think it only means the pastor. But the pastor does not have all the gifts and wisdom to do a proper job. Nor does he have the time!

First of all, you need to find someone who will coordinate the training. This person will see to it that the process continues on with periodic evaluation. Areas of need are mentioned or discovered. After a special area of need is brought up or discovered, there needs to be plan of action. Again, this person can be the pastor, elder, deacon or missions chairman. You might even have a furloughed or retired missionary at your church. They can help. Just remember to go over the four points above so that you are thinking the same way.

Your goal is to see growth in each of the four areas. It would help to have the person under training report to someone else in leadership to make sure the mentor relationship is going well. The pastor should periodically review the folder with the person who is mentoring to keep connected. Remember that the end purpose of training a missionary is to send him out. The church needs to take proper steps to think how to support that person.

One of the first things to do is to give a copy of the article, ‘Taking Your Next Step,’ to each person heading into full-time ministry. They are to read and study the article. After going through the article with them, ask them to identify all the obstacles that they are facing before they can get to the mission field. This should include uncooperative parents, a spouse with a different heart and things like loans. They also need to identify needed areas of training such as discipleship methods, overcoming temptation and character development. After a general discussion with him over those two broad categories, you and he/she have a much better understanding of the needs that will need to be addressed.

As you talk with him, you will be thinking through several issues:

1)    What are his or her specific needs?

2)    Where do we want to bring this person?

3)    How long might it take to work through these issues?

4)    Which areas are the most urgent?

5)    Which areas of training can be done at the same time?

6)    Who has a burden for this area or experience in dealing with the issue?

7)    Are there any good reference materials regarding this subject?

The training process, though overseen by one person, can best be done by several people over a period of time. When we really do not have someone to train a person in a certain area, then we can find outside resources that will help.[1]

For example, what do we do when we find that a person worries a lot? This worry interferes with his or her decision making process. God doesn’t want him to worry. In order to be effective in ministry he needs to overcome his worries. This particular need should be marked down on page two. The overseer then needs to start looking for individuals who have overcome worry that can share with him. Or perhaps the pastor has a series of tapes on the topic.

If resources are not found in the church, then one can look for outside resources. There may be a conference that he can attend or study material on God’s way to overcome anxiety on the web. Please do not make the mistake of having them take a secular course! As a good shepherd you must make sure that changes in people occur by applying biblical principles.

It is imperative to keep that person accountable to applying and practicing those principles until they become his or hers. In other words, this person should not just attend a conference or read a book but meet God in such a way that he has learned to overcome those personal struggles.

Find area of need Trust God for wisdom Design learning opportunities Keep accountable

Here are a few other examples. If you find that the trainee is not regularly meeting with the Lord each day, then you need to train him how to have proper devotional times. Poor devotions reveal a lack of appreciation for God’s way of ministering. If they don’t come to prayer meeting regularly, then someone needs to work with them on the importance of a strong prayer life. These are the foundations of Christian living and without faithful Christian living there is no effective Christian ministry.

What about skills? Has the person done visitation? Does he know how to lead people to the Lord? Who has he discipled? Does he know how to do these things? These are things that he can easily learn in the church. Leading worship, teaching children, youth and adults, and preaching are other skills. As a special need or opportunity of service comes up, you might need to find another mentor as he, for example, works with the youth.

The mentor will focus on developing one specific area, but he is sensitive to other particular problems the trainee is facing. But if a serious problem arises that requires a major focus, then one should probably find another mentor or if that mentor feels comfortable addressing that situation, a new progress report can be initiated in that one area.

You will start looking at your members in a different way when you start overseeing someone’s training. They will become resources to help others grow. No one is perfect, and yet God has grown the people in your congregation through different life events. They might not be the person who will oversee the one in training, but many will have special insights and stories to contribute. You might encourage a couple to have dinner with the couple you are mentoring and have them share how they have come to have a good solid marriage.

