Pastors, elders and young adults provided inspiration, encouragement and abundant financial support to make this project possible. Special thanks to Pat Hancock, my mother, who was a fantastic travel companion on two of the case study visit trips and a constant source of support.
RESEARCH CONCERN
The literature on pastoral training shows strong voices calling on churches to take up their responsibility to train pastors for ministry. How are they equipping exemplary churches from each category of pastoral training for ministry work.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Apollos was further taught and developed in his leadership in the context of the church in Ephesus (Acts. As a result of these limitations, Frame strongly believes that "training for the ministry is the work of the church."66.
Selecting the Churches
Dodge argues that the third class can effectively train next-generation ministers for the work of ministry. Third, representations of the data were created using lists, tables, and descriptions. Occurrences of descriptions of the history, mission, vision, and values of each training program were also noted (second read-through).
Each specific occurrence of the eighteen shared practices within the six main categories was highlighted (third read). A representation of the main themes of each case was generated by organizing a comprehensive description of the church training program. Incidences from the eighteen shared practices were counted to aid in cross-case analysis (fifth read-through).
South Woods Baptist Church
A strong value of SWPI includes the ongoing formal and informal mentoring of each trainee by the senior pastor. Participants also study and practice hermeneutics and homiletics together and receive instruction from the senior pastor. The senior pastor plays an essential role in the spiritual formation and personal development of each trainee.
The Senior Pastor uses formal mentoring sessions to work on the character of each intern in a confidential environment. Not only is seeing the senior pastor an important part of SWPI, the interns also get to observe almost every aspect of the church. Emphasis on life-on-life, consistent formal and informal mentoring of each intern by the senior pastor.
Capitol Hill Baptist Church
Spiritual formation through mentoring, observing pastors and being active members of the church community. Learning skills through observation of the senior pastor, receiving a close perspective on all aspects of church leadership. Most of the CHPI character development and spiritual formation happens through immersion in the church body.
Interns learn pastoral ministry skills through observation of the pastors and through observation of many aspects of church life. The program director explains to CHPI: "The mission is to convey a biblical understanding of the local church. Competence Observation and learning about all facets of the church led to growth in competence.
Cornerstone Church
CST's desire to develop holistic leaders is illustrated in the reflection of a recent graduate: “CST has been a great way for me to develop character, time management, and theology. Developing biblical and theological convictions is a major strength of the CST program.79 Participants study systematic theology, Scripture, ecclesiology, and biblical Christian leadership. 77 The program director explains, “The twin foci of life and teaching are inextricably linked for the Christian leader,” so the CST training model focuses “on both exemplary character (life) and theological precision (teaching),” Dodge, “Development of a New Theological Training, 27.
80 Details of the Cornerstone MBTS partnership program can be found on the MBTS website at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, "Ames Extension (MTS)." CST/MBTS program classes include Theology I, II; Hermeneutics; Missiology; Biblical Church Leadership; OT I, II; NT I, II; Positive group relationships were cited by many graduates and interviewees as a highlight of the program.84. The strong group elements in the program enhance participants' lives and accelerate their learning.
Austin Stone Community Church
This threefold description of the main themes of ASI is evident in the interviews, website descriptions, program documents and testimonial videos. Third, ASI emphasizes the centrality of the gospel and missionary life in the training of leaders. For example, the program leader explained that the participants grow in "knowledge of God and His Word, love of the Gospel and faithfulness to obey God's call to make disciples who spread the name of Christ" (I-10).
For additional spiritual growth, residents join a missional community group with other members of the Austin Stone community to study the Bible, fellowship, pray and commune together. As part of the MWDP, residents establish daily patterns of Bible reading and meditation in their lives. One trainee explained that he spends considerable time with other residents as his most enjoyable part of the entire program is “the experience of the group and the group of residents” (I-12).
Christ Community Church
Christ Community has a healthy partnership with TEDS, which greatly contributes to developing the faith of the residents. Significant personal growth occurs in the lives of CCPR participants by meeting regularly as a cohort to recount service experiences and develop friendships. According to the program director, "the immersive employee experience is the defining factor of the Christ Community residency" (I-13).
