Passing on the Baton: Preaching Mentorships and Ministry Training with Alan Stoddard
Jul 30, 2024
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Alan Stoddard, a dedicated pastor and disciple-making advocate, shares his insights on the transformative power of mentorship in ministry. He emphasizes the shift from passive learning to active discipleship, urging leaders to invest in the next generation. Stoddard recounts his own mentoring experiences that shaped his preaching and teaching. He discusses the necessity of practical, character-focused training over formal education, highlighting how intentional disciple-making can drive ministry growth. Tune in to learn how to cultivate impactful mentorships!
Mentorship is crucial for developing preaching skills, emphasizing character development and personal interaction within smaller group settings.
There is an urgent need for churches to shift towards reproducible disciple-making, ensuring new believers receive effective training and mentorship post-baptism.
Deep dives
The Importance of Mentorship in Preaching
Mentorship is essential for cultivating effective preaching and teaching skills within the church. A worthy mentor can provide valuable input, opportunities, and feedback that help mentees grow in their abilities. Many individuals learn best in smaller settings, whether through one-on-one relationships or small groups that allow for personal interaction and guidance. This process also emphasizes the importance of character development over mere gifting, ensuring that the discipleship journey influences not just knowledge but also integrity in ministry.
The Need for Reproducible Disciple-Making
There is a significant gap in the discipleship of new believers, with reports highlighting that only one in ten new believers receives proper mentoring after baptism. This reinforces the call for a shift from a 'cup ministry'—where knowledge is simply collected—to a 'conduit ministry' that focuses on sharing and reproducing faith in others. Engaging in reproducible disciple-making initiatives helps the church grow collectively, ensuring that the knowledge of scripture and the pastoral calling is passed down through generations. By actively training others, the church can foster a culture of continuous spiritual growth and evangelism.
Taking Action to Build a Preaching Culture
Building a culture of preaching mentorship starts with individuals being proactive in their church communities. Pastors should prioritize mentorship by inviting willing mentees to learn how to teach the Bible, integrating real-life experiences with guided instruction. This hands-on approach can be accomplished through informal gatherings, such as lunches or small group discussions, where pastors share insights and practical knowledge. Ultimately, those initiated into preaching and teaching are encouraged to practice consistently, ensuring they not only grow personally but contribute to the overall strength of their church.
In this episode, Dr. Alan Stoddard shares the valuable lessons he learned from the influential mentors who shaped his journey, highlighting the importance of mentorship in spiritual leadership. Reflecting on his experiences, Dr. Stoddard encourages contemporary pastors and Christian leaders to invest in the next generation of preachers and leaders. This discussion was recorded during our August 2023 training event at Reliance Church in Temecula, California.
Alan has a passion for disciple-making. He has been a pastor for 34 years. He knows the difference between church growth and disciple-making. His passion for disciple making encompasses three things:
Good preaching.
Intentional disciple-making.
Sermon based small-groups.
Alan is a graduate of Southwestern Seminary as well as Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. He teaches online as an adjunct professor for the Calvary Chapel, Bible College, and for Rockbridge Seminary.
Alan has been married to Jeana for 37 years. They met her a blind date. Through her he came to new Christ. Alan is the father of Briana who is 23 years old and is about to graduate with a four-year degree debt-free. He is so proud of her.
Expositors Collective is an initiative of Calvary Global Network, CGN is a family of churches working together to proclaim the gospel, make disciples and plant churches - thanks for being a part of what we are doing.