Please remember to keep the person accountable not only of what they have learned about a certain issue, but how they are applying it to their lives. For example, if his parents are resolute against him going into full-time service, we need to keep carefully praying and monitoring his relationship with his parents. We should expect a change to occur in their hearts. This opposition could well be a sign from the Lord that this individual must improve his relationships with his parents. 

Suggestion: Start talking to the people who went forward to commit his or her life to full-time participation in the Great Commission. Ask him or her to make two lists. (1) They are to list all the obstacles to becoming that person God has called him or her to be, and (2) list a different areas of training they need. You might see other needs but start where they are. As you pray, think about individuals who can help in this process. Start off simple and consistent. Don’t try too much at once.

A Brief Look at Large Group Training

You might be one of those blessed churches that have several people who have committed themselves to full-time service. Now you wonder if it is a blessing! How can you possibly train them?  This is not as difficult as it seems at first. Remember, God is in charge. If God is calling several individuals from your church, then you can handle the training.

Look for the coming “Large Group Mentoring” article for some practical suggestions as to what shape this training group might take. Some attendees might have gone to a special conference; some might not have. In any case get them together. From there you will help introduce certain areas of training all at once.

Suggestion: If you have two or more people who have dedicated their lives to serve the Lord or are strongly contemplating doing so, get them together for a meal and share together their experiences. You might have your pastor share first.

Get them all together on a somewhat regular basis. Use their own energy, excitement and love for God to encourage each another. We suggest that you set a regular monthly meeting (e.g. 3^rd Tuesday).

One night you might have them list the obstacles that they face and then have them each share three of these obstacles that God needs to help them overcome. You can start off with your own personal account and end with joint prayer. Tape the session for those who can’t attend so that they can hear it later.

Conclusion

We have gone a long distance in this article. Here are a few key points.

• When God calls someone, then it is a special blessing for your church.
  
  
• God holds the church responsible to train her the leaders God calls.
  
  
• God will help the church leaders train up new godly leaders.
  
  
• The training process is not mysterious.
  • Learn and teach the overall process (inward and outward).
    
    
  • Identify obstacles to overcome and areas of training needed.
    
    
  • Appoint specific mentors for training different areas of needs.
    
    
  • Keep the trainee accountable for what he or she has learned.

Not everyone will go into full-time service at the same time, but those that are trained well will faithfully serve God wherever the Lord leads them. Different churches have varying resources. But now with the web and DVD correspondence courses, good training can be gotten fairly easily. They are worth investing in so that those being trained will not lack any good thing. Many of those going into full-time service will need formal training because many denominations and mission organizations require it at this point, but high financial costs and ineffective training will continue to put the pressure on the seminaries to vary their format.

As we keep track of the training process, the church and the trainee should be very encouraged. When the outward confirmation matches the inward, then one can be sure they are ready to enter the ministry. As for the one who does not show himself faithful, the church does not need to feel awkward toward them. They have clearly explained to the individual the steps of needed growth and can wait. In the meantime, focus on those who are faithfully growing.

One day you will send these men and women out to serve. Or maybe they will serve right in your own church! Wherever they serve, the most important thing is to know that they are equipped to serve God wherever He sends them. They are people you can trust and would want in ministry besides you.

_________ Other Leadership Training Resources __________

Download this article, "Training Up Leaders for Full-time Ministry" .doc .pdf

"Taking Your Next Step" is the cousin article to this one but from the perspective of the person who is going into ministry.

 "The Timeline" is a pdf download that provides both a sample and blank diagram for those going into full-time service to fill out. (Chinese)

“The Flow Explained” describes the overall process God wants to use training in your church to equip your people for service. When a ‘flow’ is developed, well-trained leaders naturally emerge. What a blessing to have such people in ministry with you!

“The Flow” is a slideshow that approaches the same topic visually.

“Overview of Discipleship Materials” provides both an understanding of the three different stages of discipleship as well as free practical resources that can be used for training.

"A Model of Leadership" shows how God met up with the same problems that we often face: incompetency, laziness and neglect. By examining God's response to such a people in Haggai, we are able to clearly see a most effective leadership model that enables us to effectively lead at work, home or in the church.

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