Recap of Wisconsin Pastor’s Meeting
Our ministry was honored and blessed this past week as we were part of a conference with 40+ pastors and leaders representing Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Idaho, Louisiana, Indiana, Tennessee and Texas whom also represented 10 different nationalities. Rob Millman and Tim LaFleur made their way to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin to be part of an event sponsored by the Southwest Wisconsin Baptist Association. The primary purpose of the meeting was for those in attendance to participate in the Send Network coaching workshop. Essentially, the conference was a fast-paced two-day course to enhance the ability of pastors to coach church planters and use learned skills in working with ministry staff and leaders and individuals in secular contexts. While there, everyone received a high level view of how to be an effective coach and was provided multiple opportunities to engage one another and practice skills. The exercises were provided by the trainers Eddie Hancock from Boise Idaho who is contracted by NAMB to teach coaching, and from St. Louis based Bob Burton, who serves as Midwest Regional Equipper. They were assisted by Pastor Trey Turner who resides in Wisconsin Rapids, and is the coaching champion for the State of Wisconsin. The lessons were very helpful to identify qualities of great coaches and demonstrate engaged interactive conversations. Eddie Hancock shared the insight, “Great coaches come alongside leaders so leaders can be transformed into the image of Christ and join Him on His redemptive mission. This is taken from the book Transformational Coaching authored by Steve Ogne and Tim Roehl, which he encouraged everyone to read. Those in attendance learned the distinct qualities of coaching champions, “serving, believing, listening, cheering, praying, pressing and supporting.”
Rob Millman and Tim LaFleur were provided time to share the vision and mission of Follow the Call Ministries. Rob’s opening remark challenged those in attendance to be aware of the vital signs of a healthy church. He noted, one of the markers for a healthy church relates to the question: Is the church reproducing leaders? This is accomplished through active discipleship and a proactive role by the pastor and leadership of the church to identify spirit-filled leaders and engage these men in their spiritual growth. Ideas shared include the responsibility of pastors to take an active role in identifying men and providing opportunities for growth in one on one situations. Rob also recommended the inclusion of men in Above Reproach groups and for these men to be given chances to lead small groups and preach in small group settings. This allows the men growth opportunities and provides a way for them to truly discern the authenticity, and test the legitimacy of their individual call.
Tim shared to the attendees the purpose and DNA of an Above Reproach Group. The group is led by the local pastor and is a gathering a small group of like-minded men discerning the call to ministry who meet on an on-going basis. They grow together spiritually as they share their weekly walk and experiences, read and review assigned material, prepare and preach messages to one another, and pray for spiritual discernment and the needs of each other.
Rob outlined, the need to raise up pastors is based upon the facts: 281,000,000 people in North America do not know Christ, 1.5% of pastors leave the pulpit each year and the average age of a pastor is 57 years old. Also, only 37% of Americans have confidence in the church; and more than half of Americans are millennials or younger, with Gen Z (Born 1997-2012) comprising 27% of the U.S. population and 29.5% in Canada. Also, he cited world-wide statistics from David Platt’s ministry Radical indicating there are 3 billion people representing 7,000 people groups who have not heard the gospel message. Platt also says, “they are on the road to an eternal hell without ever hearing how they can go to heaven.” Rob shared, our nation and our world is in Satan’s crosshairs and if there was ever a time to raise up more men for the ministry, this is it!
He shared Paul’s challenge in the Letter to the Romans:
“How then, can they call on him they have not believe in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” (Romans 10:14-15 Christian Standard Bible).
The expansion of the church requires preachers, and the mandate is clear, believers in Christ are to be disciple-makers, and men who feel the sense of call are to be encouraged to follow the call.
