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 PrintableVersion Is this training for ministry?Many ministers feel negative about developing the next generation of church leaders but there is another way . . .Sadly 'Can't train, won't train' summarises what many ministers feel about developing the next generation of church leaders. But it needn't stay like that . . . There is a wealth of encouragement in the Scriptures that point towards a much more positive approach. An increasing number of ministers are getting involved and passing on their insights and experiences (see, for example, The Briefing No. 218). The recently-introduced Training for Ministry programme emphasises that 'mentoring' is not a newly-invented secular concept, but one of the biblical keys opening the way to good church leadership. The course is shaped around this, and one of the modules looks at apprenticeship schemes and mentoring training. The content of one of the seminars, entitled 'A biblical method for leadership' shows just how much the Scriptures can help leaders in the responsibility of passing on the truth from one generation to the next). 1. Aim of training?Jesus's example gives a clear lead. The principle he underlined was that a trainee is to 'be with' his mentor so that he becomes 'like' him. Mark 3.13-14, Luke 6.40: 'Jesus . . . called to him those he wanted . . . that they might be with him . . .', 'everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher'. Becoming like your mentor does not mean 'repeat my thoughts', let alone 'parrot my favourite hobby horse' or 'reproduce my weaknesses'. It is about becoming a mature leader who has an all-round training . On one occasion when the disciples were hauled before the authorities, 'when they saw the courage of Peter and John . . . they were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus'. That quality of character which could not have been taught through a series of lectures or by reading a book, had been modelled many a time by the Master. The pattern of training is no accident either. The Lord talked directly of the 'training' that he had undergone. The Son is the likeness of the Father, representing in human form all the fullness of the Godhead. Jesus frequently alluded to his being 'mentored' - what he saw and heard in and from the Father, he reproduced for others (John 5.19, 8.28, 14.9,10, 1 John 3.16). The next generation of church leaders need to see godly examples at close quarters. Is this all idealism? How can it be achieved? 2. Means of trainingThe Bible gives us the first clue to this: leaders train leaders. The great men of the Old Testament, present on the Mount of Transfiguration, were both involved in training successors, Moses with Joshua, and Elijah with Elisha (see Francis Schaeffer's The Complete Works, vol. 2, pp.153-183). That pattern continues into the New Testament. Barnabas gets Saul, Paul has his wide 'circle', and of course, Jesus with his disciples. It was not all plain sailing. Clearly, risks were taken as people were encouraged, and it did not always work out smoothly. Remember the strong disagreement between Barnabas and Paul over John Mark (Acts 15.36-41). Despite these problems, Paul is rarely found alone, but uses every opportunity to be alongside, develop and stretch the younger men in whom he had invested so much time. It is worth remarking on the mutuality of this (see Timothy 4.9-13). Once a leader makes time for this he will find it has huge personal rewards. The second insight is that leaders must plan to train. Training doesn't just happen. This is not a 'get an assistant who can do the things you don't like/are not good at/preach when you are away' approach. Training has to be consciously worked at. It is up to the trainer to integrate theory and practice. He must be able to do the job, and explain why and how it is done. He must be willing to put time into modelling, explaining, and then overseeing the trainee as he in turn 'tries his hand at it'. A trainee needs the help which a wiser and skilled person has to impart. Without this, many young leaders can find themselves floundering in the stormy life of local church leadership. The 'mentor' will tailor his approach to ensure that the best job is done, given the gifts, aptitudes and personality of the trainee. 3. Practicalities of trainingLet's see in detail how the Master carried out his training of men who must have seemed unlikely leaders - the apostles. a. Formal teaching (plus questions)Sections of the Gospels give samples of what the Lord was regularly teaching (e.g. Matthew 5.2ff, Luke 6.17ff). This instruction could be intended primarily for the crowds, for disciples in general, or for the 12 in particular. These talks were not mere abstract theory sessions, and the Lord planned for and taught from 'concrete' issues. For instance, Jesus deliberately took Peter, James and John with him on several occasions, that they might see and hear, at first-hand, important things which would stand them in good stead (Matthew 17.1,). They were given opportunity to ask him questions in private for clarification (Matthew 13.10, 36). b. Life circumstancesWe can see that Jesus used specific opportunities to deepen their understanding. In Matthew 24.1 the huge stones of the temple building prompted his famous teaching on the end times. On other occasions, the rich young man, teachers of the law, a man in dispute with his brother, or a woman at a well were used. The Lord was using life situations to weave in the lessons they needed to learn. He also used life situations to model responses for them - one thinks of the storm on the lake where the lesson needed repeating and reinforcing to be truly learned (Matthew 8.23-27 and 14.22-33, especially 8.27 and 14.33). Their hearing him pray, prompted teaching that the whole church has immensely benefited from (Luke 11.1f), as did the conscious modelling of servanthood (John 13.3f). Everyday life, under the perceptive eye of a great mentor, provided endless 'springboard' opportunities to help train. Without this conscious employment of them, they would, in all likelihood, have been completely lost on the disciples. c. QuestionsThe disciples could ask him about things that confused them, e.g. Matthew 18.1 and 21. Often he would ask them, not so much to find out information, but to get them to put things in their own words. The famous instance in Matthew 16.13ff functions like this. The Lord is in no doubt who he is, but he wants to see how far the disciples have progressed. As they 'passed' the test, the Lord then moves on to another lesson. In Mark's Gospel this is the crucial divide: chapters 1-8 answer 'Who is Jesus?', chapters 9-16 answer 'Why did he die?' with the great climax coming in the words of desolation from the cross. The disciples had learned lesson one, but they needed so much help with lesson two. d. Problem-solvingJesus models this for his disciples in numerous ways. For example, he explains difficult problems to do with opposition from religious leaders who should have welcomed him (Matthew 15.12,15). When confronted with the problems associated with a large argumentative crowd he showed them the 'how to' of sorting things out (Mark 9.14f). He also demonstrated how to resolve difficulties that arose from within the group of disciples themselves - be it a misunderstanding (Matthew 16.5), mistakes (19.13, or arrogance (26.6; Mark 9.38). e. Fieldwork (and seminars)Matthew 8-11 show this well. The sections leading up to the sending out of the 12 in chapter 10.1 are full of teaching and practice designed to prepare them for mission. They had opportunity to see how he did it, and then they are given more specific instructions. Later, another 'fieldwork' course plus an 'interpretative seminar' is recorded (Luke 10.17-24, note v.17). On other occasions the fieldwork is conducted under the Lord's direct supervision, e.g. the feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14.13ff). By being close to him, the disciples learned lessons about the Messiah, faith, and his provision, that they never forgot. After the resurrection, there were object lessons still being pointed out (see John 21.1-14 and compare Luke 5.6). ConclusionAfter he left, practice had to become reality. He was present by his Spirit, but they now had to work it all out by themselves in a new set of challenging circumstances. One could wonder what the heavenly hosts made of this, given the disciples' weaknesses, the magnitude of the task and the strength of the opposition, But he had fully trained them, they were armed with his gospel, and full of his Spirit, and they would begin to go everywhere telling everyone. That task has now fallen on us to fulfil. John says that the whole world could not contain all that Jesus said. It is to our immeasurable loss if we neglect what has been carefully recorded. Much of that material bears on this issue of training. Perhaps if we paid more attention to it, and let it mould our thinking and practice we would see men better prepared for the gospel ministry. Ray Evans,
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