A Peer-Mentoring Strategy for Ministers

1. A Peer-Mentoring Strategy for Ministers Bethel Baptist Association January 13, 2014

2. “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” Paul to Timothy, in 2 Timothy 2:2 (NASB)

3. Ministerial peer-mentoring is… the intentional relationship between a more experienced minister and a less experienced minister for the purpose of raising or enhancing the less experienced minister’s effectiveness and satisfaction in the work of ministry.

4. Some Biblical Examples: • Moses and Joshua • Eli and Samuel • Elijah and Elisha • Jesus and the Twelve • Barnabas and Paul • Paul and Timothy

5. Why do we need a strategy for peer-mentoring among ministers in the Bethel Baptist Association?

6. The “Feedback Group” In addition to the survey of all the ministers in the Bethel Baptist Association, we conducted in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 10 selected ministers. These men were selected based upon their willingness to participate in a “Feedback Group” to assist in the development of a peer-mentoring strategy for the association. After all 10 had been interviewed separately (between September 19 and October 28, 2013), they met together as a group with the Associational Missionary on two different occasions to discuss the results of the research and to formulate a strategy to address the needs of the ministers. Based upon the survey and interview findings, our Feedback Group came up with the following list of Core Values, a Mission Statement, a Vision Statement, and three Priority Objectives for a strategy to establish a peer-mentoring process in the Bethel Baptist Association.

7. Our Core Values • Confidentiality in the mentoring relationship • Accountability in the mentoring relationship • Flexibility in scheduling and format of mentoring sessions • Reliability/competence of mentors • Affordability of the process • Progress/growth for all participants • Wholistic impact on the lives of participants (spiritual, emotional, physical, and practical)

8. Our Mission/Purpose “To develop mentoring relationships for encouraging and equipping ministers in the Bethel Baptist Association.”

9. Our Vision “We see a day when ministers in the Bethel Baptist Association truly help one another through a network of authentic relationships.”

10. Our PrioritiesThe stated purpose will be accomplished by focusing on the following priority objectives: • Create and maintain an environment which encourages authentic, helping relationships among ministers in the Bethel Baptist Association. • Create a process or system that facilitates the formation of intentional, one-to-one mentoring relationships between ministers in the Bethel Baptist Association. • Provide training and tools (resources) to assist both mentors and mentees in maximizing the effectiveness of these mentoring relationships.

11. What are Other Baptist Associations Doing? During the research phase, the Associational Missionary also consulted with 15 other D.O.M.s in the surrounding area of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, either by phone, email correspondence, or face-to-face interview. His purpose was to find out what they were doing or had done in their associations to promote mentoring among their ministers. The following list of “Best Practices” summarizes their most effective approaches. In turn, these Best Practices were used to help us in our design of the specific goals and action plans we would employ in reaching our priority objectives.

12. Best Practices for Peer-Mentoring in Baptist Associations: • The process is affordable (either free, very low cost, or subsidized by the association). • The process is flexible within basic parameters (participants agree to their own schedule and format). • Standardized training is provided for mentors (including a supervised “practicum” period). • The non-directive coaching method (as espoused by Bob Logan and others) is a powerful tool for helping others to reach their full potential, and every mentor in the network should have some basic training in how to use it.

13. Best Practices for Peer-Mentoring in Baptist Associations (cont’d): • Although coaching is the primary technique, the minister’s mentor should also be able to use other, more directive techniques (such as modeling, advice, biblical perspective, recommending resources, etc.) as appropriate to the situation and the needs of the mentee. • The association provides resources for all participants to guide the mentoring conversations and recommend materials for study. These resources are made available in an electronic format for easy accessibility (such as a web-based private forum).

14. Best Practices for Peer-Mentoring in Baptist Associations (cont’d): • Mentor/mentee pairs develop a written covenant. • Mentor/mentee pairs meet at least once a month for a period of one year. • The network is coordinated by a volunteer (someone other than the DOM). • The Network Coordinator and the DOM work together to recruit and assign mentors, but mentees can request certain individuals. All ministers new to the association are introduced to the process and given an opportunity to participate.

