The Historic Opportunity
In our rapidly changing world, the church faces many challenges, both external and internal. These affect doctrine, daily living and ministry. But seen through the eyes of faith, these same challenges offer the church unprecedented opportunities for internal renewal and a great external move to present Jesus to our world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28.19-20).
The Church Earnestly Seeks Strong Pastoral Leadership
To make the most of these historic opportunities, the church needs bold, innovative, and Spirit-empowered leadership, pastors of character and commitment who serve not for the sake of a personal career, but for the sake of the call of Christ and the Cause that brought Him to the Cross. Led by these kind of pastors, the church will rise to fulfill its calling and finish its biblical mandate.
The Leadership Challenge 2.0
As we stand before these open doors, the church is faced with two leadership challenges: an aging pastorate, and a diminishing number of young adults entering full-time vocational ministry. The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God has recently acknowledged this great need, stating that the AG alone needs 4000 new ministers. Not soon, but now.
The Leadership Challenge 2.1
Not only does the church need young adults to enter the ministry, we need them to survive and thrive in ministry.
It’s about more than simply filling positions: it’s about Spirit-empowered, innovative ministers. It’s about ministers who bring the Gospel of Jesus to the church and the world in ministry that communicates clearly and disciples decisively – ministry that brings Christ in all of His grace and power to people.
Just as churches wrestle with the challenges of change, young ministers do so as well. Many enthusiastically answer God’s call and begin life in ministry with great anticipation. But many of these do not survive the early years, and many of those who do survive cease to thrive – their ministry absolutely ends through surrender or effectively ends through slow attrition.
- Studies reveal that 5 of 10 new vocational ministers will quit during the first 5 years.
- Over 70% of pastors today battle discouragement and/or depression.
The Leadership Challenge 2.1.1
This present generation of young ministers understands both the challenges and the opportunities before them. They recognize their great need of Spirit empowerment. They affirm the need for an anointed declaration of the Gospel as well as an authentic demonstration of the Gospel in believers’ daily lives. They embrace the accountability and the potential of team ministry.
And they earnestly desire to profit from the wisdom of those who have gone before them in ministry – they long to share the journey with those who have traveled the path before them that their own creativity might be formed by wisdom, that their dreams might conform to godly vision.
Journey Pastoral Coaching
JPC exists to help young ministers answer the call of God for a lifetime. Where other coaching ministries help pastors grow their churches, JPC helps pastors grow themselves in Christ. Through personal one-on-one coaching, peer mentorship, group calls, annual retreats, webinars, and focused resourcing, JPC walks with the minister in his or her own unique ministry life.
Focused first on character, we are convinced that as we build the minister, we build the ministry, and we do so for a lifetime of ministry.
We invite you to prayerfully consider investing in young ministers by financially supporting JPC. You can help us build ministers and ministries that can thrive for a lifetime – to the glory of God, the good of God’s people, and the salvation of those who have yet to believe on Jesus Christ.
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NOTE: Journey Pastoral Coaching exists to provide pastoral coaching to Millennial ministers.
Saddled with large student debt, just beginning to set up homes and start families, and serving in low paying first and second positions, Millennials are those who most desire but can least afford to pay for pastoral coaching.
We are able to do so thanks to the faithful and generous support of individuals and churches like yours who want to see young leaders not only enter the ministry, but remain in the ministry.
Now, more than ever, we need your help.
If you or your church would like to help Millennial ministers across the US and overseas build strong for a lifetime in ministry, please click here to support Journey monthly or with your one-time gift. Thank you.
We also invite you to click and subscribe to our twice-monthly blogs at journeypastoralcoaching.com
“Of all vocations, surely the gospel ministry is the one whose paradigm is most radically formed by the dynamics of godly mentorship.” Stephen Baldwin
© [2015] — Journey Pastoral Coaching