Phase Two: Pastoral Pursuit
Phase Two begins narrowing down all the possible avenues to a concentration of a path to the pastorate. Getting involved in one’s church and developing one’s gifts within the local church is key in this phase to help the potential pastor determine whether to continue pursuing pastoral ministry. Often college and summer ministries help the initial growth and confirmation of a call to ministry, especially for many young men in their college years.
Three Basic Goals
Continue to build a long-term relationship of trust upon which future mentoring may occur.
Advise, encourage, and support during this pivotal time of ministry, character, and life development.
Help the aspirant move into Phase Three without any debt.
Step-by-Step Process
Identify men you want to invest in who are moving towards the pastorate whether it is someone who has walked through Phase One with you, someone older in the church who is interested in ministry, or men you have contact with through other relationships and ministry endeavors (summer camp counselors, summer pastoral internships, someone in your P2P Circle).
Purposefully stay involved in the life of this man. Often men in this stage are away at college, so stay in touch with them while they are in school, send them encouragement, and go out for a meal when they are home. For men who are in your church full time, continue the mentoring from Phase One by helping them discern God’s direction in their life and encouraging them towards the next phase.
Help the man place himself in a life situation where he can grow in his theology, character, and life development. Especially for college-aged men, they are learning how to make life decisions from a biblical perspective. Help them to learn how to think biblically and to evaluate what they are learning through a biblical lens.
Establish a scholarship from within your church or P2P Circle to help these men through college so that they may graduate with their undergrad free of debt.
Provide or help facilitate summer ministry opportunities that will help them develop where they need to grow such as working at summer camps, extended missions trips, or summer pastoral internships.
Some churches will have the burden to start their own summer pastoral internship that continues to train and establish their call to pastoral ministry.
Be prepared to help them take the next step into Phase Three with specific, godly counsel that will help them to be teachable, develop depth in their theology and philosophy, and live practically in a way that is healthy for their family and personal growth.
Practical Ideas
Encouragement is Key During This Phase!
Each person is different in how they are encouraged, so take the time to know the person well enough to encourage them through failure and hard times. They need to know the persistence that is needed to pursue ministry. If they are away at college, it can be difficult to stay involved in their lives, and don’t expect them to keep in touch with you. You must pursue them with your encouragement.
Give Them Time
If they are coming home from college, deliberately set up a time in the first week they are home to connect so that you connect again before they leave. For those who are in your church, this time will be part of the ongoing mentoring process.
Help the Church Get in Their Corner
Help the church to get in their corner of pastoral development by giving them real opportunities to do ministry within the church. It is okay if they aren’t very good at it—be willing to be the place where they learn how to do ministry. Their growth will encourage the church to continue to develop pastors.
Be Willing to Ask Personal Questions
Be willing to ask personal questions during this mentoring process. Perhaps they are questioning theological positions, seeking a wife, or dealing with personal sin. Be a safe place to talk through hard things to help them grow so that they are prepared spiritually, financially, and theologically for the next step.
Help the Church Recognize the Difference
Help the church recognize the difference between giving scholarships to every college student and coming alongside future pastors. It is not an issue of favoritism or greater spirituality; it is about the mission of the church to raise up leaders who will carry on the work of the gospel. This perhaps is one of the hardest areas of church development so that feelings are not hurt when one college student is given more scholarship or ministry opportunity.