I am deeply indebted to my Savior for all the good things that come out of my life, including this project. I also want to thank my bride for her constant love and support throughout my seminary training. My seminary colleagues and Kern cohort at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary have played a formative role in my training as a minister.
Pastor Shaw, the pastoral staff and the church board have all played an important role in my growth as a person and as a pastor. Shawn Wright for his supervision of my project and his insights along the way. It is my hope and prayer that this project will be a further testimony and expression of SBTS's commitment to equip the church and defend the truth.
INTRODUCTION
The primary goal of this project was to develop and assess a pastoral residency curriculum that reflects the pastoral assignments for use at CBC and other local churches. The effectiveness of this project was measured by the completion of the three objectives mentioned above. Each section will conclude with a consideration of the text's particular relevance for pastoral training within the local church.
In doing so, Matthew structures his entire book as a demonstration of Jesus' completion of the history of Israel, especially the teachings of Moses in the Torah. First, the disciples of Jesus must make disciples by "baptizing" (βαπτίζω) others "in the name of the Father and the Son. Jesus' farewell commission gives a high view of the local church (since the local church has been entrusted with the ordinance of baptism and the preaching of The word).
As such, Jesus' words of command should remind us of our high calling to make disciples and also the fundamental role of the local church in this process. First, pastoral education can only be properly understood within the broader context of the church's call to make disciples.
Pastors and teachers should not be the only ones doing the work of the ministry. All members of the body should be equipped for life and service, not just pastors. The scope of this project does not allow for a comprehensive study of Scripture or explanation of the pastoral commands.
Pastors and trainers are responsible for tailoring their training to the specific needs of the intern. All three are essential to forming leaders through the ministry of the local church.”3. A common danger in leadership development efforts is emphasizing culture or constructs to the detriment of the other.
Fifth, effective residences were very immersive in the life of the local church, with the entire church family playing a role in shaping the resident. Furthermore, the four main areas of the pastoral assignments (as set out in the opening part of this chapter and in appendix 1) provide a useful grid for a. Other forms of leadership responsibilities are suggested in the annual floating assignment lists of the proposed residence curriculum.
Part of the preparatory work for this project included a comprehensive study of the pastoral commandments. The two-year format provides extensive training in each of the four main areas of pastoral responsibility. One of the keys to developing an effective pastoral residency, then, is to include organic opportunities for developing leaders.
This chapter will provide an assessment of the project outlined and described in the previous chapters. This reality will be shown and discussed in the “Project Weaknesses” section below. Consequently, one of the strengths of this project was its emphasis on the sufficiency of Scripture to equip and train pastors in the local church.
One of the other great strengths of the project was that it fulfills a great need in the local church. This was one of the main points of criticism from the expert panel that reviewed the curriculum.
I believe that many pastors have adopted a paradigm for pastoral ministry that does not necessarily align with the priorities reflected in the pastoral assignments. Pastors must be the primary equippers in the local church who not only do the work of the ministry, but also equip others for the ministry. Likewise, this project has taught and reminded me that pastoral training in the local church is the natural outgrowth of a church deeply committed to making disciples.
Likewise, this project has also reminded me of the centrality of the Great Commission in all that the church is called to do. This project has reminded me of the treasure trove of wisdom, insight, and encouragement found in the Christian classics, along with my need to invest myself here. I was also reminded in the process of this study that churches that have effective pastoral stays (and disciple-making efforts) are very strategic and intentional.
The reason for this reflection was the feedback of one of the pastors in the expert panel. I am quite a visionary person and don't always think very carefully about living in the here and now. Overall, this project has better equipped me to lead and equip others for leadership in the local church.
The resident will show growth in the personal and business involvement of the spiritual disciplines (Discipline). The resident will show growth in the entire preaching process, including his growth in personal study and preaching (Preach). The resident will demonstrate a growing understanding of identifying key leaders in the local church (Examine).
The resident will demonstrate a growing ability to equip the saints for the work of the ministry (Equip). The following is a summary of the most important "one another" commands found in the New Testament. 1 John 3:23 "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us."
Thirty Biblical One-Another Commands
1 Peter 1:22 "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth, so that you have sincere love for one another, love one another deeply from the heart." 1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 3:11 "For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We must love one another."
12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is perfected in us.” On a scale of one to ten, say how your devotional life has been going (mainly reading the Bible and prayer) and how your devotional life could be improved. What would you say is the most pressing spiritual battle in your life right now and what are you doing about it?
On a scale of one to ten, how are you doing in the fight for sexual purity? On a scale of one to ten, say how well you have performed as a spiritual leader in your home. What is one way you can grow as a communicator of God's Word (both privately and publicly).
What is one area of theology about which the resident can especially gain greater clarity. How is the resident's consecrated life going (mainly Bible intake and prayer) and how can it be improved. What would you say is the most pressing spiritual struggle in the resident's life right now and what are they doing about it.
What is one way the resident can grow as a communicator of God's Word (both privately and publicly). As far as you know, is the resident a more loving person than a year ago. What is one way the resident can grow in their administrative or organizational leadership skills.
Proposed Residency Curriculum
Staffing
Structure
This model is clear and easy to understand. This model faithfully reflects the biblical priorities of pastoral care. International Critical Commentary on the Old and New Testaments; vol. Test, Train, Confirm, and Send Out: Restoring the Accountability of the Local Church in an Outward Call.
How do pastors raise pastors?” 9Marks Journal, 26 Feb. 2010, https://www.9marks.org/article/how-do-pastors-raise-pastors. Raising Up Pastors Is the Church’s Work” 9Marks Journal, 26 Feb. 2010, https://www.9marks.org/article/raising-pastors-churchs-work. A core component of the church's mission is to equip the saints for service (Ephesians 4:11-12) and to teach faithful men who will also be able to teach others (2 Tim 2:22).
A pastoral residency is a formalized approach to equipping men for faithful service in the local church. This project aims to develop a curriculum for a two-year residency that will adequately equip young people for the rigors of pastoral life.
