The church is always just one generation away from extinction. Every pastor has two jobs. The more-obvious responsibility is to pastor the congregation entrusted to him, and the somewhat less-obvious responsibility is to intentionally raise up pastors and shepherds to help share the load and pastor the next generation. Some of these “shepherd-leaders” will become full-time pastors or church planters in the future. Others will become key pillar-like leaders within the congregation and a vital part of the discipleship process essential to building strong churches. We like to say in our church that we are looking for F.A.T. and Hungry men:
- Faithful in tasks they are given
- Available to be trained
- Teachable
- Hungry to grow and live for Jesus
We seek to raise up faithful shepherds by focusing on 4 areas:
- Training Men To Preach: We do this by giving emerging leaders an opportunity to preach in the church a couple times a year, with lots of support before and afterward.
- Training Men To Shepherd and Counsel Wisely: We do this by having an emerging leader accompany the pastor on home visits in the church.
- Training Men To Evangelize: We do this by going out in teams into malls, university campuses, and housing developments to share the gospel with those we meet.
- Mentoring Men In Issues of the Heart and Family Life: We do this by providing one-to-one “spiritual soul surgery” for emerging leaders through teaching and applying the gospel to their lives in the power of the Holy Spirit.
“What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2
Men that are recognized as having a special call to full-time ministry on their lives are sent to the Sovereign Grace Pastors College for an intensive 10 months of training for ministry.