The program director explains the importance of CCPR: "Residency has greatly shaped us as a church, and we would not be a thriving multi-site church now if not for the residency program" (I-13). Multiple layers of mentoring from senior pastors, staff supervisor, members of the congregation and the program director. Many of the churches and educational approaches mentioned by the expert panel also appeared in the literature review.
CONCLUSIONS
Every church implements strategies to train pastors in the core beliefs, character traits, and essential competencies needed for effective pastoral ministry. Cross-coding and analysis were conducted to find patterns in the pastoral equipping strategies of the five case study churches. The category of character refers to how the training program cultivates spiritual formation, forms character traits necessary for pastoral ministry, and assists in the holistic personal development of participants.
Common phenomena of the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading and prayer were present in the data. This theme involves spiritual formation and character development through active membership of the church body. Although part of the pastoral duties category, preaching appeared often enough in the data to necessitate its own shared practice category.
EXPERT PANEL
I am asking for your cooperation in my study by sending me a list of the main types of pastoral training approaches being used by churches in America today. I define a “pastoral training approach” as a method, model, or program that a local church uses to prepare pastors to effectively lead their churches and fulfill the responsibilities of their calling. Very little writing or research focuses on the types of pastoral training approaches churches are currently using or how model churches train their pastors.
The purpose of this multi-case study is to categorize the pastoral training approaches used by evangelical churches today and to examine exemplary churches of each category. At this stage of the research, a pastoral training approach will generally be defined as a method, model or program that a local church uses to prepare pastors to effectively lead their churches and fulfill the responsibilities of their calling . What are the types of pastoral training approaches used by evangelical churches today?" And second, "How do exemplary churches from each category of pastoral training approaches equip their pastors for the work of ministry?".
In order to categorize current pastoral training trends, this study will research current literature and website data. A panel of experts will also be consulted to explore
If churches are to thrive and grow, they need skilled, experienced, and spiritually mature ministers. The literature review found that while many authors demonstrate the need for pastoral training in the local church, there is a research gap in categorizing and analyzing current approaches. A study explaining and exploring approaches to pastoral training will aid churches in their efforts to train emerging pastors in their congregations.
Many church leaders may not be aware of the existing pastoral training options, may not realize the wide variety of resources available, or may simply not know how to get started. This research study seeks to identify and study the methods and models of pastoral training that exist today so that churches can gain greater awareness of their training options.
After current church-based pastoral training approaches are sufficiently categorized, case studies of an exemplar church or churches in each category will be
Program Questions (History and Heart): General Training Program Questions 1. Why did your program start and what is the history of your program. initial motivations and significant changes). What are the biblical and theological foundations of your program. main theological themes and core verses). What are the topics your program highlights to provide the essential knowledge for effective pastoral ministry. what topics should participants understand? biblical, theological, practical) 6.
How does your program encourage the personal spiritual formation of his. how do you help them grow spiritually, practice disciplines, walk) Competence: Questions about how the training program imparts the necessary skills required for effective pastoral ministry. What are the ministering skills your program is trying to build in these future ministers. How would you describe what you have learned about the biblical nature and function of pastoral leadership? what a pastor is and what he does, why) Character: questions about program strategies for character development and personal spiritual formation of pastoral candidates.
CODE APPLICATIONS
Engage in general pastoral skills such as pastoral visitation, baptism/communion, planning and leading worship, perform specific services such as funeral or wedding, communion prayer, lead a small group or cohort, train leaders, perform administrative duties. Perform general pastoral duties such as nursing visits, baptism/communion, worship planning and leadership, perform special services (eg funeral or wedding), ministry leadership and administrative duties. Practice preaching skills such as preparing sermons, participating in a teaching group, delivering sermons, and receiving feedback.
It lists the number of times each shared practice occurs for each pastoral training program. The shared practices for each case study are listed in order of how many times each practice appeared in the data, from largest to smallest. Pastor Eric Bancroft, observe mtgs and ministry, intentional meetings with leaders such as elders, deacons, etc.
