Bethlehem Seminary seeks to prepare joyful pastors to preach a big God and shepherd Christ’s church. We call our seminary students “pastoral apprentices” and deploy them in meaningful hands-on ministry in a number of likeminded partner churches under the supervision of wise and godly pastors. At a recent gathering of these apprenticing pastors, I encouraged these partners in the gospel to devote themselves to the vital work of discipling future pastors.
You pastors face pressing deadlines and various demands—on a normal week (if there is such a thing), there’s a sermon to prepare, hurting members to counsel, a staff meeting to lead, and a constant stream of emails and messages. While not apocalyptically urgent, it is wise and strategic to prioritize identifying and investing in younger men in your church who could be the next small group leaders and Sunday school teachers, church planters and pastors. Mark Dever counsels, “If you want to raise up leaders, you need to be on permanent lookout for more leaders…. Pastors should be profoundly opportunistic about raising up more pastors. And the whole church should have a deep confidence that the Lord wants new leaders raised up.”
Where is the pipeline of faithful men who are preparing (or who need to be equipped) to preach God’s word and pastor God’s people? They may already be enrolled in M.Div. programs like ours and engaged in church internships. They may also be in the chemistry lab of a local university, driving a school bus, selling insurance, building websites, or working in some other field. But chances are, the next generation of pastors is showing up early on Sundays to set up chairs, rehearse with the worship team, greet visitors, and prepare Bible lessons for fifth graders. They are rising early to study the Scriptures and seek the Lord in prayer. They are growing as godly husbands and devoted dads. And they have meaty books of theology on their bedside tables and good sermons in their podcast feed. It is wise for pastors to recognize these men and “seek to replicate [your] own lives and ministries with those [you] train,” as Phil Newton has said.
In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul charges young Timothy to “entrust” what he has received “to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” I return regularly to Paul’s final book and to this particular verse because it gives such a compelling mandate for preparing faithful men for the Lord’s service. The word “entrust” (παρατίθημι) means to commit something for safekeeping or transmission to others. Paul commits this gospel deposit to Timothy for safekeeping, exhorting him to “follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me” and “guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (2 Tim 1:13–14). The apostle also reflects a long-term vision for the church as he instructs his protégé to pass on this good deposit “to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” He ministers with his spiritual great-grandchildren in view! Friends, that’s the long-term vision that drives your investment in Bethlehem seminary apprentices and other men worth watching in your church.
I am so thankful to God for the many godly men who spent intentional time with me during my formative years of ministry training, like the lay elder who bought me coffee at Starbucks every week before catching his 6:10 am train downtown, or the college pastor who counseled me to serve in children’s ministry and later gave me opportunities to preach my first sermon series through Malachi, offering encouragement and feedback each time. Think back to the pastors and other godly men whose example, counsel, and personal investment contributed so much to your development as a man and a minister of the gospel. That’s the incredibly significant role you have in these aspiring pastors. As Don Carson says, “We are called to emulate worthy Christian leaders. We are called to be worthy Christian leaders whom others will emulate. God help us.”
Brian J. Tabb, Ph.D.
President & Professor of Biblical Studies
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for our pastoral apprentices as they learn and serve in local churches.
- Pray for wisdom and clarity for the traditional students who attended preview day today and the non-traditional students attending preview night this evening.
- Pray for our students as they begin their final projects and papers of the semester.
- Pray for the full funding of The Serious Joy Scholarships needed for this academic year.