“What benefits does the Pastoring Pastors Project offer a pastor?

Main Text: Psalm 23; Luke 17:3; Acts 27:3

Estimated Time: 1h30m

            The Pastoring Pastors Project makes it possible for every pastor to receive and offer care from/to other pastors, in the following areas:

1)    Personal pastoral care

2)    Ministerial advice or mentoring

3)    Listening to God together

4)    Studying together a subject or theme in which the group wants to grow.

            Let's look at each of these areas in more detail:

1)    Pastoral care of your life (Accountability)

            This can happen in multiple ways, whether formal or informal. Here we suggest ten excellent questions for accountability in a small group (3-5 people) within one hour. We suggest the group be people of the same sex, to avoid intimacy in this context between men and women. Upon reaching six people, the group should be divided into 2 groups of 3 participants.

            During the last seven days: (if the pastors’ meeting is every other week. If monthly, then the question should be adapted to the period):

1.    Did you bear witness to the greatness of Jesus Christ with your words and deeds? Did you talk about Jesus to any non-Christian?

2.    Were you completely honest in the financial area? Did you cause financial damage to someone? Did you accept extra change when you purchased an item? Did you sign a check without funds? Did you spend more money than you should?

3.    Did you give proper attention to your family? Did you listen to people with love? Did you spend time talking to your spouse? Did you respect and care for him or her?

4.    Did you speak badly about anyone? Did you use vulgar words? Did you hurt someone verbally?

5.    Did you give in to some vice, some behavior that could enslave you? Explain.

6.    Did someone hurt you? Have you forgiven this person yet? Were you still angry after sundown? Are you still angry?

7.    Did you expose yourself to pornography or become sexually excited in an inappropriate way in your thoughts or in practice? If married, did you imagine yourself in a romantic relationship with someone other than your spouse?

8.    Have you read the Word of God and heard from God this week? How was your devotional time?

9.    Add your own question: ______________________________________

10.  In all that you have reported, have you really spoken the truth?

2)    Ministerial advice or mentorship

            A group of 2 to 4 people can dedicate an hour to mentor or build up a member of the group at each meeting. (In the Pastors Workshop, we will present a mentoring tool).

3)    Listening to God with other colleagues

            Having defined an area in which the group or a member of the group needs to hear from God, the group can enter a period of silence to listen to the Lord (2-5 minutes). During this silence, everyone should be alert to what the Holy Spirit brings to their minds, especially key Bible passages (see John 16: 12-15, Heb. 4:12). It helps if someone takes notes on what is shared.

            At the conclusion of this ministry, the person should express to God what they are feeling. In order not to lose the depth of what was shared, you should also write what you heard God say and what you felt. (Before going to sleep, we suggest reading Hebrews 2:1-3). In addition to this special moment in group meetings, the group can gather for a time of prayer, fasting, retreat, vigil, etc., with the goal of listening to God together, seeking the direction of the Spirit for the life of one of the members of the group or for the whole group.

Three possible ways to pastor pastors

1.   Weekly: when the group has a specific high-priority project they want to complete. This might include:

a)   A discipleship project or intentional and intensive training for the group;

b)    A special update course or continuing education course;

c)   A mission project working as a ministry team, for example sharing the good news of Jesus with the city or neighborhood. A structured proposal to implement a new strategy in your churches, for example, developing a pastoral team that experiences the pastoring pastors methodology or initiating a pilot project for family or cell groups.

2.   Biweekly: when a weekly project no longer requires so much investment, or when the members want to start other groups that will require preparation time.

3.  Monthly: suitable for pastors with little time or who already have mature relationships (for example, after establishing a foundation in the weekly and biweekly meetings and at the stage of organizing new pastoring pastors groups). This rhythm also applies to pastors who live far from each other and cannot meet more often.