Mentoring the Next Pastor

Pastor, what are you doing now to prepare your congregation for your departure?

“I need to get somebody ready to take my place when I retire.”

This or statements like it have been said many, many times by pastors in their 60’s or 70’s. Often they are accompanied with a bit of fear, concern, doubt, cynicism, and/or failure.

Pastor, what are you doing now to prepare your congregation for your departure? More than that, is your ministry one of mentoring the next generation of pastors? Who are you training?

How often I hear the question, “What’s wrong with our colleges and seminaries? They aren’t turning out many pastors these days!” May I submit to you that homes and churches are the breeding grounds for pastors. Institutions of higher learning can only work with who we send them.

Pastor friend, will you consider the following suggestions?

Ask the Lord to give you men to mentor. Consider a teen, young adult and/or an older adult. As you are praying, connect what happens next. Don’t be looking for someone like you. Be open to the unconventional . . . that’s how God works.
Invite one or more of those men to meet with you regularly for prayer. Teach them to pray (Luke 11:1-13; 18:1). Everything rises and falls on God (John 15:5; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 1 Timothy 2:8). Before a man goes into the ministry, he needs to already be a man of prayer!! Jesus was; we must be as well!! If He depended upon prayer while here on earth and did nothing of His own initiative (John 5:30), then how much should we?
Set aside time each week to teach them the doctrines of the Word, the life of Christ, and practical leadership in the local church. You could meet in your office, at your kitchen table, or a local coffee shop.
Let them shadow you in ministry.
- As you prepare your next message, have them meet with you to learn how to study and develop a sermon. Give them a section of your message to dig in and study to help with your preparation.
- Take them with you on hospital visitation. Let them read the Word and/or pray with the those you visit. Teach them hospital visitation etiquette.
- Allow them to watch you meet with a grieving family as you prepare a funeral and let them walk with you through the whole funeral process.
- Let them travel with you to conferences or retreats. Talk about ministry en route, and then debrief about the conference on the way home. While attending the conference, be sure to introduce them to other pastors and friends. Never neglect the young men!!

What a blessing to recently experience the transition of my son-in-law stepping into the role I fulfilled for 23 years as he became the lead pastor! My role ended on January 6, 2024 and he was installed as pastor on January 7, 2024.

Pastor, who will follow you? That may not be known right now, but you can be preparing for that day as well as preparing men for other local church ministry in the blessed ministry of reproductive mentorship (2 Timothy 2:2).

Enjoy the journey!