15. Best Practices for Peer-Mentoring in Baptist Associations (cont’d): • The mentor training cycle is repeated at regular intervals to insure that the process continues and multiplies over time. • Group-mentoring opportunities are always available in the association, as well as the one-on-one process. It is a “both/and,” not an “either/or,” approach to mentoring.

16. What Exactly Will We Do? “Bite-Size” Goals to Reach Our Priority Objectives

17. Goals for Priority #1: Creating and Maintaining the Environment • Continue the monthly “Barnabas Group” meetings, and extend this ministry to our bi-vocational ministers by offering an evening group in addition to our ongoing day-time group by February, 2014. • Invite participants in the Mentoring Network to share about their experiences regularly in Barnabas Group meetings and at other associational gatherings. • Demonstrate the association’s commitment to our ministers’ mentoring process by subsidizing the costs of training mentors and resourcing the Network through the association’s annual budget, beginning with the 2014-2015 fiscal year. • Devote one Barnabas Group session each year to the evaluation of the Mentoring Network, providing a continuing forum for suggestions for improvement.

18. Goals for Priority #2: Facilitating the Formation of Mentoring Relationships • Develop a simple form for both potential mentors and mentees which identifies areas of expertise and need (strengths and weaknesses) as well as spiritual gifts, by February 15, 2014. • Enlist the first (“pilot”) group of mentors for training by February 15, 2014. • After the first mentor-training workshop, assign the first (“pilot”) group of mentor/mentee pairs based upon the information obtained from the form (in Goal “a” above) and a standard DISC-type personality profile. • After the first mentor-training workshop, develop and maintain a web-based, members-only database of trained mentors and their particular areas of expertise that also tracks who/how many ministers they are currently mentoring.

19. Goals for Priority #2 (cont’d): Facilitating the Formation of Mentoring Relationships • Enlist a volunteer coordinator for the Mentoring Network by the end of the first (“pilot group”) mentor training cycle (workshop and 8-week practicum). • After the first (“pilot group”) mentor-training cycle is completed, continue assigning new mentees to mentors as requested and as mentors become available. No more than 2 mentees should be assigned to a particular mentor at any given time. • As new ministers are called to churches in the association, supply them with information about the Mentoring Network, and invite them to participate. • As mentor/mentee pairs complete their formal covenant relationships, have mentors to recommend former mentees to the Network Coordinator as potential mentors.

20. Goals for Priority #3: Providing Training and Tools • By February 15, 2014, develop a 2 ½ hour workshop, “Introduction to Ministerial Peer-Mentoring,” for training mentors. • After February 15, 2014, train the first (“pilot”) group of mentors by starting with the workshop (Goal “a” above) followed by an 8-week “practicum” period, during which mentors-in-training will begin their relationships with their first mentees, read an assigned chapter each week in Aubrey Malphurs’ Being Leaders, and engage in a weekly “check-up” conversation (by phone or face-to-face) with the Associational Missionary.

21. Goals for Priority #3 (cont’d): Providing Training and Tools • Repeat the mentor-training cycle twice each year (early Fall and late Winter) for the equipping of new mentors. • By February 15, 2014, develop a sample covenant for mentor-mentee pairs which includes a set of base expectations for a mentoring relationship, along with a list of “best practice” suggestions for taking the relationship to deeper levels. • By February 15, 2014, develop a simple outline for mentoring conversations as a tool to help mentoring pairs prepare for their sessions and stay on track.

22. Goals for Priority #3 (cont’d): Providing Training and Tools • By February 15, 2014, develop a working bibliography of good spiritual leadership and pastoral formation resources which mentoring pairs can utilize to supplement their conversations. • By the end of the first (“pilot group”) mentor-training cycle, have the above resources (Goals “d,” “e,” and “f”) available in digital format for easy access on the association’s website. Then maintain the site by updating and adding to these resources periodically, allowing input from Network participants.

23. How Do We Get There? Detailed Action Plans for implementing the peer-mentoring strategy (printed handout available)

24. Questions?